UK Election aftermath

[lithium30]

I would like Hilary Benn to stand.

 

[GinandTonic]

I would like Hilary Benn to stand.

I've not heard hide or hair of Benn the younger during the election.

 

[Enkidu Warrior]

Balls has a rather small, albeit probably pretty safe majority in his constituency. Plus he is widely thought to have been rubbish in negotiations with the Lib Dems though those talks were doomed anyway.

Who is the most likely to try and repair Labour's awful record on civil liberties? Alan Johnson seems like a mostly decent guy, though I suppose his favourable view of the Lib Dems might not play well at the moment.

 

[lithium30]

I've not heard hide or hair of Benn the younger during the election.

I hardly heard anything from anyone but the three Leaders during the election.

It was strange seeing the Conservative Party coming out of hiding after the election to negotiate the coalition.

 

[ComradeDavo]

I hardly heard anything from anyone but the three Leaders during the election.

It was strange seeing the Conservative Party coming out of hiding after the election to negotiate the coalition.

I believe there is some argument in the Conservative party about this, as their campaign was very strict about who was allowed to be seen/heard during the election.

Expect backbench dissent as time ticks on for the coalition.

 

[BCLG100]

I believe there is some argument in the Conservative party about this, as their campaign was very strict about who was allowed to be seen/heard during the election.

Expect backbench dissent as time ticks on for the coalition.

I don't know, loyalty was always a big part of the old Conservative party. If nothing else they *generally* do what their leader says.

 

[lithium30]

They rebelled against John Major a few times.

 

[Munch]

I would like Hilary Benn to stand.

Tony Benn for Labour leader.


Link to video.

 

[ComradeDavo]

I don't know, loyalty was always a big part of the old Conservative party. If nothing else they *generally* do what their leader says.

Wait and see, I bet there will be alot of moaning about Cameron and the coalition from the Tory right.

You've already had 3 Tory MP's speak against the plans for the 55% rule.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8681624.stm

Three Conservative MPs - Richard Ottoway, Christopher Chope and Charles Walker have raised concerns about it, saying they believe it could be unconstitutional - as it would mean a government that did not have the support of a majority of MPs - 51% - would not fall.

Mr Chope told the BBC: "It could mean in practice that if the present government was to lose its majority in Parliament, and wasn't able to operate as a minority government because it didn't enjoy the confidence of a sufficient number of MPs ... it would be able to carry on. But that would be basically a recipe for anarchy, because it would mean that the government wouldn't have a majority."

Mr Ottoway told the BBC Conservative MPs "desperately need some clarification pretty quickly". He said he was "confused" as to why the proposal was needed in the first place. He said a senior minister needed to consult and explain the situation to backbenchers, rather than the "constitutional incoherence that's going on at the moment"

 

[Shekwan]

Tony Benn Video

So he supported Sinn Fein. Why does Moore point this out? Is the fact he supported/supports murderers and terrorists supposed to endear the viewer to him?

 

[Masada]

It would for a substantial part of the Irish-American audience...?

 

[dosed150]

It would for a substantial part of the Irish-American audience...?

lot of americans did fund terrorism in ireland, in addition to all the other places, dunno how a government could allow some its citizens to fund terrorism especially against an ally


should clarify that I am aware that sinn fein no longer has any allegience to the IRA

 

[Traitorfish]

So he supported Sinn Fein. Why does Moore point this out? Is the fact he supported/supports murderers and terrorists supposed to endear the viewer to him?

It seemed that he was trying to establish Benn as some sort of "Old School Rebel", and there isn't much of a better way to do that than referencing vocal support for a radical secessionist movement. Perhaps not the wisest way of doing it, but certainly effective, at least in those parts of the world where "Sinn Fein" is not implicitly understood as "Provos in suits".

It would for a substantial part of the Irish-American audience...?

This too. Half the Irish Catholic diaspora supported Sinn Fein at the time, and the rest were at least sympathetic to the republican cause ad generally pro-nationalist and pro-reunification.