1. Liberal England doesn't think much fo a code of conduct for MPs.2. SNP Tactical Voting thinks it's Game On in the Speaker's constituency.
3. Michael Meacher outlines a blueprint for parliamentary reform.
4. Tory Politico thinks bloggers should be allowed into lobby briefings.
5. Daily Referendum has pictures from the Conservative bloggers drinks do.
6. Anna Raccoon is the very model of a modern parliamentarian.
7. Mark Reckons Brown's performance on Marr was pathetic.
8. Tim Montgomerie thinks CCHQ should not mislead new candidates on their likely chances.
9. Tory Diary thinks Cameron's use of expenses was "entirely appropriate".
10. Tom Harris accepts no responsibility.
11. Fraser Nelson fisks Gordon Brown.
12. Iain Martin breathes a sigh of relief about Gordon Brown being found alive.
I notice that as well as running a smear against Cameron, The Mail are running a series of puff pieces about Gordon Brown, including his trauma at the death of his newborn baby.
ReplyDeleteAnd to think -
Brown said he would never use his family for political reasons ....
and
Some people think The Mail is a Tory paper ...
First? Nah, I don't get that sort of luck.
ReplyDeleteA by-election in Glasgow North East would be the last thing Brown would want, but he can't hide behind the bad news with a general election he is likely to lose, so what does he do?
ReplyDeleteUnder current circumstances I do wonder who would exactly win the GNW by-election. Dunno how cynical it is to consider if it will be the first to be voted upon under a different voting system.....
I beg to differ with Iain Martin. I must admit I got rather depressed this morning when I discovered that Gordon Brown was still alive.
ReplyDeleteMark Reckons and Liberal England make excellent points.
ReplyDeleteI can't sympathise with Iain Martin's relief at finding Brown alive! And nor can I agree with Meacher's notion that a referendum on constitutional reform should happen at the same time as the general election. This will seriously muddy the waters and will be confusing to most people. If there is to be a referendum, it should happen well before the general election - as soon as possible after being thoroughly debated in parliament.
I don't trust this government and I certainly wouldn't want it tinkering with the constitution.
Constitutional Reform was never NECESSARY when MPs and Parliament played with a (mainly) straight bat!
ReplyDeleteI happen to believe that the Lords, before Labour tinkering, acted as a very sensible check and balance on the worst excesses of Government.
DESPITE being constituted mainly of hereditary peers,some of whom may well have been vagabonds, but it still worked.
NOW? well now ANY vagabond can become a Lord or Lady and many have.
And of course Devolution has given rise to MANY inequities not least of which is the WestLothian question.
THIS Government should NOT be allowed any further tinkering with our Constitution because they inevitably WILL totally wreck it. they are already 75% there.
Never forget that a good number of the Government front bench are ex Marxists so the Constitutional Monarchy is probably at risk as well - after all "once you have learned to ride a bike........"
Michael Meacher? didn't I once read that this ex union man has FIVE properties? Maybe I confuse him with someone else.
A final point. Brown is talking of instituting Constitutional reform BEFORE the next election. THAT would be disastrous and lead to ill thought out reforms. No doubt he plans to remove the last remaining bits of Magna Carta.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is SO important that a single year is simply NOT enough time to get it right.
I have been saying for a few years that New Labour trawled the world for new ideas - and then implemented the WORST. Paid Councillors and elected Mayors (American idea) are two such. Performance Related Pay (courtesy Blunkett) is another. There are MANY and Professor Northcote Parkinson could never have guessed how far his "law" would be implemented.
Fraser Nelson does WHAT??
ReplyDeleteOh.. fisKs!