If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The Blog
Clearly fast moving events elsewhere in Europe, particularly in Greece and Spain, are giving added impetus to the whole issue of Britain's relationship with the European Union. They are also driving the issue closer and closer to the decision makers in the main parties. In recent weeks, we have seen a growing number of establishment Labour figures accepting that a referendum may have to be held.
As the disciples of Eurozone austerity are being unceremoniously booted out of office, now might be a good time for us to discuss whether the backlash against British austerity, which has been growing since the formation of the coalition, has the potential to expand and provoke yet another government to fall.
Every year, at this time of rich and ruddy ceremonial, the same questions always recur. Is all this ostentatious display rather splendid or rather naff? Can we justify the cost? What will the Speech contain and how long will it take?
Whatever Ed Miliband's flaws, the British people love an underdog, especially when they feel like underdogs.
Even by the dismal standards set by so many European rightwing governments in the last decade or so, Nicolas Sarkozy was a uniquely repellent politician. Brash, vulgar, ostentatious, ruthless and arrogant, his appetite for power was untempered by any moral scruples.
While the results of the London mayoralty and Glasgow city council elections are still awaited, Labour can celebrate ejecting the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition which has controlled Birmingham for the last eight years and looks on course to pick up over 700 seats nationwide.
Mr Nicholas Soames, the Conservative member for a rich and oozing slice of Sussex, used to cheer-lead for the Prince of Wales in his publicity battles with the Queen of Hearts, so he knows a thing or two about backing an unpopular cause. Ever the controversialist, Mr Soames inflated to the support of the Prime Minister as he answered an urgent question on the conduct of Mr Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary.
Is Ed Miliband onto a winner? He has been attacked by the media from both the left and the right for failing to lead the charge brigade against a disa...
Politicians are completely out of touch with ordinary citizens regarding taxpayer funding of political parties. People are disgusted with the influence exercised by an unscrupulous rich elite, that is able to bend politicians and policies to its will using its wealth.
Ever since Cameron won the party leadership over David Davis in 2005, he has tried vigorously to press home the point that in the eyes of so many people across the United Kingdom The Tory Party was the symbol of Mass Unemployment, Disregard for the vulnerable and strained relationships with ethnic minorities.
If the West-Bradford by-election in which the dictator loving George Galloway was elected is anything to go by, it would seem that yet again, as expec...
Few events in the political calendar underline quite so graphically the power of the government and the impotence of the opposition as much as the Queen's speech. Backed by all the pomp and finery the British state can muster, the Gracious Address, to give it its proper title, affords the government the opportunity to draw a line under past difficulties, and turn a somewhat dry recitation of its legislative programme into a demonstration of its political priorities. The shadow cabinet should seize on this year's Queen's speech to provide its own 'shadow Queen's speech' as a way of demonstrating how Britain could be different under Labour.
British politics at the moment is in a complete state of disarray. I often don't know whether to collapse laughing or cry endlessly whilst ripping my hair out.
The time for cheap point-scoring has passed, now comes the serious work of improving the health service, with power in the hands of the professionals.
As long as these smears are accepted by the public, Labour will continue to suffer from a toxic image of economic incompetence. The task facing them now is not so much in rethinking their policies, but in figuring out how to convincingly express them to those who are still cynical.
At a time when our country faces some very difficult decisions about what we should do about public finances, hardly anyone trusts those who are leading the way ahead.
