The fixing of the electorate for the Labour Leadership is an encouraging sign. In a travesty of democracy the Leader is elected by a tripartite college of party members, trade unions, and the members of the Parliamentary Labour Party and MEPs. Some electors are much, much more equal than others. It is encouraging for a number of reasons:
first it reassures that the general election will take place shortly - too many have too much to gain from arriving in the Commons by the only route available, election (and a general election at that; by-elections coudn't deliver the numbers, now approaching 100 Labour MPs standing down) for any finagling with Parliamentary terms;
second it demonstrates that the claim by the current Leader that he will continue, unelected, on and on, after condemnation at his first electoral trial is just part of his delusional state of denial;
third it returns the Labour party to its historical status-claim that it is the political arm of the trade union movement (a claim denied, of course, by many Conservative members of trade unions, but they were shouted down by the socialist bullies long ago); and it ends for good the vainglorious Blairite claim that Labour is the political arm of the British people (a claim to which Conservatives and Liberals are an immovable refutation);
last, or perhaps 'at last', it sets the terms of the general election (for lack of which the Conservatives have been so unjustly saddled with responsibility).
Labour offer big state, high tax, trade union-dominated governance without individualist, pluralist democracy, individual choice and aspiration. They offer, too - proven fiscal and economic incompetence; life-long debt; clumsy and inappropriate, supplier-driven, public services; authoritarian intrusion into personal and family life; the substitution of socioeconomic caste structures for meritocratic achievement; and cultural bullying. Labour offers craven conformity to both the European Union and the United States' imperatives and, where these do not conform, submission to those of the United States - even unto immoral and unjust war.
Conservatives offer to sort out the unholy fiscal and economic mess from 13 years of Labour corrupt and incompetent maladministration, followed by leaving us all alone. To live our lives in safety, with opportunity, and in peace.
We know, oh! how we know, from recent experience how Labour carries through its programme.
Angels experienced the Conservative one-nation society - access for all to housing; public and personal health; schooling and apprenticeships; for the quick-off-the-mark, universities (socks need to be pulled up there by the Tories); work.
Angels were offered wings.
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Meanwhile, in rural England, the unemployment rate for those between the age of 16 and 24 is 40%. That's FORTY per cent.
Mandelson was on the radio again this morning, using his most insidious "but of course you can trust me but if you don't you will regret it" voice, justifying yet another taxpayer loan to a dying industry in a marginal constituency. So patent, so brazen, but not a question from the adoring ranks of Radio 4 interviewers.
Whilst I am not expecting it to happen, a massacre of Labour at the election would be a very healthy sign for the UK. As an old friend of one my cousins, a son of a vicar, used to say, "Let us earnestly hope and pray...". I do go to church, but not for what is on offer from the pulpit, rather from the building itself; in this case however, I may just have to get down on my knees and pray.
Our father who art in heaven,
Please get rid of Gordon Brown.
Don't forgive Ed Balls,
And please crucify Harriet Harman.
Amen
Most of us go to church for the building, the music, the fellow parishioners, that done-my-bit Sunday morning feeling I suspect Elby. Of course the Anglicans have the best buildings, music, words, though not necessarily parishioners; they certainly have the most acceptable attitude to belief, in terms of big tentism, though I would argue that perhaps the Romans have the most fun on Angels'-dancing debate front.
Who would risk the chance of an Austen, Compton Burnett church generated encounter - of not be there to observe Mrs Proudie when visiting the local cathedral.
Part of our heritage, innit?
I'm beginning to think that employment is no more the responsibility of the government to provide than education or health services; facilitate the employment possibilities, certainly, with low taxes and credit and getting rid of regulation so we can display a bit of entrepreneurship. But not providing work directly, just like health should be individually insurance based and schooling free at point of use but provided from many sources. After all, Bertrand Russell set up and ran a school in the days when the Labour authoritarian state wasn't there to exploit the people.
Labour doesn't serve social democracy does it?
The one-nation situation you describe existed at a time when public "employment" was much lower, and we did not - to quote Jerry Pournelle - convert so much output to process.
We need to reduce the waste, under-employment (ie non-jobs), malinvestment, and all the rest of it, before we can again use the public funds to provide real value to the public, rather than just to buy votes for Labour.
There's not much sign of any political party grasping this nettle, which is hardly surprising since the public sector payroll vote is now at an astonishing seven million or so.
The State is too large, is still increasing, and ought to be diminished. Until this happens, nothing else will go right.
'the public sector payroll vote is now at an astonishing seven million or so.'
And there is no real distinction between frontline and any other line of the public sector payroll, Yacht. Almost all state provision other than the minimal role of protecting the physical integrity of the state, providing a system of justice, and a system of democratic governance, could be provided by a market capitalist economy at least as well but almost certainly better for money spent and happiness with the result.
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