And so farwell to any possibility of a second Cameron term

[ffutures]

According to the Evening Standard, which is admittedly right-wing nutter heaven, our beloved leader wants to "fix 120,000 problem families", "End the human rights culture" and impose "citizen service for 16-year-olds"

Words fail me. So let's try a totally unbiased poll...

[Poll #1769880]

Is there anyone who thinks that the Lib-Dems will survive this coalition, whether or not the Conservatives do?

Comments

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

I don't know what life in the UK is actually like; I read about it from thousands of miles away. But it seems to me you guys have been expanding social welfare, reducing criminal penalties, and depriving the general population of the means of self-defense for decades now, progressively, and it doesn't look as if it's worked all that well in terms of reducing social unrest or making ordinary people safe. Do you really think that continuing the same course is the only sane option? Or are you wanting a drastic change in some direction other than the one Cameron favors?

[autopope.livejournal.com]

you guys have been expanding social welfare, reducing criminal penalties, and depriving the general population of the means of self-defense for decades now, progressively

None of the above is true; however, they're all right wing talking points over here that get widespread media traction (through, notably, the Murdoch owned press).

What we need is a return to socialism. And no, Tony Blair was no socialist -- he was Thatcher Lite.

[ggreig]

Our politics is clearly to the left of yours in the States, but seen from other parts of Europe part of our problem may be that we're America-lite and actually too far to the right.

I'm not giving a personal opinion here, just pointing out that there are different perspectives.

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

I'd go with "person who's never had to live in the real world."

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

The sad thing is I think this rhetoric probably plays extremely well with Conservative voters, so he's probably strengthening himself.

Hitting the law and order spiel, and going after the social underclass, probably brings him more voters than it loses.

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

Actually, what we need is for the left and right to realise they're both part of the same organism, and work together and balance each other - let's see a bird fly with only one wing...

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

John Smith. Best Prime Minister we never had.

[jsburbidge.livejournal.com]

According to the Grauniad's version he sounds a little saner. He talks of making a national citizen's service available to all 16-year-olds" and that the government "would look at the "twisting and misrepresenting of human rights that has undermined personal responsibility". The pledge to "turn around the lives of the 120,000 most troubled families" is there, though.

It also sounds as though he's trying to fend off the hard right -- which simply wants more cops on the beat and harsher penalties -- and tie this into his already existing education initiatives.

So he doesn't sound so much demented as embattled. OTOH, Miliband is presenting well over this, which is not good for Cameron in the long run.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Oh, and yes, I think the Lib-Dems are finished. I see no reason why the wipe-out they suffered in the Scottish elections won't be repeated at the next general election.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thanks - couldn't have put it better myself.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

May be true, unfortunately. Wonder if they envisage their own kids being drafted when they read this stuff.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's also true.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

The BBC also puts a slightly saner perspective on it, but it still isn't a perspective I want to see in my country's government.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately almost certainly true. No way they're getting my vote again short of the entire party crossing the House.

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

Word. I'm still suspicious about his death, just as I'm suspicious about Robin Cook's death.

[jsburbidge.livejournal.com]

It's still better than my country's government. If it were Harper he'd be talking about bigger jails and tougher minimum sentences, and the idea of addressing it via any form of education at all wouldn't come within a hundred miles of his rhetoric.

[murphys-lawyer.livejournal.com]

Cameron's apparent inability to recognise that the traits he decries in the rioters and looters are the same as those held by the bankers who have impoverished millions of people and continue to steal by not paying anything near the same tax rate as hoi polloi, or the newspaper magnates who profited from their lackeys' phone tapping. In short, feral groups with no respect for common morality and with an overwhelming sense of privilege, but they're rich, so that's all right.

I personally think the death blow was dealt by the Chinese government when they applauded Cameron's "striking the right balance between freedom and responsibility" when he suggested shutting down the Internet in the event of further public unrest.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

I hope not but I suspect the cockroach factor will carry them through:(

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

I must admit I share your suspicion, those two cleared the path for the Murdochs and the power elites of this country to have Their Men on the throne, unchallenged.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Nah, they are of that class that considers the rules to only apply to those too poor to be able to afford the lawyers to get them out of it. One rule for the rich, another rule for the rest of us.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

I would think this gives them the perfect excuse to cross the House too, that given their liberal beliefs, they can no longer support a government that is intent on criminalising an entire class of the British public.

I hope some people in the party realise that they almost have to cross the House now if they want to survive. But I suspect they're just rolling in their ministerial pensions and quite happy to screw the party for their short term gain.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, that went down well with a lot of dictatorships. Not with me...

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Where is Franz Kafka when you need him? If they looked like cockroaches they might not be quite so popular.

[nelc.livejournal.com]

*cough*Bullingdon Club (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Bullingdon_club#Reputation)*cough*

[robertprior.livejournal.com]

The local conservative candidate (now MP) claimed in his election material that Canadians felt safer and crime was going down. I asked him why we needed new jails, then — no answer.