Monday, May 02, 2005
Having my say...
Since the BBC web site never shows anything of mine on 'Have your say', here's something I wrote earlier that I might as well put up here:
"Lacking any firm guiding principles, other than expediency and a desire to hold on to power, Blair and his government clearly find it impossible to understand the behaviour of people who do have principles.
"I do not understand how you defend liberty and democracy by undermining it, how injustice will prevent terrorism, or allowing citizens to be treated as criminals without evidence, charge or trial makes any of us safer. The language used by supporters of this irrational legislation is chillingly reminiscent of the language used by totalitarian regimes throughout the last hundred years.
"It is particularly galling for Blair to disparage the Lords as 'unelected' and contrast it unfavourably with the 'elected' chamber when his massive majority is built on electoral support of less than 41% of votes cast (and a mere 24% of registered voters)."
Of course his massive majority this time will be built on an even small proportion of voters, but that won't stop them. It'll be your fault if it happens but there's still time - if we could achieve a hung parliament, then the voting system could be changed (to the one used for the Scottish Parliament) and then the politicians would have to lisen to all of us, not just a few swing voters in marginal constituencies.
"Lacking any firm guiding principles, other than expediency and a desire to hold on to power, Blair and his government clearly find it impossible to understand the behaviour of people who do have principles.
"I do not understand how you defend liberty and democracy by undermining it, how injustice will prevent terrorism, or allowing citizens to be treated as criminals without evidence, charge or trial makes any of us safer. The language used by supporters of this irrational legislation is chillingly reminiscent of the language used by totalitarian regimes throughout the last hundred years.
"It is particularly galling for Blair to disparage the Lords as 'unelected' and contrast it unfavourably with the 'elected' chamber when his massive majority is built on electoral support of less than 41% of votes cast (and a mere 24% of registered voters)."
Of course his massive majority this time will be built on an even small proportion of voters, but that won't stop them. It'll be your fault if it happens but there's still time - if we could achieve a hung parliament, then the voting system could be changed (to the one used for the Scottish Parliament) and then the politicians would have to lisen to all of us, not just a few swing voters in marginal constituencies.
