- Expenses, elections, and the backlash
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st_ouennais- May 24th, 8:50
While I am not surprised at the outrage felt by many ordinary people over the MPs expenses debacle in the UK, I am very fearful of its repercussions. Having commented myself on occassions of a coming peasants revolt , the theme seems to have taken off, see for example revolution-in-air.html But its not the unrealistic concern of mass of pitchfork and sickle waving peasants that worries me, it is the electoral impact.
It seems all the parliamentary parties are implicated in the expenses scam. It doesn't really matter that there are laudable honourable people on all sides who won't have abused the system. Too many important high profile MPs have. The party that grew out of the trade union movement and was established to further the cause of the ordinary working poor is seen to be just as interested in lining their pockets as those they set out to oppose. You might say New Labour is no longer that socialist party. But the fact is they have betrayed their core support by allowing themselves to be seduced by greed.
With European and UK local electons coming up the people will be presented with a chance to give the political parties a clear message. I think they will take the opportunity. Many will I suspect just stay at hope, thinking they are all as bad as one another. Some disaffected Conservatives are likely to vote UKIP, and irked Liberal Democrats may well support a Green candidate, but who do you think disenchanted core manual worker Labour voters will support? I really fear an unwelcome, unwarranted upsurge in votes for the neo nazis, and all because a few politicians who ought to have known better decided to use the rules to their own advantage rather than their position for the public's advantage.
- Election advice from across the atlantic ;-)
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- st_ouennais
- 25th October 2008
À bé
