2021 is not looking g good, but eventually we might beat coronavirus. The bigger problems are the issues it may leave behind and if we are to beat them we need a new political consensus which no political party can deliver right now. But could they if they worked together for a better politics? That is my hope.
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In ‘The Blunders of our Governments’ Crewe & North make the point that one of the basic requirements of a Government in the 1950’s & 60’s was to be seen to be competent. That, in my view is something that needs to be brought back with both the media and the electorate demanding a basic level of competence and punishing administrations that fail to act competently.
Competence requires adequate funding.
We know that taxes don’t have to fund services really, but much of the population thinks that they do.
And by underfunding local government at central Government level, it makes taxation related to spending a reality, as Councils seek to fund their services by local means to fill the gaps. This is a deliberate choice – not just the natural way of doing things written in tablets of stone.
So why do they fall for tax reducing politicians?
Cynical politicians know that voters fall for this every time – aided by of course the public sector bashing MSM.
It’s the ‘Cycle of Cynicism’.
I completely agree that our current political set up has got us into the mess we’re in now Richard, and that it needs the non Tory parties to work together to come up with better ideas. In particular, FPTP and the stupid two party system it produces and sustains has to go.
And that means Labour has be a proper progressive party, instead of calling itself one but behaving like another tory party. Its refusal to consider PR, and its tribalism show that Labour is essentially a regressive party. Wanting to have everything for itself and trying to win under FPTP are essentially tory attitudes. Winner takes all, loser get stuffed is not a progressive way of thinking or doing. Working with others and forming coalitions is.
Its actually incredibly arrogant for the Labour party to try and claim it is the only party to represent ‘progressive’ opinion in the UK. As you point out, the old political tribes have gone, and society is much more diverse, and therefore needs diverse representation.
“..but eventually we might beat coronavirus”
We will never beat this or any other seasonal respiratory virus.
Governments that believe and act to the contrary are causing more deaths than the virus (in the medium and long term) and the incremental destruction of their economies.
The best we can do is to accommodate it.
That is all I meant by ‘beating it’
I do not think this virus will ‘go away’
You make a very good case once more but then there’s the fourth estate.
On Facebook, Donnachadh McCarthy, a former deputy chair of the Liberal Democrats, is working on a petition “LET US TAKE BACK CONTROL OF OUR MEDIA!”
https://www.facebook.com/donnachadh/posts/10223669070538924?comment_id=10223680371861450¬if_id=1609782730166092¬if_t=feed_comment_reply&ref=notif
He points out that most of the media is controlled by billionaires who don’t seem to pay taxes or live here.
Political change is difficult when the public is so often callously misinformed.
The petition has been submitted but futher backing is sought – see: www(dot) facebook(dot)com/donnachadh/posts/10223669070538924?comment_id=10223680371861450¬if_id=1609782730166092¬if_t=feed_comment_reply&ref=notif
Richard,
I believe your faith in proportional representation providing scope for poilitcal change is misguided. Proportional representation will give a greater voice to the far right, and it will hinder long term change.
Multiple party systems are more representative at the elective stage, but not at the government stage.
More likely to get governments that invest in the long term under 2 party systems. In multiple party systems it is likely that minority interests will be able to bargain benefits in agreement with other factions at the expense of the population as a whole.
Here is a link to a Yale university lecture that goes into detail about the advantages and disadvantages, I would suggest the two party system is easily concluded as superior from what is understood from this lecture
https://youtu.be/TromTeBgwXY
Furthermore, the health of a democracy is much more than the system of election. There are much greater structural problems in society, such as low participation in community and civil society activity, low union membership and activity, that mean common interests aren’t able to be pushed for in a collective fashion. PR is going to do nothing to address these issues.
Oh yes?
Have you noticed the UK of late?
And you really think suppressing opinion is good for the health of society? It’s disempowerment tat leads to the issues you note – starting with the crass belief that only two views are allowed
Politely, if you do, you have. no part to play in discussion here