Twiga has been on holiday and therefore relying on the international media for reports on the start of the Party Conference season. Somehow first off the blocks, the Lib Dems didn't seem to attract a lot of coverage. Maybe the fact that all three parties have had to choose venues which don't immediately strike anyone as places of possible fun or pleasure has kept the journalists of the world away? Even the former habitual venues in rundown seaside resorts offered some glimpse of maybe fun times past, but Birmingham,Liverpool and Manchester? They are all wonderful places and for those who know them well and live or do business in them there must be endless sources of glitzy entertainment and inspiration. Sadly for most of the rest of the globe their come hither messages just haven't got across so far.
From what we could glean though, the Lib Dem gathering would struggle to be called a warm up event for the other two,- or anything. Nick Clegg, after listening to the proceedings for a couple of days and no doubt inwardly wincing while trying on the surface to both smile and scowl at the politically right moments, did though tell the assembled horde the political and economic truth that the government, of which the Lib Dems are a part, is committed to its austerity programme. Herein lies the rub. It's not the sort of thing many of them wanted to hear. The party has not yet grasped the difference between being in government rather than opposition and the adjustments needed in an even more complex setup called a coalition. This requires a lot of maturity, something that this formerly largely protest group has not yet managed to get its head around. While it is entitled to differences of opinion with its partner, it has an obligation arising from the voters expressed wish for a coalition government, to be broadly supportive at least in public. A Party Conference is very public indeed. Unfortunately its behaviour in Birmingham resembled that of a very young puppy just arrived in a good new home being unable to stop itself piddling all over the carpet. Clegg rescued them by standing firm on economic policy and speaking the way he did but he wasn't popular for doing so.
This weekend it's Liverpool and (Old) Labour. Yesterday's TV had shots of Ed arriving with wife and kids, radiating family values and bonhomie to the party faithful( a short term relationship in Labour circles). This is the Ed whose family values reach to knifing his brothers's ambitions in something seen as close to fratricide. It was a reach for the sickbag moment which should have had the Childline switchboard swamped with calls protesting about the misuse of wives and children in commercials. Now will follow several days of glowing praise for Gordon's old favourites, the "hard working families". What about hard working singles, divorcees, widows, widowers, formerly hard working pensioners and the rest? Not much about them we fear. There will be a lot of feeling other people's pain and the squeezed middle class other than those who vote Tory or remember who it was who when in power for 13 years squeezed them rotten while borrowing like there was no tomorrow-which may turn out to be the economic result? The bankers can expect a lonely week too. They are meant to atone for their sins by now paying for everything for everybody as well building up enough reserves to avoid disappearing with all our savings and at the same time lending money left, right and centre to fund everything anybody wants to do. Theirs is truly a bed of nails and they will be portrayed as lucky not to be being boiled in oil too.
It will also not be a good week for a display of one man one vote type democracy. Thanks to the sharp elbowed Union block votes, the Miliband with the least individual and constituency votes won the leadership election. That signalled not only the defeat of his brother but the end of the line,-for now at least,-of New Labour. Old Labour is back and with it any talk of reducing the Union block vote at the Conference from its existing 50% has gone. Many of the delegates feel much more comfortable back in this mode rather than the modernist Blair type stuff with its ideas of reaching out to people they fundamentally seriously dislike,-eg in particular non public sector people and those not on benefits. This means that the members and constituencies can think and say what they like but if the unions who make up 80% of Labour's finances don't go for it, whatever it is doesn't happen. That's what democracy looks like in the Party and anyone who voices strong objections is rather heavy handedly evicted from the hall. It's very much Soviet style and has been for as long as anyone can remember. You don't want to mess with the heavies at a Labour gathering. Love and brotherhood or comradeship as it was unashamedly called until recently ,and in some quarters still is, extends only to those who say "Yes".
