What gets me about the fiasco of the Rwanda asylum Bill that passed the Commons last night, but which is very unlikely to pass the Lords and so reach the statute book before an election, is the sheer waste of time it involved.
Let's assume that democracy is a public good, created to advance the well being of us all through the delivery of the best government possible. Note, I do not say the best government. I add the word ‘possible' for very good reason. But that still leaves my suggestion as one of hopeful, positive aspiration.
And then we get to the Rwanda Bill. What it shows are at least three things.
The first is Tory MPs total contempt for the gainful use of their time. There is no chance that this Bill will work. Worse, it cannot in any way change any issue the UK has with migration. And yet, Tory MPs were willing to dedicate countless hours, and create enormous stress, on an issue far removed from the needs of the country.
Second, the Bill laid bare the modern right wing politician's contempt for the rule of law, which this Bill marches all over. Ego, dogma, naked nationalism and disdain for ‘foreigners' matters more to them.
Third, the Bill reveals the danger in first-past-the-post electoral systems. A supposed coalition of right wing interests was elected to office when no such coalition actually existed. The result is disorganisation and chaos. A negotiated government between parties honestly open to disagreement with each other would be so much better than this.
The consequence is that far from delivering the best government possible, our failed democracy yesterday made clear how desolate is the UK's political terrain.
And whilst I would not suggest Labour is as bad as this, that is only because it has ruthlessly purged any element of coalition from its ranks, leaving those on the left of UK politics largely without hope of representation. That is no more what democracy is about than what the Tories are doing.
So, do we enjoy the public good that democracy is meant to be? Clearly not.
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Governments with large majorities always frighten me, whether they are from the right or left.
The power of the crowd enables the formation of dissenting groups who, whilst disrupting political discourse, are never quite big enough to bring down such a government on their own. The leaders of the Party then spend time placating the outliers and ignore the MPs (and thus the electorate) who *do*, honestly, represent their constituents.
And there is talk of a Labour landslide?
Sorry, but labour is as bad.
While the public has been sidetracked by the Rwanda debacle, this has been passed by the government with no opposition from labour.
https://skwawkbox.org/2024/01/18/government-just-passed-highly-dangerous-new-rules-to-damage-nhs-and-con-patients/
No wonder they wouldn’t agree to a payrise for junior doctors. They knew this was coming through.
Do you wish to be treated by a quasi doctor who must be earning less than £14 an hour?
https://www.pslhub.org/blogs/entry/6303-man-who-died-after-heart-problem-was-dismissed-as-anxiety-was-seen-by-physician%E2%80%99s-associate/
This is a link to one of the links mentioned in the Skwawkbox article. All A&Es should now have posters up telling doctors to Think Aorta.
At my most cynical yesterday, I said to a Labour friend that the Tories deplore the ‘vile trafficking gangs’ (although shutting down opportunities to be processed overseas only provides ‘investment opportunities’ for the gangs) so they can appear compassionate while playing the anti-foreigner /racist card.
I did later question myself if I was too cynical. I am thinking thinking about it.
Have the Government thought through the consequences of reneging on international human rights conventions? Next time they apply for extradition back to the UK of an individual accused of a crime here, they will simply be told that there will be no extradition to a country that does not abide by international conventions on human rights. The reply to “But this is Britain” is to ask “If a warrant for fraud is issued in Russia against a political opponent of Russia, would they be extradited from the UK?”
All for a policy that the Prime Minister has previously said is a waste of money and the Home Secretary has previously said is batshit.
The statistics watchdog, has stiffly rebuked Rishi Sunak for wrongly claiming the asylum backlog has been cleared. What is not noticed is that this is the second time Sunak has misused statistics, in less than a month. In December he was also rebuked by the watchdog, for claiming debt is falling. Then, Sir Robert Chote, the Chairman later said that this may have undermined trust in the Government’s use of statistics and quantitative analysis in this area. Worse, in March, 2023 Sunak claimed the asylum backlog was smaller than it had been under Labour; this led to Sir Robert Chote, chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, writing to the Government to point out that figures being used by ministers on asylum claims “do not reflect” official statistics (i News, 25th March, 2023).
This is a serious breach of the duty for plain dealing and candour that falls on a PM. It should be a breach of ministerial standards of conduct, if it isn’t already. It is totally unacceptable behaviour. Sunak speaks often; but isn’t trustworthy. This is not disputable any more; is it?
I tbink everything he says is discounted on delivery
Won’t have much longer to listen to his lies according to Byline Times, although I don’t want Starmer, either.
https://twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1747882237062742098
“LAB: 47% (+2)
CON: 20% (-2)
LD: 8% (-1)
REF: 12% (+4)
GRN: 7% (-1)
If repeated at the election, Conservatives would lose all but 41 seats. MPs facing the axe include Liz Truss, Suella Braverman, Jacob Rees-Mogg and… Rishi Sunak”.
Not keen on labour either Jen, but seeing the c*unt party down to 41 seats…oh joy!
Indeed John, it’s utterly pointless taking Rish! seriously; you can’t trust a word he says. I get The New European every week, and they have a regular column ‘Lie of the Week’. Last week it was Sunak for his claim that the “government” had cleared the backlog of asylum decisions by the end of 2023. As TNE pointed out, the overall backlog is at almost 100,000 cases. Sunak was referring to the legacy backlog, which itself has not been totally cleared, but is down to 4,500 from 92,000.
In fact, as Patience Wheatcroft points out in the same edition of TNE, the tories might as well face it…they’re addicted to lies.”
You sum this up superbly – political processes are indeed public goods and the Tories are abusing them for their own amusement.
Richard your theme fits with the American holiday earlier in the week. Martin Luther King day.
I think many results of your economic proposals would fit with King’s final phase – the war on poverty through a Bill of Economic Rights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vruxsZdfPKI
Thanks
That guy should check his material before recording though
One of his most important associates,Rustin, expressed the same kind of focus on economics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fybq5UQn8M8&t=1s
Richard , Perhaps you will like better this short explanation of King’s Economic Rights goal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxRE27la_2o
Richard, it is concerning that you are so “on the money” while the political atmosphere is just theater which seems to completely sidestep any and all issues.
It’s beyond upsetting to see the reluctance to change; be it the fundamental need to change the basics of the tax system, energy provision, farming or even simple processes of parliament. (I refer here to the outdated HoC voting process with lobbies. In the time it takes Westminster for one round of voting, the EU parliament can do 5.)
What can be done?
Keep shouting at them
What other option do we have?