Reflections on the UK General Election.
Posted by: u5227470736789439 on 13 May 2010
Reflections on the UK General Election.
A personal view on why the electorate won the UK General Election.
To be honest we have had IMHO far too much strong [and misguided] government over the last few decades.
These over-powerful governments reflected the votes of often little more than a third of the electorate. I hope that in the new coalition the Liberals manage to get a referendum on proportional representation or the single transferable vote, so that never again can a single party get a majority of seats in the Commons on a minority of the votes cast in the election.
I much prefer the idea that Mr Cameron cannot manage what Mrs Thatcher was able to, and bulldoze legislation based on her own ideology but supported by a minority of voters. Same for Mr Brown and before him Mr Blair. Both inflicted IMHO deep damage on Britain without the mandate - at least if one accepts the results of PR or STV as being a better representation of the electorate's wish - that would have legitimized it. Of course they did correctly govern within the confines of our current first past the post system, and so we have no business complaining about the system or these governments unless we also try to reform it!
I think the Cameron-Clegg administration may just potentially be the most significant and reforming government since 1950.
I sincerely hope so!
At least this administration was elected in its constituent parts by a majority of the electorate. I don't think anyone voting as part of a minority of electors should expect to have the manifesto of the party they choose implemented without modification by other parties selected by other voters who cast their votes other ways.
Thus the Labour Party or the Tory Party could never form a government without coalition with less than fifty percent of the votes.
With party vote whipping in the House Of Commons the Prime Minister and government as a whole are given far too much freedom to administer in an unaccountable fashion between elections. With two parties in coalition then the back-benchers must be kept in the consideration. Thus in our present new administration, if some loopy right wing policy is proposed will be checked by the Liberal element, and if some daft left wing proposal were presented, then Tory back benchers will check it in its tracks! This will restore the value of the back-benchers as a check on the Executive members [ministers] of the government. Neither the Liberals or the Tories can hope to continue in power unless the almost the whole body of their respective back-benchers are considered.
It is just my view, but I am very tired of the Executive taking their position for granted [with a majority in the Commons] between elections. The politicians will have to learn to moderate their ambitions and work together for the greater good of the country and with less partisan political interests at heart. It is managed well in other European countries. Surely in the UK we are sensible enough to do it as well they do in modern Germany for example.
ATB from George
A personal view on why the electorate won the UK General Election.
To be honest we have had IMHO far too much strong [and misguided] government over the last few decades.
These over-powerful governments reflected the votes of often little more than a third of the electorate. I hope that in the new coalition the Liberals manage to get a referendum on proportional representation or the single transferable vote, so that never again can a single party get a majority of seats in the Commons on a minority of the votes cast in the election.
I much prefer the idea that Mr Cameron cannot manage what Mrs Thatcher was able to, and bulldoze legislation based on her own ideology but supported by a minority of voters. Same for Mr Brown and before him Mr Blair. Both inflicted IMHO deep damage on Britain without the mandate - at least if one accepts the results of PR or STV as being a better representation of the electorate's wish - that would have legitimized it. Of course they did correctly govern within the confines of our current first past the post system, and so we have no business complaining about the system or these governments unless we also try to reform it!
I think the Cameron-Clegg administration may just potentially be the most significant and reforming government since 1950.
I sincerely hope so!
At least this administration was elected in its constituent parts by a majority of the electorate. I don't think anyone voting as part of a minority of electors should expect to have the manifesto of the party they choose implemented without modification by other parties selected by other voters who cast their votes other ways.
Thus the Labour Party or the Tory Party could never form a government without coalition with less than fifty percent of the votes.
With party vote whipping in the House Of Commons the Prime Minister and government as a whole are given far too much freedom to administer in an unaccountable fashion between elections. With two parties in coalition then the back-benchers must be kept in the consideration. Thus in our present new administration, if some loopy right wing policy is proposed will be checked by the Liberal element, and if some daft left wing proposal were presented, then Tory back benchers will check it in its tracks! This will restore the value of the back-benchers as a check on the Executive members [ministers] of the government. Neither the Liberals or the Tories can hope to continue in power unless the almost the whole body of their respective back-benchers are considered.
It is just my view, but I am very tired of the Executive taking their position for granted [with a majority in the Commons] between elections. The politicians will have to learn to moderate their ambitions and work together for the greater good of the country and with less partisan political interests at heart. It is managed well in other European countries. Surely in the UK we are sensible enough to do it as well they do in modern Germany for example.
ATB from George