The Coalition should we be so cynical?

Probably if you come from that majority whom connect or feel they belong to either Labour or Conservative clans.

Still for that not inconsiderable minority of Liberal Democratic sympathisers a quick scan through the Government's plans, gives some hope that Cameron and Clegg might be the real deal and have come up with a new kind of politics.

Anyhow if you feel the need to scrutinise the Governments Plans do click here, I’d waffle on a bit more, however rather than have Murdoch, and all those media muppets interpret the programme for government I might wade through the document myself and form my own opinion.

At least I have sorted my bed time reading for a day or two, however one striking impression I have gained is how journalists seem completely p*ssed off with consensus type politics and appear to be trying to worry up more descent than actually exists.

Thought for the day - Labour didn't notice the world move on

Just a quick reflection on our new political landscape.

It seems to me that the public have moved on from swallowing wholesale lies foisted upon them by politicians and well orchestrated media campaigns particularly that of Murdoch’s journalists.

Despite most of the British press backing David Cameron, using it's influence, to persuade us that nothing else would save us but  an overwhelming conservative majority in the house of commons, its clear the public weren't buying it.

Nick Clegg took the high moral ground standing firmly on a platform of reality and consensus announcing before the election that he would be giving first dibs to the party with the largest in the event of a hung or balanced outcome.

David Cameron have Nick Clegg, have agreed what to me, is a solid deal, interestingly the nations journalist seem a tad miffed at events and seem to be sparring no effort to dig up some discord, however the reality seems that both Cameron & Clegg are making the most of what the electorate has allowed, and seem to be doing a good job.

Labour people don’t get it, be it, the state of the economy, the fact they lost, the fact that Tory and Lib Dems have combined to give us stability based on consensus. Maybe 13 years of pure arrogance, ignoring your core voters, the utter contempt for grass roots, illustrated by the leader Gordon Brown.

I suspect at the end of the day senior Labour party wallahs just don’t have the stomach to face the wreckage of New Labour preferring to snipe from the sidelines .

On his own and cluching at Straws

Gordon Brown a makes dramatic entrance, outside No. 10 earlier at 1:40 this afternoon, acting in a Prime Ministerly fashion as you will imagine totally selflessly with a brief mention of his sudden conversion, over proportional representation. In no way is Brown clutching a straws and desparate.

A rather shabby performance when measured, against Nick Clegg’s more statesman like reiteration of his intention of respecting the morality of dealing, as a preference with the Party with the most MP’s and votes.

Britain the emerging banana republic

Watching the BBC coverage of the election it seems that early reports are showing that many people have been unable to register their vote with reports of voters being turned away.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that voters are regularly disregarded with the less than democratic first past the post system.

Still its reassuring that the beeb have been able to draw on political heavy weights like Bruce Forsythe,Mariella Frostrup and Ester Rantzen

Apparently Nick Clegg has gone to apologise to voters in Sheffield about the voting problems, bit like the south African election some years ago,

BBC voting story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8666302.stm

My thoughts on the election campaign so far? Who is forming your opinion?

This election campaign, has for me highlighted the way in which the media in this country operates when reporting news, on the one hand radio and TV tend to report facts in a largely unbiased way, whereas most of the popular British press is nothing if not biased in the way it reports political issues.

Because the broadcast media, is regulated, the elections leadership debates, have given the British people, a fair chance to assess, what our politicians actually stand for, which not surprisingly has given the Liberal Democrats a big boost as both Cameron and Brown did what they always do, which was to come out with meaningless platitudes, delivered with the high-handedness, which both Tory and Labour politicians display, as if, they have a god given right to rule this country in perpetuity, Nick Clegg answered the questions put to him with authority and clarity without the arrogance of his rivals.

Reading the "Murdoch Press" in particular the Sun, News of the world, objectivity, fairness and facts seem to fly out the window, back in 1997 or even prior Tony Blair and Rupert Murdoch met and thereafter until recent times the Sun, News of the world has backed the Labour party, and it is worth noting during that time, Sky TV appears to have continued, to have a monopoly on “paid for” satellite broadcasts in this country. Anyhow currently Murdoch papers are pushing David Cameron for all he's worth, its almost amusing to read some Murdoch journalists, as they "sing for their supper" as are the Tory promoting celebrity political analysts, like Lord Lloyd Webber (currently doing all right with your BBC promoting his musicals) and this morning Simon Cowell, along with 16 page three girls who should the conservatives not win on Thursday, will immediately be outlawed.