Next weekend it will be the turn of the Tories in Manchester, the sort of place to which many of this heavily southern orientated fraternity would probably rather not go. Some may fly so that they are spared the view of whatever lies between the M25 and the Manchester Central Conference Centre but most will probably go by Virgin train if Mr Branson has managed to persuade Network Rail not to spend the weekend digging up the track. It will have been made clear that to be seen to arrive by public transport is a must and that being driven up the M1 and M6 by Rolls to transfer to the Park and Ride bus for the last few miles doesn't qualify. Removal of First Class headrest covers, Miliband style, may be obligatory for those travelling in the comfy seats but we await the TV shots to confirm whether or not this is the case in the ruling party.
So... lots to look forward to over the next few days and Twiga will be back viewing. For those who don't want to watch, we recommend a quick call to Cunard for last minute cruise bookings. You can emigrate on them too.
Sunday 25 September 2011
Saturday 24 September 2011
Palestinian Bid for UN recognition,- Why the criticism-or surprise?
The Palestinan bid for UN recognition has been rounded on by many including predictably the USA and now the world traveller (but not in a class as low as that) Tony Blair, as "deeply confrontational."
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of the whole issue, this response underlines two problems which have always dogged the Palestinian debate. It is also born of arrogance.
Firstly there is the unsaid message that "Any settlement will be the one we give you ". Secondly there is the the one that "You have little part in determining what it is".
From the Palestinian point of view the direct bid for UN recognition is a sensible one especially as it injects urgency into the seemingly endless issue. What would you do in their situation? Years of pleading their case has got nowhere. Worse than that , Israel has made resolution ever more difficult by continuing to establish new settlements in disputed territories. Each one indicates a new jagged kink and impracticality in the deliniation of the borders of a future Palestinian state to the extent that it could be a said in the future that the location of the settlements actually makes the separation of Israel and Palestine impossible.
Again, what would anyone do in the face of the situation apparently being made more difficult by the day while such as Blair urge meaninglessly and impotently that new discussions should start within a month and a settlement reached within a year? How? By whom? What is their track record over years of non achievement and refusal to insist that no new settlements are built and that existing ones may be subject to being dismantled or placed within the borders of a new Palestine whether the residents like it or not?
Add to that the issue of what confidence the Palestinians might reasonably be expected to have in the even handedness of Blair, a man who took his country into what looked like almost an ideology based war in Iran and later Afghanistan .Again if you ask the question "What would anyone do in the circumstances?" you come back to the answer that the Palestinian approach to the UN is not unreasonable and indeed is a thoroughly understandable vehicle with which to progress their case. A hysterical "Can't do that because we don't like it" reaction simply casts doubt on the good faith of those who shout it, especially when, other than plucking new timescales out of the air, they say nothing about what they will actually do to achieve delivery.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of the whole issue, this response underlines two problems which have always dogged the Palestinian debate. It is also born of arrogance.
Firstly there is the unsaid message that "Any settlement will be the one we give you ". Secondly there is the the one that "You have little part in determining what it is".
From the Palestinian point of view the direct bid for UN recognition is a sensible one especially as it injects urgency into the seemingly endless issue. What would you do in their situation? Years of pleading their case has got nowhere. Worse than that , Israel has made resolution ever more difficult by continuing to establish new settlements in disputed territories. Each one indicates a new jagged kink and impracticality in the deliniation of the borders of a future Palestinian state to the extent that it could be a said in the future that the location of the settlements actually makes the separation of Israel and Palestine impossible.
Again, what would anyone do in the face of the situation apparently being made more difficult by the day while such as Blair urge meaninglessly and impotently that new discussions should start within a month and a settlement reached within a year? How? By whom? What is their track record over years of non achievement and refusal to insist that no new settlements are built and that existing ones may be subject to being dismantled or placed within the borders of a new Palestine whether the residents like it or not?
