23:10

Democratic deficit

The next eighteen months could be a textbook case in political history - when democracy becomes almost ridiculous in its possible outcome.

It is becoming apparent that it is almost impossible for the Conservatives to win an outright majority. Those high principled Lib Dems saw to that when they shot down the proposed boundary changes that are well overdue in a fit of pique when the Conservatives refused to back their half-baked ideas for an elected House of Lords. Why this was a political football rather than something dealt with by an impartial Royal Commission is a good question.

Their added problem is that UKIP are the recipients of the ‘swivel-eyed loon’ votes who would normally be the right wing of the Tory party. Gay marriage is deep anathema to the genuine Tories of old – Anglican traditionalists particularly. Cameron – rightly – wanted to claim the middle ground but with this particular policy has made enemies who will not vote for him even it means letting Milliband and Balls into Downing Street.  Lack of Boundary Changes, UKIP and a couple of own goals have given the Tories an almost impossible electoral mountain to climb even if they achieve a majority of the popular vote

Back to Milliband. It is sometimes forgotten that the Parliamentary Labour Party never voted for him. He got the leadership by the Trade Union block vote. He has the lowest opinion poll rating for any party leader - ever. Yet he will almost certainly end up in No 10 in a Lib-Lab coalition with a Lib Dem party that is almost as unpopular. He could be prime minister with almost no one voting for him

And there is one other extraordinary possible twist to this sorry scenario. If the Scotts vote for independence in 2014 (why don’t the English and the Welsh get to vote on this  too?) they, apparently, still get to vote in the 2015 UK General Election.

Work that one out.
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