13/11/2019
In one month's time, when Christmas and goodwill to all men (and women and children and animals) should be the most pressing thing in our minds, we will actually be focussing significant thought and discussion to the subject of the new government.
In a carefully staged 'off the cuff', relaxed video interview, Boris Johnson said that the general election is happening because the whole political system is paralysed. And he is right, of course.
It is about the only thing he's got right in the past 42 months.
He then reverted to his norm. Lying.
He said that parliament refused to "knock it through", meaning we were stuck in limbo.
However, parliament didn't refuse to progress with his deal, which wasn't / isn't anywhere near as good as he pretends, but rather they sensibly said we need t have time for proper scrutiny.
It was Johnson that then pulled the vote.
But, let's get back to the thing that Johnson got right.
The UK's political system has been paralysed. There have been many reasons for this:
the shambolic manner in which the referendum was organised;
the failure of Labour to clearly articulate their stance on the EU;
the astonishing lies told by the Vote Leave and Leave.EU campaigns;
the shameless xenophobia employed by, amongst others, Nigel Farage;
the lackadaisical campaign run by David Cameron's Conservatives, so sure they would win regardless;
the self-serving media barons who set out to mislead and misdirect the British public in order to protect their own interests;
the manner in which leading Brexiteers (and indeed David Cameron) walked away after the referendum result;
the ongoing lies and scheming of the likes of Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings; and
the unlawful and undemocratic actions of Boris Johnson's government since he took residence in No. 10 Downing Street.
Trust in our politics is at an all-time low.
Whether you are a Brexiteer, or a Remainer, you are unlikely to believe anything coming out of the mouths of the politicians.
Smear campaigns are being run against all politicians, which further muddies the waters and leaves the electorate in an unenviable position of having to choose which politician / party they distrust the least, rather than which one they trust the most.
It is almost inconceivable that this general election will result in any improvement in this.
Whoever forms they next government, there is going to be a massive amount of discontentment with the outcome.
This will be the first December general election since 1923.
In 1923, the Labour Party took their first ever victory and formed their first government; bringing an end to years of choice between the Conservatives and the Liberals. The Liberals, who through changes and mergers have become the Liberal Democrats, have never led a government since.
Almost everyone will tell you that this is something that will not change in 2019.
Almost everyone will say that the Liberal Democrats have no chance of winning sufficient seats for them to form a majority government, or to lead a coalition government.
They may well be right.
However, they may also be wrong.
There is only one party that is reasonably capable of uniting our nation, and its constituent parts, across all four countries; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
There is one party whose policies would aim to benefit the many, without taxing the most wealthy and entrepreneurial to such an extent that they emigrate and seek a less hostile tax environment.
There is one UK wide party who have, throughout the whole of the last three governments, been absolutely clear about where they stand on our membership of the EU.
I firmly believe that, for UK politics to turn the corner and put the lies and self-serving nature of recent years to bed, we need to elect a Liberal Democrat government. That may mean it has to be an alliance with Plaid Cymru, the Greens and, if they agree to put aside demands for a new Scottish referendum to the side until everything has settled down, the SNP.
What an alliance that could be.
If that were to happen, we might even see a situation whereby MPs from Northern Ireland would join and we could see political unity, the like of which could shine a light and be a beacon for other countries to look to and respect.
With that achieved, we could actually start to address the issues that affect so many people on a day to day basis; pay inequality, the need to invest further in the NHS, education, the police and fire services and, extremely importantly, the environmental situation facing not just the UK, but the world.
So, on December 12th, give some real thought to where you put your cross.
Let's use this election to bring about positive change.
Vote for the Remain Alliance.
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