Students of irony may enjoy this one.
The only time in the entire last parliament where the Lib Dems actually stood up to the Tories and whipped their MPs to vote in the opposite direction, was not to protect the poor and needy from vicious cuts. It was to protect their own jobs. They voted down the Boundary Commission proposals to amend constituency boundaries to account for population shifts and make them more equal sized, and to cut Westminster from 650 troughing MPs to 600.
A general cut of 8.5% in the number of MPs was not the only problem for the gravy train Lib Dems, who were particularly concerned that they could suffer a net extra loss of half a dozen seats from boundary changes in rural constituencies with small populations. There was no hint of principle in their decision, merely a desire to keep their snouts in the trough.
The wonderful irony is, their arses will now very possibly be booted from their ministerial limousines by their own actions. Because the large majority of over-small population constituencies are in the centre of declining post-industrial cities, the beneficiaries of the Lib Dems action will be mostly the Labour Party and secondly the SNP.
Indeed if the total number of votes cast in the UK for Tories plus Lib Dems is equal to the total number of votes cast in the UK for Labour plus Scot Nats (which is more or less what the polls are showing), then Labour plus the Scot Nats will win approximately 35 more seats than the rival bloc for the same total votes, entirely because of the Lib Dem veto on the Boundary Commission proposals.
It’s convoluted, but delicious irony once you get your head round it. What an arse Clegg is.
Very astute post Craig.
Thank you.
Sorry but the aim of this article is all wrong. The boundary changes were blocked because the Tories blocked PR for the house of Lords. It was also revenge for being screwed over in the AV referendum.
Clegg has been consistently out played by Cameron but all least in this the libdems got their own back. The main losers are the Tories. With the boundary changes the libdems would have been completely screwed as it is they are just screwed in England.
Talking of irony, I see Vladimir Bukovsky has been arrested. Bukovsky spent years inside a Soviet prison for criticising the regime, and exposed Soviet abuse of psychiatric treatment for political purposes. He is also an outspoken critic of the European Union.
The self important Cleggover has called a press conference this morning for the purpose of announcing his ‘red line’, ie the terms upon which he will collude with the party with the most seats but without a majority.
Trust it’s not as ridiculous as this one.
http://backchannel.al-monitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/NetanyahuUNGA20121.jpg
Have you emailed Russia Today yet to get the title of the book?
Shouldn’t be too difficult for someone who seems able to post on here several times a day, surely.
I see the Lib Dems as a moderating influence as part of a coalition, though they’re unlikely to get into power themselves. However I find the Greens’ policy on housing more impressive than the others.
Thanks for the good breakfast laugh Craig midst all the death and destruction around the world. The unintended consequence of voting down the bill which would have meant fewer “troughing” MP has resulted in the Libdems biting their own backsides.
But I agree with Winkletoe that having fewer MPs is not necessarily a good thing; it’s the troughing bit that needs to be addressed and wont be whoever gets in. A whole root and branch cleansing of the stables from top to bottom with plenty of Jeyes is what is needed. Never mind the quantity lets have some quality.
A whole root and branch cleansing of the stables from top to bottom with plenty of Jeyes is what is needed.
Don’t frighten the horses!
To continue the troughing allusion: I had a well-spent hour or so last night listening to Chris Hedges. Who said nothing good ever came out of America? For anyone like me who knew nothing of the history of US working class movements and with only a vague notion of some of the struggles, it was truly enlightening and moving.
His analysis of the root of all the evils that are besetting the world – in a word greed – seems to me straight on the button. Much the same thing as R.Brand of this parish is saying I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rGQoCS7ty1g
Quite agree with you Rose. I sometimes use that metaphor of Hercules’ Augean stables.
Shut the place (Pugin’s Palace) down. Make it a museum which is its current function anyway. Build a new tower block with the parliament and offices on the lower floors and single bedroomed flats above for the troughers so that they cannot invent all their fancy expenses claims.
Dismantle the BBC too while we are about it.
Chris Hedges is a wonderful orator and speaks the truth. A rare person.
single bedroomed flats above for the troughers so that they cannot invent all their fancy expenses claims.
CCTV in all rooms streamed to the internet so we can all see what they’re up to all the time (optionally – I’d hate to have to)
Home Office chiefs ignored FOURTH warning on Janner: Officials were told of child sex claims in 1995 report:
Thanks for the Hedges link. Here’s the Sacco book:
http://www.amazon.com/Footnotes-Gaza-A-Graphic-Novel/dp/0805092773
Ha’aretz had an article at the time on the police raid on Lord Janner’s home in December 2013. British police raid Lord Janner’s home in sex abuse investigation: The 85-year-old World Jewish Congress VP was not arrested in the raid, police say. (Dec. 22, 2013).
Article mentions Janner’s membership in the Magic Circle, “a British organization dedicated to promoting stage magic.”
Ashcroft’s polling company is predicting that Clegg will lose his Sheffield seat.
I may quiz Janner myself, says head of abuse inquiry: New experts to decide on his dementia.
Leicester Mercury: Police to be investigated over Greville Janner child abuse allegations: