Tuesday 30 May 2017

Nine days to save democracy


It's getting dreadfully close to decision day but hopeful trends have emerged in what looked at the start to be a coronation for Queen of the May installing a Tory government with a majority big enough to do whatever it wanted would have been a disaster for democracy.We know that the only thing we can trust the Conservative Party to do is to give to him that hath. by taking away from them that haven't So what can give our hopeless Labour Party hope even at this late stage?

First Australianisation hasn't worked. Australia, as those of us who've been there and lived to tell the tale is a country in which neither the McNaughton rules nor the Geneva convention apply to the most brutal politics in the world. Lyndon Crosby brought its basic rules with him to apply them for the benefit of the Conservative Party. They are:-

A) Ignore policy and keep repeating a mantra like Strong and Stable
B) Denigrate opposition by portraying them as disloyal, dishonest and mentally disturbed
C) Bang on about immigration, the yellow peril the brown peril or the Euro peril . Suggest departing them all to Sweet Rockall - or Luxembourg. Whichever is worst.

It worked in Oz so why not here? Unfortunately Theresa proved weak and wobbly, Jeremy began to come good (at last) and immigrants already here got upset. 

Second the big interests behind the Conservative party began to point out that they wouldn't accept Tory proposals. Business didn't like criticisms of greed , loosing cheap Labour or protecting its workers. Wealth got scared about paying for its care and vested interests got nervous about Brexit.

Thirdly people began to see through the fog that taxes were going to  increase, austerity was going to go on, the debt bubble was about to burst and a country unable to pay its way in the world was in a mess.All this caused a loss of faith in St Theresa's ability to work miracles.

Fourth there was a growing realisation that giving unlimited power to a party with a big majority and a weakened opposition would be disastrous for democracy, rights of the people, defence of living standards, jobs, the health service and education. 

 Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, particularly if its handed to a party which has already proved itself so nasty and so dishonest  Remember they promised to bring peace and harmony in 1979. Look what's happened since.

Bugger party politics. Democracy is at stake . It's not a question of so many days to save the health service, or education, or defence, or social security,  or care homes. It's nine days to save our ailing democracy.  


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