I'm sorry to have to apologise for my rather negative and vicarious coverage of the expenses scandal. I find political discourse more interesting when there is pageantry, but like our friend Alex, I do also feel that things have become too negative and too directly partisan where there should be much more holistic debate.
I have bottled this anger up for long enough - and my family and friends know the corrosive effect it has had on my personal life, just as Owlperson had to make himself known at points to keep me from doing myself in - and the reason I am largely getting at the Tories is for personal reasons. As a newcomer to the party in 2004 I believed they had a choice, but no-one stood up to the negativity of the media. No-one fought for what I - and most people who I ask about him outside politics - felt was a man "too nice to be prime minister" but possessed of the qualities I and many other non-political people feel our leaders should possess - an understated, gentle charm and a real ability to get on with his job while the maelstrom swirls around. Blair led us all on a merry dance, and caught the media in his dazzling headlights, but the figures in my report on electoral fraud speak for themselves - we were cheated in 2005 and are at risk of being cheated again, even if this whole expenses scandal mess does lead to an election being called.
What I'm enjoying about this tide of sleaze is that people who have benefited from the system are finally being called to account. I've changed my mind - I'm going one better than the Liberal Democrats - I am going to vote Green on June 4th (and LibDem if there are council elections in my ward, even though the incumbent Tory is one I helped to put there in a by-election in early 2005). I just can't stand this stale duopoly, which becomes a monopoly in the press when one party is judged more controllable and manipulable than the other. Howard suffered because, according to Owlperson, he wouldn't play the game, wouldn't be corrupted into playing this sordid game. Apparently (again, Owlperson's assistance is key here) he didn't play to win in 2005 when he could have done because to do so would have, in his opinion, None of the various attempts to smear him over the actions of some of his family have worked to seriously damage him, either in office or, as like happened last October, as a harmless backbencher.
Not so Cameron, who must have the world record on talking the talk but has yet to convincingly walk the walk to make him in any way attractive to me as a potential prime minister. Just as people said about Tony Blair, he has no divine right to rule and must be held to account by the media and his own party if he is to pass these tests and become Prime Minister. Blair at least took the bulls by the horns and led Labour to a great victory - if my figures are not correct - because he did things in office as Leader of the Opposition. Our fat, lazy, friend Foxy can only dream of being so pro-active.
Sadly, if he is able to manipulate this crisis to his advantage when he too has been caught short, then British politics deserved to be ripped asunder from head to toe. The Greens are making a difference at European level by engaging with the status quo, while Cameron wants to hide from it and will it to disappear because it is an inconvenient diversion. But while Europe is not a huge issue in the era of the credit crunch and its pernicious effect on the country as a whole, Foxy will ultimately have to work in Europe and with Europe as Prime Minister. It is a test of his leadership that he can successfully engage with the debate. He needs to do something to earn my vote other than just win the original vote.
I will be voting either Labour or Conservative at the general election, but on current form and based on current "propaganda", it will be Labour. At least Labour can talk about their policies without shame and have a clear idea of what they want to do.
Sorry, Alex, if you think I've been too negative lately, then I wanted to set the balance back with a clearly argued article. I'm sorry, mate, I'd like to be positive about the Tories, but if you think this is still too backbiting and negative, then you have the freedom not to read my blog, and go back to your friends elsewhere who think Cameron is going to be the next Prime Minister - and wake up bitterly disappointed some day. Some of us are more discerning than partisan.
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Card of the Day for 17 May
Eight of Wands
The Eight indicates suddent progress that is possibly too fast for comfort, so try to slow things down a little and avoid over-hasty decisions that you might later regret. This is an exciting and well-starred time with travel, new business partnerships, and long-term romance all likely - just bear in mind that life is not always this easy, and plan for those rainy days.
Things are gaining, not losing momentum, and although the word is the first wave has largely broken, the events are now spinning out of direct control - the verdicts begin and the issue moves into a new phase which is just as destructive and possibly more directly aimed at reducing the ability of people to manipulate this for their own ends.
