John Bercow quits Tories

Politics
#1
#2

Probably thinks itā€™s his easiest way of getting a peerage :wink::face_with_raised_eyebrow::thinking:

#3

Is it not more the case that the Tories quit Bercow.

I can see many Conservative MPs being very naffed off, the Tories have moved their position so far from where they were 5-10 years ago.

2 Likes
#4

Wouldnā€™t that be down to the Overton Window of British politics being pulled way left by the Labour Party embracing Momentum?

Iā€™d argue that the Tories were only a fag paper from centrist under Cameron and havenā€™t shifted more than a few degrees right since.

Any Jonathan Pie fans will remember him pointing out that some of Hilary Clintonā€™s polices in 2016 were more right of centre than Teresa Mayā€™s were in his ā€œTrump Wins!ā€ rant on YouTube.

#5

And of course at the same time Labour seem to have moved towards Bercow.

1 Like
#6

The Overton window canā€™t be pulled to the left Guy - itā€™s an ideological construct of the right.

I sort-of agree on post-Cameron - the Tories have been pretty far right since Thatcher, although the policy mix has changed:

  • Cameron: neo-liberal (austerity) economic policy but ā€˜modernisationā€™ of social policy; incompetent.
  • May: not far from Cameron on economics, but a racist and less ā€˜liberalā€™ on social policy generally; incompetent.
  • Johnson: adoption of the Continental far-right model - less neo-liberal, more nationalistic on economics, populist right social policies; incompetent.
#7

You missed an important component Geof

  • British Public voting preferences; incompetent
1 Like
#8

Rather, I think:

  • British first-past-the-post voting system - unfit for use as part of a democracy
3 Likes
#9

Exactly, if your definition of a democracy is that the majority vote always wins, then the UK is not one and never has been.

Same with the USA, if we are talking about the Presidency. Clinton, not Trump should have won in '16. At least Biden did get more votes last year.

@Griffin36 That was my first thought, I wonder if a deal has been done? :roll_eyes:

#10

The Electoral College in the USA is an anachronism.

#11

I saw him being interviewed on Sky and this point was raised. He says itā€™s not behind his decision to join Labour, itā€™s not been discussed and heā€™s not expecting it to happen. I thought he sounded convincingā€¦ Although it wouldnā€™t surprise me if, despite it not being his motivation today, heā€™s ultimately nominated. Then again, I think the HoL is a joke and that all parties abuse it equally badly.

Edit: hereā€™s the interview on YouTube - https://youtu.be/eHuTOur_W5c

#12

Hmm, yes well, I think he was a good speaker but I do have a certain mistrust of his protestations re the House of Lords. I would have been more impressed if he had said that entry there would be considered by him when it was a directly elected second chamber. To my mind anyone who is a Labour or a Liberal Democrat party member who does not decry it in its present form is not true to the principles of democracy.

Letā€™s see shall we? :wink: