Friday, May 06, 2011

BRITAIN AND THE POLITICS OF PLURALISM

As my post of today will cover elections in the United Kingdom, I would just like to re-iterate that this blog is not wedded to a political party, nor intends to hitch its commentary wagon to any at the present time. Although events could, of course, change this situation.

Hopefully, the overall election outcome will serve the equilibrium of the British political ecosystem, and confirm the plurality of our national politics. In this respect, it can be regarded as progressive, whatever the particular fate of the "Alternative Vote".

As someone who voted Liberal Democrat in the General Election and still support a Coalition Government, I'm naturally sorry for the party's performance.

However, the AV issue came up too early in the political term, and distracted Lib Dems in government from more burning issues. I voted "No", incidentally.

The environment is for me one of those burning issues, literally as it unfortunately transpires, and the present Government has certainly not lived up to its promise of being the greenest ever.

With regard to the performance of Labour, the party should be congratulated on its success in the English and Welsh elections.

From my own experience, I have to support the generalisation that Labour runs local and regional government better than the Conservatives - although I'm open-minded on the London question just now - whilst the Tories run the country better.

"Ken Livingstone of the North", Alex Salmond has obviously been a clear winner. The victory of the SNP is also a testimony to the ongoing remoteness of London-based government.

The apparent continuing semi-detachment of Westminster from the rest of the country would have made a referendum on an English National Assembly more meaningful than one on AV.

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