tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post6104049626856554499..comments2023-11-05T10:53:07.638+00:00Comments on Patently Rubbish: An Illegitemate Prime Ministerpatentlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-64356920125802228542009-01-21T17:45:00.000+00:002009-01-21T17:45:00.000+00:00Thanks :)Thanks :)Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165615283953837706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-60356366594545642672009-01-20T21:18:00.000+00:002009-01-20T21:18:00.000+00:00Can I pinch your "No Confidence" sticker and put i...<I>Can I pinch your "No Confidence" sticker and put it on my blog?</I><BR/><BR/>You'll be wanting to look at <A HREF="http://stuartsharpe.co.uk/" REL="nofollow">Stuart Sharpe's</A> site at:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://houseofcomments.co.uk/about.html" REL="nofollow">http://houseofcomments.co.uk/about.html</A>patentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-62625553164812867052009-01-20T12:38:00.000+00:002009-01-20T12:38:00.000+00:00Can I pinch your "No Confidence" sticker and put i...Can I pinch your "No Confidence" sticker and put it on my blog?Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165615283953837706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-36089143817837607542009-01-20T12:37:00.000+00:002009-01-20T12:37:00.000+00:00I want this government out too. I'm worried about...I want this government out too. I'm worried about my kids in the UK. They are finding it difficult to manage and they are terrified of silly things.<BR/><BR/>They are literally paranoid! It's not a good or healthy way to live.<BR/><BR/>What about a facebook site demanding an election?Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165615283953837706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-80048837252672578372009-01-19T16:03:00.000+00:002009-01-19T16:03:00.000+00:00It is lucky for Brown that the deadly economic si...It is lucky for Brown that the deadly economic situation masks his weakness as he is the most uncharismatic leader this country has seen.Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-15699021173695013242009-01-19T15:13:00.000+00:002009-01-19T15:13:00.000+00:00Yes, Parliament needs to be more independent of th...Yes, Parliament needs to be more independent of the executive. At the moment, the PM effectively decides what scrutiny Parliament is permited to exercise. The only limit, therefore, is the degree of arrogance that the PM is willing to display.<BR/><BR/>Until 1997, this seemed to work; PMs didn't fiddle with the rules. Then Blair decided that PMQs would only be once a week and the lack of any backlash seems to have given carte blanche to New Labour to change whatever they like.<BR/><BR/>There needs to be an agreed set of rules setting out the powers of Parliament and MPs, which the executive cannot change. The only way I can think of introducing this (short of a huge constitutional upheaval) is for the Queen to set them out as part of her appointment of the PM.patentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-58607893711774202542009-01-19T14:16:00.000+00:002009-01-19T14:16:00.000+00:00Governments, naturally enough, will always seek to...Governments, naturally enough, will always seek to increase their power. It is *supposed* to be the job of Parliament to put a check on that power. This is why we need to remove the conflict of interest that MPs in the governing party suffer.Old BEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06974090439936326476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-59227203005384172592009-01-19T13:50:00.000+00:002009-01-19T13:50:00.000+00:00Very true.People think that constitutional issues ...Very true.<BR/><BR/>People think that constitutional issues are boring and therefore don't matter. Labour thinks that constitutional checks are conservatism in action and an impediment to decisive government. <BR/><BR/>The first step is an election, though.patentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-82633396508502623262009-01-19T10:28:00.000+00:002009-01-19T10:28:00.000+00:00Another issue is that the PM and Government have s...Another issue is that the PM and Government have so much power now even compared to 1990-1992 that Brown can do virtually whatever he personally wants, without reference even to his own MPs.<BR/><BR/>E.g. Heathrow, Lisbon, etc. etc.<BR/><BR/>An election is a necessary but insufficient part of the process to give voters a real say over government policy. We need serious and extensive constitutional change. The only constitutional change that Labour have offered debate on (rather than just go on with regardless) is silly messing around with the HoL. Behind the scenes they have been taking down the paper walls which used to provide checks and balances.Old BEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06974090439936326476noreply@blogger.com