Declaring 2008 would be an "important year for the Union", the unelected Leader of the Labour Party, '..when forced into a significant concession in accepting that the debate on more powers for Holyrood is under way.' (SNP spokesman ), had the brass neck to try arguing:
"It's important to remember that two-thirds of the people of Scotland voted in the last elections for the Scottish Parliament for parties that oppose separation; for parties that support the maintenance of the Union."
As a commenter in the Herald noted:
'It's important to remember that two-thirds of the people of Britain voted in the last elections for the Westminster Parliament for parties that oppose the Labour Party.'
Labour received 35.3% of the popular vote, equating to approximately 22% of the electorate on a 61.3% turnout. Labour's vote declined to 35.3%, the lowest share of the popular vote to form a government with a majority in the UK House of Commons in history.
You don't do democracy, Brown; just as, in Alastair Campbell's words, "We don't do God".
You don't do morality either, not when running a close second to the Prince of Lies.
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9 comments:
How do you think we can get our country back ?
Angels left, EK, but then, for me, there was another, in many ways necessary, life to lead. You know quite as much as me about negotiating your way through micro-managed bureaucratic control systems. Build our own networks, use them relentlessly and exclusively, recognise the Labour nomenklatura and harm it where possible without harm to our families. They are well entrenched now. When the chance to vote arises vote to get them out or to keep them out, no matter what you have to vote for (even the Liberal Democrats, though probably it will only be a Conservative). If you are in a union, detach it from Labour, or at least detach any funding.
You know, better than most, no confrontation, no fighting in the streets.
Go to Church (at least you can sit and criticize the sermon silently, and it can lead to lively discussion and laughs over lunch); or contemplate the nature of the divine. Contemplation is a much underrated activity, and church actually condones it. Go to concerts, sing in choirs, read poetry in groups, play croquet (there's a sport to outdo soccer any day) - you know. Use our wonderful culture and enjoy it; and every time you meet anyone who knocks it, knock them right back.
NICE -I have always thought that argument was utterly specious and that shows it well.
Hoorah for HG , and I love your comment , its really quite moving .
What a woman!
Yes. What a woman. Though I fancy that it's all too little too late.
http://electro-kevin-electrokevin.blogspot.com/2008/01/spooky.html#links
Note particularly my comments on the burning of dog collars.
It felt odd writing 'Go to church', N, but there is nothing more subversive than a clever, well-trained Church of England vicar. Or, I suspect, the clergy of other branches of Christendom. They nail the challenges to authority to the doors of their buildings - and to the souls of their faithful.
There is no requirement to believe in a particular expression of the nature of God to believe in the worth of speaking and thinking of matters that are defined within the domain of belief and faith. The terrible attempt to take over that domain by the authoritarian state has been resisted in many guises by many cultures; it's our turn now.
Benedict XVI has been doing a fine job of slapping down statist intrusions into morality, perhaps he had a nasty lesson in that in his youth;the Cof E has had its moments and must do so again.
It is said that England is the country without music; English church music is some of the best. There has to be good in an institution that can express itself and ourselves so finely.
Anyway, of all the establishments of power in England, it is the church that links directly to the people.
And poetry does benefit from public declaration, and carries a big stick. (Croquet uses a mallet, of course).
I always understood that the English were famous for their love of singing and dancing, at least until mass communications started to do it all for us.
Yes, HG, you are quite a woman, as everybody says. But - no doubt with reasonable cause - are you not too much of a defeatist?
What you recommend - concerts, singing, croquet and other noble sports, poetry, culture ... - in Italy is called withdrawal into the private sphere ("rientro nel privato"). This is exactly, but exactly, what corrupt arrogant bullying politicians in government like best in their subjects. Your strategy is playing into their dirty hands.
My recommendation is be as politically involved as you can and can stomach. Resist, instead of acquiescing. Speak up (which is what you do on your blog, actually, instead of what you preach). Involve yourself in local politics, seek out and encourage like-minded people, or potentially like-minded people, to come out and do the same.
And leave alone the Church - apart from the good tunes. Bigotry is no route to liberation.
I cannot recall who said England is the land without music, S but it resonated for a long time. Whoever, they should have gone into an English cathedral and listened.
(But if anyone says the word Elgar, I shall scream).
Dancing? Don't know anything at all about dancing.
I was commending the celebration and wholehearted enjoyment of English culture, in all its aspects C, not just the bits I might like at times, though those are the bits I mentioned, and not recommending the rientro nel privato.
Anyway, the rientro involves simply retreating into private, (and in Italy family dominated) life, not a celebration of culture.
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