Labour are certainly nothing if not desperate at the moment, with current ministers promoting the idea of tactical voting, which in these parts means not voting for Stephen Ladyman who hasn't got a chance anyway and swapping to the liberal democrats, and not voting for veteran Rodger Gale.

Anyway I suggest you vote with your gut feeling, personally if I vote conservative I would be voting for rich tax dodging businessman, in Labour's case to vote for them, means you are supporting a bloated privileged public sector and perpetuating a welfare culture, I'll certainly prefer to keep to my principles for this reason "The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.

Do please vote.

Overheard conversations - Its only rock and roll

Sitting in some cafe on Sunday up in London alone on lunch, chewing on apple pie and slurping on coffee, I listened into the conversations around me, its clear that the election isn’t the preoccupation of everybody, although outside on the Caledonian road there is a rash of “Lib Dem Winning here” posters and briefly a rather cute crayoned version “my mums winning here” in the same style.

I tune in on one conversation, some middle-aged bloke wittering on about where are today's rock giants and note that the younger companions meet this thought with apathy.

Still this thought sort of resonates with me, although I generally listen to a bit of everything, I always come back to the Stones, Kinks, the Who.

My perception is clouded by age and changing priorities and of coarse there are no definitive answers, as to who’s best, greatest and in 30 years time some 50 year old will no doubt making similar statements about musicians of today who have not been topped.

Still much of yesterday I spent listening to the Who and came up with this thought are there any characters as remarkable as say Keith Moon the Who’s drummer until his death in 1978, I looked up his Wikipedia entry and have to say its one of the more entertain biographies, how many of todays rock stars would feel the need to return to a hotel room because they forgot to throw the TV out the window or blow up the toilet.

Anyhow I’ve a few days off, so I’ll post a bit more. My contact with this current election has been superficial, I’ve caught the Leadership debate, Cameron appearing smarmy (in my view) with meaningless vote for change claptrap, similarly the wretched (my view) Mandelson, and the joy of his presentation being interrupted by a car crash with the likes of Brown, Harman & Darling no doubt thinking can there campaign get any worse lets hope so.

Gordon Brown was a treat showing exactly how they (Labour) think of us proles, and well done to the Lady involved in bigot gate for not playing the game and endorsing Brown himself who seems to me bigoted and not afraid to manipulate the immigration question himself as in the last Leadership debate.

I will vote Liberal, because they are the only party that believe in equality and fairness.

Introducing Lib Dem Candidate Laura Murphy

Not having the time to write my own blog tonight I have taken the liberty of lifting this posting from North Thanet Liberal Democrats candidate which is, exactly what it says it is, an Introduction of Laura Murphy and good luck to her and all other candidates in the forthcoming election.

PS I was going to detail an extraordinary conversation with a KCC functionary which was indicative of the exclusive anti-democratic attitude the main parties, anyway enough of that later.

Copied from Liberal Democrats North Thanet 1.24.24pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 13th Apr 2010

Laura became a community campaigner when she first started as a volunteer advocate for families with special needs when her children were young. That eventually led to work with a local authority supporting families, then to running projects for the disabled to support them in finding work or training. Following that, Laura was trained to teach in an FE College before she set up her own business 6 years ago. Laura has been a trustee of a hospice charity for the last 3 years.

Laura's experience of real life, of raising a family through redundancies, fighting for education, for decent health provision, for work, ensuring elderly parents get the right support, is sorely needed in Parliament today.

She also knows what it's like trying to run a small business through difficult economic times. Laura knows that we need a vibrant local community to regenerate our town centres, provide training and employment for local residents, community support and security for our young and old.

Laura believes that it's about time the ordinary person is heard. What she's been through as a wife, mother and businesswoman has made her strong and unafraid to stand up for what is right. She wants to take that strength and use it to help other ordinary people so their voices can be heard.