The tories back in power?

[sambro]

You must be joking!! youve got short memories you lot.This is the party of tax increases,the party that invented early release of prisoners,maastricht, the erm .(thanks peter hitchens) and last but not least the grotesque site of David Mellor in his chelsea shirt!!

[dot.hawkes]

It would be a good reason to quit the UK and move top somehwhere like Antigua, i might start making plans

[Louisa 69]

Frankly none of them are any good. They all promise all sorts before the election, then let us down, badly. I might give the monster raving lunatics party my vote next time. They couldn't do any worse.

[tigerlily11]

I'm With Louisa 69.
Not one of them is any good at keeping their word.

[New Judge]

Party politics is the single most destructive aspect of the Parliamentary system we laughingly call �democracy�.

Originally Parliament was the forum where local representatives lobbied on behalf of their constituents according to their wishes on each individual topic. Obviously the majority view ultimately prevailed, but at least the electorate could be sure that their views on each issue were properly aired.

Today that is not so. The electorate in England (and to a large extent in the rest of the UK as well) has a choice of, essentially, two packages. Neither of these really suits anybody. Each is simply a mish-mash of policies which the parties hope will cause fewest people to either abstain or vote against them next time round. Nobody really votes �for� a party, but either not at all or against the one they dislike the most. (This is evident from sambro�s question).

Unless your wishes coincide with the policies of one of the two main parties, you are effectively disenfranchised. So-called �maverick� MPs are sidelined and made to look foolish or are branded crackpots. Many of them are branded �extremists� when all they are doing usually is to put forward the views of their constituents. It�s just unfortunate that their constituent�s views and requirements do not coincide with the party line, and they have had the temerity to say so. The electorate deserves better than this.

Shortly after Tony Blair was elected PM he clearly stated that he did not see the role of back benchers as one of shaping government policy to meet the electorate�s wishes, but one of persuading the electorate that the government�s policies are best for them. At least he had the courage to put plainly what successive governments have thought for probably 50 years or more. But is that view really democratic and in the best interests of the country?

[Gromit]

Brown just said there will not be an election for three years.

I suspect that tories are jumping for joy at this news, because an election now might well have seen them off for good.

[Reverandfunk]

i agree with Gromit, if Brown had called an election and won (chances are he would have done given the labour majority) Cameron would have had to resign and the tories would have been in complete disarray

[brionon]

18% inflation ! Close down the Mines,Kiss Regan's Asre,
Well we're still kissing Asre.

[LeMarchand]

Not to mention Maggie's sell off of all the country's assets to the highest bidders.

[Gromit]

I confess, I am pleased by Brown wimping out.

Democracy is all well and good, but five years between the tedium of an election is about right.

[baileybird]

i believe that the country was never as well off as they were under thatcher.

lots of people benefitted from her time in office including all the ones who bought their council houses cheap.

a lot of people and i am NOT singling out any one here will be worried about camerons intentions of stopping benefits for people who are pickey about what jobs they want.

this country is in a real mess under this government