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...a blog by Richard Flowers

Friday, September 08, 2017

Day 6095: British Democracy is a Shambles

Friday:


People think voting systems and constitutions are “boring”.

But it’s our unfair and antique voting system that has got us where we’ve got.


It goes back a long long loooog way.

Maybe to the 2015 election that took Liberal voices out of our politics.

Or to the Coalition years where Hard Labour and Conservatory combined to scupper reform of voting and Lords.

Or to the Coalition agreement when people lost their faith in the Liberal Democrats.

Or to Lord Blairimort.

Or even to the SDP who tried to break the mould but got broken by the voting system instead.

But we’ve got to start somewhere, so let’s start with that Referendum…


A Shambles, yesterday

[Previously published, yes, I have tried my fluffy foot at an Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/millenniumdome/status/906127927292690433]

The Prime Monster, Mr Balloon, calls referendum on a whim, putting his personal interests and Tory Party internal differences ahead of the country.

Parliament fails to set proper rules on the assurance that it’s “only advisory”.

Shocking bias from media controlled by half-a-dozen billionaire’s who don’t even live in Britain.

Apart from the nepotist-ocracy of the Grauniad of course (how DID Polly “I have no qualifications apart from my relatives and defender of Tory slime” Toynbee get her job?).

Vote Leave campaign outright lies – and they admit it – and get away with it.
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/vote-leave-director-admits-won-lied-public/08/02/

Mr Balloon resigns in a huff. New Prime Monster, Mrs Mayhem, anointed without an election as all other candidates shoot one another (or themselves!) in the back.

Unelected clique of hard-right Brexiteers seize control.

Wafer thin majority for leave is translated into “people voted for…” insert “hardest possible Brexit”, or “stopping immigration” or “an end to rule of law” as appropriate.

Any question raised over Brexit shouted down as “against the will of the people”.

Government tries to snatch control of Article 50 process – has to be told by Supreme Court that Parliament must have a say.

Opposition MPs (no, not including ours) give PM exactly what she wants anyway.

Prime Monster Mayhem repeatedly promises not to call a general election. Calls a general election anyway on a whim.

Opposition MPs (yes, including ours this time) give PM exactly what she wants anyway.

Shocking bias from media controlled by half-a-dozen billionaire’s who don’t even live in Britain.

Apart from the nepotist-ocracy of the Grauniad of course (how DID Owen “former intern for John McDonald and what’s my lifelong opinion this week?” Jones get his job?).

In spite of this, Prime Monster loses election – but carries on squatting in Downing Street.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/10/the-snap-theresa-may-still-prime-minister-but-for-how-long

Apparently intending to lead the Conservatories to their next election defeat too
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-41100661/theresa-may-to-lead-conservatives-into-next-general-election

Government avoids scrutiny by not appointing standing committees.

As most important negotiation in our post-War history begin… Parliament goes on holiday for two months, leaving David Davis with no scrutiny at all.

Shocking bias from media leads to unaccountable misprint of “homophobic misogynist expelled from Tory Party” rendered as “touted as Tory leader”.

Government returns to introduce Bill to repeal European Communities Act 1974. Uses it to make grab for unprecedented unaccountable power.

Parliament’s own constitution committee says of the Withdrawal Bill that it “raises a series of profound, wide-ranging and inter-locking constitutional concerns”.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/constitution-committee/news-parliament-2017/eu-withdrawal-bill-interim-report/

Worst of all, clause one of the Bill gives power to make “exit day” ““such day as a Minister of the Crown may by regulations appoint.”
https://waitingfortax.com/2017/08/31/what-happens-if-the-talks-break-down/

Effectively cutting Parliament out of scrutiny if David “Brexit Bulldog” Davies fails and walks away from negotiations.

Or if Liam “disgraced former Defence Secretary” Fox gets bored of waiting for having a real job.

Or if Bojo “Punishment Beatings” Johnson is short of a publicity stunt one afternoon.

Government tries to continue avoiding scrutiny by still not appointing standing committees – has to be told to “stop faffing about” by the Speaker of the House.
https://goo.gl/ahrpqP

Government announces that – by a simple motion – “the government will have a majority on standing committees”.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-rigging-parliament-committee-of-selection-standing-committees_uk_59b1a514e4b0dfaafcf68a04?utm_hp_ref=uk&utm_hp_ref=uk&-ukThe%20Waugh%20Zone%20080917

Open Democracy reports that Tory MPs have diverted tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayer-funded “expenses” to the Hard Brexit “Party-within-a-Party” European Research Group.
https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/james-cusick-adam-ramsay-crina-boros/revealed-tory-mps-using-taxpayers-cash-to-fund-sec

People think voting systems and constitutions are “boring”.

Our “boring” systems and constitution allow Tories (and Labour) to get away with stealing your democracy.

Democracy in the UK is a shambles.

Post script:
Shambles: historically – butchery. Same as the French word MASSACRE.


A Massacre, yesterday