At the general election, the Conservatives won an absolute majority of seats in parliament, despite winning just 37% of the vote. In Scotland, meanwhile, the SNP took 95% of the seats, despite winning "only" 50% of the vote.
How do you solve this problem? Do you -
a) Introduce proportional representation?
b) Leave things as they are, but demand that an MP from a minority party who has committed serious wrongdoing should be allowed to stay in office, to avoid making the problem marginally worse? Oh, and describe the people using the law of the land to hold that MP to account as a "lynch mob" who are trying to destroy political pluralism?
If you're Michael White of the Guardian, the answer is b) all day long.
A person's good name is "the jewel of their soul" THAT is the biggest loss to Carmichael, I wouldn't employ him as a lawyer he doesn't inspire my trust.
ReplyDeleteMichael White is frankly a fool if he wants liars and cheats to create our laws.
I think it worth pointing out that the political right won just over 50% of the UK wide vote in the General Election (Tories / UKIP / NI unionists / others).
ReplyDeleteIt's safe to say the austerity would have been watered down somewhat. But we would still have had a Conservative government under PM Cameron.
On this occasion I think the FPTP system worked extremely well. We got a government representative of the majority of people in the UK and the Scottish disparity between vote share and seats won by the SNP is addressed well by the fact we are still in the UK, with a separation of powers between two parliaments and the other parliament controlled by a party that is not the SNP. Many of the unionists would no doubt have preferred a majority Labour government or Labour coalition without the SNP. But, under the circumstances, beggars can't be choosers. If you live in Scotland and value Britishness, the tories are your friend - whether you like it or not.
Aldo
"I think it worth pointing out that the political right won just over 50% of the UK wide vote in the General Election (Tories / UKIP / NI unionists / others)."
DeleteWhich misses the point entirely. This is not a question of left v right, but of fair representation. A Cameron minority government reliant on UKIP and the DUP to scrape a majority would have had to behave in a very different way, and in some cases would probably have tacked to the left to avoid becoming Farage's hostage.
"If you live in Scotland and value Britishness, the tories are your friend - whether you like it or not."
And if you don't like it (and many don't), it might be time to reconsider whether that No vote was such a great idea.
We've been through this before James. To vote yes to independence as a way of escaping austerity is a bit like being in a jail - and you ask to share a cell with Peter Tobin because you think the shoplifter you're currently with is morally degenerate.
DeleteAldo
Naw mate the Tories are nobody's friend. They would sell their own granny and poison mummy n daddy to speed up the inheritance. The Tories are foul, rancid human beings. I also take offence that if you value Britishness then you would somehow be happy to have them. No prizes for guessing I'm a indepence supporter but its your lot along with the Blairite charlatans that ultimately made me choose that path. They continue to pull this union apart and when it finally does it will be their actions more than the SNPs that finally seal it. I can kinda understand an affiliation to team GB but I could never understand people willing to confine their country and their communities to serfdom at the hands of those arseholes who are determined to be even more Thatcher than the witch herself.
DeleteNaw mate the Tories are nobody's friend. They would sell their own granny and poison mummy n daddy to speed up the inheritance. The Tories are foul, rancid human beings. I also take offence that if you value Britishness then you would somehow be happy to have them. No prizes for guessing I'm a indepence supporter but its your lot along with the Blairite charlatans that ultimately made me choose that path. They continue to pull this union apart and when it finally does it will be their actions more than the SNPs that finally seal it. I can kinda understand an affiliation to team GB but I could never understand people willing to confine their country and their communities to serfdom at the hands of those arseholes who are determined to be even more Thatcher than the witch herself.
DeleteThe tories are a natural part of a healthy democracy. America has them - they are called "The Republicans". Germany has them - they are called "The Christian Democrats". Spain has them too - they are called "The Peoples' Party".
DeleteThey all champion free markets, small states and balanced budgets. And it's a good job they exist too - because who would be around to stabilise the economy after a bout of left wing spending extravagance?
Scotland's tories are unpopular for one reason alone - for decades, the Scots have enjoyed socialism, paid for by someone else.
