In this strange post election time everyone is trying to make sense of what has happened and what should happen next. (This blog for instance got a lot of hits yesterday which I can only presume was people keen to find others with whom to share the surreal political moment; sorry but I was glued to the television watching events unfold! )
Questions today: will the Lib Dems actually do a deal with Cameron’s Conservatives? ( Current thinking among those who know most is: probably not; Cameron will go it alone.) Will there be another election soon? Who will lead Labour into that? But of course these questions of process both disguise and give form to the hopes and anxieties of progressives everywhere, those of us who desperately do not want a Tory government again, particularly now that Cameron sniffs power, less acceptable Tory attitudes and politics are beginning to come into the light.
A consensus seems to have emerged on what needs to be protected now: our vital public services, civil liberties, substantive action on climate change, progressive political reform and a change in direction in our foreign policy.
For more details of post election mobilisation, I direct you for the moment to the Compass website.Plus join this group while you are it.
An important ps: this election has also shown up how far we have to go in terms of getting women into the centre of our political life. By the end of the election I was sick of the sight of rows of men in suits, at press conferences, political meetings, in the tv studios. We need real women at the forefront of every level of our politics. How do we achieve that?
“A consensus seems to have emerged on what needs to be protected now: our vital public services, civil liberties, substantive action on climate change, progressive political reform and a change in direction in our foreign policy.”
Which is why I voted Labour for all those years and when they got in any thoughts of socialism, public services, civil liberties, substantive action on climate change, progressive political reform and a change in direction in our foreign policy went out of the window.
It would be good to have a coalition of all the various factions – especially since there are no BNP/NF seats. The guys at work went straight onto the internet to look and see what had happened in Barking. There was a huge cheer – the only one I’ve heard in this election.
Those independent MP’s as well as the other non career politicians have in the main been elected for what they passionately believe in – Caroline Lucas in particular (although that’s my own bias) would be a significantly better partner in a coalition than anyone from the bloody tory or Tory camps.
I think a coalition might help keep the laziest politicians on their toes. If it’s inconveniencing them then good. It might stop them slagging off trades unionists for ten minutes, although I wont be holding my breath.
I have to say it was lovely seeing Benn senior on the box today. I know he’s not been well and I was worried it might be a strain on him, yet he was as fired up and lively as ever. Please give him our love. Maybe he should lead to coalition – now that WOULD get my vote.
At risk of stating the bleeding obvious, that last sentence should have been lead THE coalition.