Election 2010

The General Election will be on Thursday May 6th. On Friday May 7th the British people will wake up to what will be a new , fresh Parliament. Or will it?
To a great extent it will be the same old faces, saying the same old things and behaving in the same old way. Many of those MP’s who have survived the great “Expenses Scandal”, (albeit that some but not all may have repaid a part their dubious ill gotten gains) will be returned to the House knowing that they have managed to hang on for another Parliament.
During the course of the next 6 weeks, the media and an assortment of political “pundits”, will put forward the proposition that this election is all about the economy, or the health service, or education, or law and order, or public service cuts, or public service non cuts, or counter terrorism measures or the Green agenda. To an extent of course this is true, but where there is no discernable difference between the parties except in the question of degree, the argument is essentially academic.
Paradoxically, the campaign promises to be the most negative and nasty campaign in recent political history. Each party rubbishing the people and arguments proposed by the other. An alliance of Nu-Labour and Tories attacking the Liberals and within hours an new alliance of Tories and Liberals attacking Nu-Labour and all other possible combinations of the three. The prospect of almost 6 weeks of these charades is equally as absurd as it is demeaning. For many years, the public have become more and more disillusioned with Politics and politicians generally in this country. This has been reflected in less people actually bothering to vote in the General election than ever before. There is no reason to believe that this election will be any different than those which have gone before.
The reasons for this set of circumstances is plainly obvious. The Labour Party had abandoned its historical roots, it’s principles and any claim to represent working people in this country. In adopting the label of “Nu Labour” and rushing off to gain control of the “Centre Ground” in British politics, the differences between the political parties has become blurred as each party seeks to portray themselves as all things to all people, the “one size fits all” scenario. It is little wonder that people are turning away from politics as their cynicism gains momentum.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, competing with Nu Labour in this frantic morass of mud slinging, hope that their performances will somehow deter the voting public from raising questions about issues which they would prefer not to be drawn on.
For example, what actions will be taken to stamp out the corrupt practices of second homes, second (and more) jobs outside the Houses of Parliament, consultancies, lobbying, the “noses in the trough” syndrome. What will be done to redress the scandalous situation where our service personnel have none of the standard of equipment which we should expect them to have, in addition to vehicles, helicopters and other weapons. Why should the British tax payer pay billions and billions of Pounds into the Banking system to rescue the banks from the ineptitude of their senior management, without taking full control to ensure that the Banks function in the interests of society rather than the interests of shareholders and other financial institutions. Why should those same taxpayers then have to foot the bill in higher taxes, National Insurance charges and higher VAT, in order for the same inept banking management to remain in control of their incompetent organisations.
The much publicised “Leaders Debate” to be televised on three evenings prior to election day, should provide some insight into the political differences, if any, between the Party leaders. Let us hope that the planted questions do not produce just more mud slinging.