Aldo
Listen to yourself. The Tories and their ilk want a Victorian society the majority of Scots don't that's why they are unpopular. I'm trying my best not to rise to your bullshit but if you are Scottish you are a disgrace. Scots are one of the most indusrious, inventive people in the world, we work hard and contribute more than our fair share to this putrid union. I was a no voter to begin with but fannys like you swiftly turned me to yes with this misplaced sense of shame and dependency that we need England and their right wing extremists. All 3 main unionist party leaders all conceded that Scotland would be a successful country but still feed the line we need them more than they need us. I keep asking the question and still haven't had a decent answer but if we are such a drain then why fight so hard and dirty to keep us in the union? We make an argument that we want indepence to take control of our finances that is not the argument of a begger. The Tories like to make the comparison with the economy and a household budget so would you be happy if you worked a 37 hour week someone else took your wages and only gave you enough for expenses? Scotland is a beautiful country with a rich history and culture to be proud of. This is not a family of nations its an abusive relationship, the closer we get to leaving the more abusive it gets. No thanks= no self respect, no spine
DeleteListen to yourself. The Tories and their ilk want a Victorian society the majority of Scots don't that's why they are unpopular. I'm trying my best not to rise to your bullshit but if you are Scottish you are a disgrace. Scots are one of the most indusrious, inventive people in the world, we work hard and contribute more than our fair share to this putrid union. I was a no voter to begin with but fannys like you swiftly turned me to yes with this misplaced sense of shame and dependency that we need England and their right wing extremists. All 3 main unionist party leaders all conceded that Scotland would be a successful country but still feed the line we need them more than they need us. I keep asking the question and still haven't had a decent answer but if we are such a drain then why fight so hard and dirty to keep us in the union? We make an argument that we want indepence to take control of our finances that is not the argument of a begger. The Tories like to make the comparison with the economy and a household budget so would you be happy if you worked a 37 hour week someone else took your wages and only gave you enough for expenses? Scotland is a beautiful country with a rich history and culture to be proud of. This is not a family of nations its an abusive relationship, the closer we get to leaving the more abusive it gets. No thanks= no self respect, no spine
DeleteIf we took complete control of our own finances (no subsidy, no UK assistance, no sharing of resources), we'd be in big trouble. I have no problem admitting that. I'm a Scot, but I'm also a rational human being. Saying Scotland's finances are in a poor state does not reflect badly on myself or on any particular individual living and working in Scotland - many of whom are very hard working. It is those hard working people who deserve the continued hand up that the other 60 million people in the UK are capable of providing us with. If we leave the UK, we need to find about 14 billion pounds a year extra, every year, forever more - and that's at a conservative estimate and simply to stand still in terms of public service and welfare provision. I might be a tory, but I'm not right wing enough that I'd see fellow Scots lose schools, hospitals, jobs, and essential welfare payments. This is what would happen under the SNP - austerity max.
DeleteAldo
Aldo seriously mate, how delusional are you. I don't know where you got 14 billion from but just for talking sake we will say its a figure you have seen and not made up, do you honestly believe that we are loved so much that they actually pay us to be in their company. From a Tory point of view, if things are that drastic I would think that Cameron or Osbourne would be happy to let us have FFA if they are so certain we would have to go crawling back on our knees. The difference between us you are happy on your knees accepting the scraps they throw. Conservative government is not an excellent fiscal government, our national debt has gone up not down. McCrone report and the moving of sea boundaries tell us exactly the mind set of Westminster. During the ref one of the many stories we were told is 5 million people leaving would cause global chaos. They are worried, why worry if we are such a drain. All your ideas of Scotland are based on us while we are in the union. Also spare me the fake concern for schools and hospitals, the Tories will decemate everything we hold in the public interest.
DeleteMy figures come from the Scottish government figures, current and projected. Independence means not less austerity - but more austerity - lots more. If you are anti austerity, why would you vote for more austerity? It seems:
DeleteTory austerity = bad
SNP austerity (worse than tory austerity) = good.
Can you please square this circle of why we are better off paying more in and getting less out? It seems to me that poorer is poorer, regardless of which flag you fly or to which city you send your tax returns.
Why do the UK government want us? Why does Germany want Bavaria? Why does Canada want Quebec or Spain Catalonia?
Perhaps because they are integral parts of those countries with a shared heritage and culture and a sense of kinship?
Aldo
White is just another arrogant BritNat journalist who sees his influence waning as sales of newspapers decline.
ReplyDeleteMichael White is a contrarian. When everyone else see's a daft wee white moustache as outré, he sees it as the height of fashion. What applies to his moustache applies to his notions on politics too.
ReplyDeleteIf you live in Scotland and value Britishness, the tories are your friend - whether you like it or not.
ReplyDeleteI live in Scotland and I don't like it.
Thanks for sharing your profoundly convoluted thought.
Michael White told me in January that SNP prospects in the election were overblown and that Alex Salmond probably wouldn't even win Gordon. He's out of his mind.
ReplyDeleteLet's not forget his all-time classic tweet from just after Jim Murphy was elected Scottish Labour leader -
Delete"Dear old Len McCluskey saying Jim Murphy becoming McLab leader is 'political death' suggests Len (who backed Ed) is slow learner . A shame."
White's Twitter feed is an ongoing masterclass in self-awareness.
Indeed:
ReplyDeletehttps://mobile.twitter.com/michaelwhite/status/541521182642933760
I feel sorry for the guy. He lives in the little London bubble where people tell each other how important they are. Then he makes occasional forays into the real world where he discovers that those few people who have heard of him don't think he's hugely important. The result is a mixture of hurt, bewilderment and anger. Poor soul.
ReplyDelete