Another UK trip(up). The politics of despair and the despair of politics.

Just got back from a week in the Old Country. Frankly, very depressing. Used Flybe (Limoges - Southampton) for a change as we thought it would be a bit cheaper overall but the whole thing was a trial (security, extra baggage payments, inconvenience of not being able to carry extra stuff), so won't fly again in a hurry. Car much more convenient and doesn't cost much more overall.

Weather was awful and politics worse. The anodyne "debate" between the three putative Chancellors-to-be was pretty pathetic. I found myself aligned with Simon Jenkins - have a look at this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/30/three-chancellors-banks-the-city

And then there was the nonsense in the UK media over the possibility of a 'huing parliament'. The Guardian tried to sum this up:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/mar/30/gordon-brown-hung-parliament-pm

What a farce! What a muddle. Look at this quote:

"The head of the civil service, Sir Gus O'Donnell, updated a manual today which sets out how the key players are expected to act if no party can instantly form a government.

In one of a number of precautionary steps, it has been agreed that parliament should not meet to decide if a government can be formed for as long as 18 days after polling day.

The extension to the period is to give the political parties extra leeway to create a government commanding the support of the Commons.

After the 18 days the Tories could then table an immediate motion of no confidence.

The manual is designed to protect the Queen from being asked prematurely to invite someone to form a government, or to prevent a constitutional impasse causing a panic in the financial markets at a time when the UK's triple-A credit rating is under threat .

O'Donnell is due to meet with other senior civil servants in New Zealand shortly to discuss how they have handled hung parliaments."

Is this the way to run a country?

"..it makes yer want ter eat yer young..." (Someone said this, I think)

Michael Durant

michael.durant@wanadoo.fr

michael.durant@cegetel.net

WEBSITE: www.artsargentat.com

BLOGS: http://maronner.blogspot.com

and http://mapmaker.posterous.com/

and http://ca3.posterous.com

FLICKR: www.flickr.com/photos/mapmaker

Posted via email from Michael's posterous