Add to that the issue of what confidence the Palestinians might reasonably be expected to have in the even handedness of Blair, a man who took his country into what looked like almost an ideology based war in Iran and later Afghanistan .Again if you ask the question "What would anyone do in the circumstances?" you come back to the answer that the Palestinian approach to the UN is not unreasonable and indeed is a thoroughly understandable vehicle with which to progress their case. A hysterical "Can't do that because we don't like it" reaction simply casts doubt on the good faith of those who shout it, especially when, other than plucking new timescales out of the air, they say nothing about what they will actually do to achieve delivery.
Monday 5 September 2011
Autumn Travel Guide... When to escape the Party Conferences.
For those dreading their TV screens and daily newspapers being hijacked by the procession of Party Conferences with their tedious interviews, hand wringings, sharing of your pain, posturings, shouts of yah boo from the media and all the rest, here is a guide of where not to be and when starting in about 3 weeks time.
For those allergic to Birmingham and the Lib Dems, be away 17-21 September to be sure to miss the utterances of the party that is sort of partly in government but is largely hugely embarrassed by it and would rather be back on the barricades or just in more familiar and comfortable obscurity.
For those who find the tag "Too far and too fast" applied to anything that might produce a more efficient, higher quality, less buurocratic or smaller state sector, has begun to grate and become just too tedious especially when not balanced by anything sounding like "but here's what we would do..",Liverpool and Labour are definately worth a miss. That's 25th to 29th September.
And for the rest who would like to see Dave enunciate a firm political philosophy and resolutely tough it out rather than try to be all things to all Lib Dem and Tory people and who know they are likely to be disappointed, Manchester from 2nd to 5th October is the place to avoid.
In fact somewhere pleasant, small and far away nowhere near a British network TV or newspaper will be the best guarantee of calm blood pressure, no disappointments and be the best place to go. See your travel agent now.
For those allergic to Birmingham and the Lib Dems, be away 17-21 September to be sure to miss the utterances of the party that is sort of partly in government but is largely hugely embarrassed by it and would rather be back on the barricades or just in more familiar and comfortable obscurity.
For those who find the tag "Too far and too fast" applied to anything that might produce a more efficient, higher quality, less buurocratic or smaller state sector, has begun to grate and become just too tedious especially when not balanced by anything sounding like "but here's what we would do..",Liverpool and Labour are definately worth a miss. That's 25th to 29th September.
And for the rest who would like to see Dave enunciate a firm political philosophy and resolutely tough it out rather than try to be all things to all Lib Dem and Tory people and who know they are likely to be disappointed, Manchester from 2nd to 5th October is the place to avoid.
In fact somewhere pleasant, small and far away nowhere near a British network TV or newspaper will be the best guarantee of calm blood pressure, no disappointments and be the best place to go. See your travel agent now.
Oh the torment of the spectre of unfairness.- " Let us wallow. Do nothing""
The UK's public (ie state) education system is despite pockets of excellence too often crap. Most people know that. Try to change it in any way, even for the better and howls of protest go up "Backdoor privatisation" "Unfair to some" etc. "Save our (crap)schools" campaigns break out all over the place.
The UK's NHS (National Health Service) is despite pockets of excellence too often crap. Most people know that, especially those who sit for hours on hard plastic chairs at A&Es while leading politicians are quietly whisked in unseen via the back door. Try to change it in any way, even for the better, and howls of protest go up "Backdoor privatisation", "Unfair to some" etc. "Save our NHS "campaigns break out all over the place.
It must seem like head in hands time for anyone trying to improve anything in this benighted isle. They have our sympathy and the warning that it's soon going to get a whole lot worse,- Party Conference time is coming up.
The UK's NHS (National Health Service) is despite pockets of excellence too often crap. Most people know that, especially those who sit for hours on hard plastic chairs at A&Es while leading politicians are quietly whisked in unseen via the back door. Try to change it in any way, even for the better, and howls of protest go up "Backdoor privatisation", "Unfair to some" etc. "Save our NHS "campaigns break out all over the place.
It must seem like head in hands time for anyone trying to improve anything in this benighted isle. They have our sympathy and the warning that it's soon going to get a whole lot worse,- Party Conference time is coming up.
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