Listening and learning
The Independent: ‘Sceptical’ Prescott made head of committee on PR
The Prime Minister has replaced the pro-reform cabinet minister, Peter Hain, as chairman of the cabinet committee on electoral policy with Mr Prescott, in a move that infuriated MPs in favour of PR. Mr Prescott has made it clear to colleagues that there is no question of reviving PR for parliamentary elections.
Put away your petitions. This couldn’t have been put any clearer if Blair has stood outside Number 10 and said, “fuck you”. You can search for PR all you want in the long grass but you’re not going to find it again. In fact, it’s gone over the wall into that nasty Mr Prescott’s garden and he’s keeping it.
Like “putting King Herod in charge of a maternity ward,” said Charles Kennedy. Or like sending out the Prime Minister’s former flatmate - The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton - who’s never had to face the electorate to gain his cushy number, to say there’s “no groundswell” of support for electoral reform. He would say that, wouldn’t he? If he had to rely on the goodwill of the public and not the greasy patronage of a friend he’d be out on his pampered arse. He’s only in the job because he’s too weak to carry furniture.
I hope Polly Toynbee’s still got some nosepegs lying around. She’ll be telling us all to put them on again come 2009. She, like Falconer and Prescott, is an expert at defending the indefensible. And she’s going to have to do it again.
Posted on May 25th, 2005 at 4:45 pm
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“I have listened and I don’t give a flying fuck…” TB, May 6th, 2005.
Do you think Polly really believes the PM gives a toss about pubic opinion? I am genuinely not sure anymore.
Two Jags………….. ask him to put them in order of his preference.
New Labour has been infiltrated by greed and power.
Last one out;
friendly fire: New Labour has been infiltrated by greed and power.
I thought greed and power were the whole point of New labour.
I must admit I’m having difficulty telling the difference between Tony’s ‘me and my mates will decide policy in an unminuted meeting on the sofa’, and the new Tony that’s listened and learnt.
I think what he’s learnt is that the public are sufficiently callous, foolish and/or ignorant that he can continue with business as usual.
Anyone who voted Labour in Sedgefield or Blackburn should be ashamed of themselves.
argh, campaign for reform is going great, so i take a little holiday, expecting good things on my return, and we get this.
damn them. http://www.makemyvotecount.org.uk/blog/archives/2005/05/accept_no_imita.html
Tony HAS listened and learnt.
He has listened to his advisors who told him to ignore real people, won anyway and learnt that it does not matter what those real people say, as there are enough deluded and ‘bought out’ sheep in the pint-sized constituencies that he wins to ensure he keeps in power.