tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post5501245414751683181..comments2024-03-26T07:58:59.761+00:00Comments on I'll think of something later: Andy Slaughter MP: doing the right thingDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-26850320805394059772017-02-02T16:54:14.922+00:002017-02-02T16:54:14.922+00:00I'm grateful to see, in these times, any publi...I'm grateful to see, in these times, any public official hold tight to rationality.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15674930917585246294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-2917892770405357642017-02-01T20:15:49.318+00:002017-02-01T20:15:49.318+00:00I saw the hashtag #brexitmeanstrump for the first ...I saw the hashtag #brexitmeanstrump for the first time again. Nailed it, sadly.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-11702002783653433992017-02-01T19:51:05.076+00:002017-02-01T19:51:05.076+00:00The "uncaring elite" were and are much w...The "uncaring elite" were and are much wider than the Tories.Anyone in the "Establishment" is distrusted to the point of rejection. Look at the attempts to find a chair for the enquiry into child abuse, and the hostility to Elizabeth Butler Sloss who would been ideal as chair ( who of course as a separate matter had to withdraw since it was discovered that her late brother had been involved in the matter.) and then to the former Lord Mayor. Facts matter little to the alienated, or those who feel alienated. Some Tory voters I know in Liverpool hate London - so rich and successful and self satisfied. "All those people in London drinking their glasses of wine and champagne* said one woman on TV from further North. If you bring forward figures such as those you mention they will not be believed - recall the figures from the Bank of England which were dismissed as coming from a source I would call expert but the alienated would call tainted - and fudged to support the happy and selfish life of the elite.But I would agree that the only way out of this mess is to have another referendum, though one cannot be at all sure that the result would be different. And in the States Trump's supporters are delighted that at last someone is doing the right things.David Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-45922018775180183032017-02-01T19:31:14.157+00:002017-02-01T19:31:14.157+00:00Even the terminally deluded should have learned by...Even the terminally deluded should have learned by now that they were, not to put a polite face on it, screwed over by a far worse elite than the ones they wanted - with some justification - to slap in the face. <br /><br />There would be the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the dismal campaigns and try and clarify to people what they would be losing - in Sunderland's case, the E300m regeneration fund from the EU which went some way to stopping the rot caused by an uncaring Tory 'elite'.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-82473385775749227342017-02-01T19:20:42.678+00:002017-02-01T19:20:42.678+00:00My own MP ( for Cambridge) is taking exactly the s...My own MP ( for Cambridge) is taking exactly the same line as yours. One difficulty was clearly stated by Osborne - that if the Commons voted against Article 50 the alienated would be even more alienated. The underprivileged hate the elite and were tremendously happy after the referendum,not especially because they wanted to Leave, but because they had slapped the elite in the face. " That shows that we can take decisions too " said one guy with great satisfaction after Leave won.David Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-80565591524818350952017-02-01T12:49:04.573+00:002017-02-01T12:49:04.573+00:00Ah, the chess game that is politics...Ah, the chess game that is politics...Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-54668041091543680632017-02-01T12:46:07.534+00:002017-02-01T12:46:07.534+00:00I agree about Clarke. But he does illustrate one o...I agree about Clarke. But he does illustrate one of my points - that to achieve a political end it is not always best to broadcast one's views too firmly. Had he made more balanced speeches about the EU in the 1980s and 1990s ( despite his very pro-EU beliefs) he would have been leader - he won the vote amongst Tory MPs, but lost to the party in the country because of his EU position.David Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-12625107789311725932017-02-01T12:01:26.061+00:002017-02-01T12:01:26.061+00:00Agreed - referendums are a disastrous idea. Camero...Agreed - referendums are a disastrous idea. Cameron only succumbed to one to try and appease the extremists in his own party. For that he sacrificed the entire country and is therefore the most blameworthy of them all.<br /><br />Did you watch Ken Clarke's 15 minute speech yesterday? Only twice referred to notes, seemed to charm just about everybody and made some trenchant points, especially towards the end. Masterly. Clegg wasn't bad but Clarke's experience put him in a whole different league.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-50226434202068115052017-02-01T11:52:16.096+00:002017-02-01T11:52:16.096+00:00I agree with most of your MP's letter, but wou...I agree with most of your MP's letter, but would add two points. First the number of voters actually wanting to Leave was less than those wanting to Remain.....the majority for Leave was made up of protest votes, those that want to stuff the elite - the same protest voters who wanted Trump to do exactly what he is doing. This is one reason for having representative democracy and not referendums etc. This leads to the point that the leader of a party and PM should be elected by the MPs of that party. It is only those who work closely with a man or woman who know what the balance of his or her abilities is, and the basic nature of the personality. The Republican top guys would never have chosen Trump. The idea that everyone must have a say in everything and taking this as a definition of democracy is one of the main reasons, indeed probably the main reason, why the world seems to be going mad.David Damantnoreply@blogger.com