Blair's impeachment

[M-A_19]

This is going to fail obviously it's only got 23 MPs signed up to it

MPs call for Blair's impeachment

But what can I, an ordinary citizen do to get rid of this bloke who thinks he's Emperor of the UK?

All our MPs are more interested in their careers then the fact that we've changed from a parlimentary democracy to an executive leadership

Is there a chance that labour can be pursuaded to drop him? (I'd take any solicalist over B.liar, even Brown, though Mark Steel would be my first choice)

we have to do something before he names Leo as crown prince! ;)

[Krimson]

[sarcasm]Wow, you guys hate your politicians, too? And here I thought it was a localized phenomenon specific to North America.[/sarcasm]

I can sympathize with you, though in all honesty I can't think of a politician during my life who wasn't reviled by the people. I remember in one of David Suzuki's books (I grew up watching his show, the Nature of things. He, and Carl Sagan were surrogate fathers to me), he had mentioned how we basically create a viscious circle for ourselves. The problem is that the people who are suitable to be leaders generally do not get involved in politics. Politicians tend to be self-serving spin doctors because the political realm attracts that sort of person. Generally people of integrity, intellect and good will are going to do something else with their lives.

[M-A_19]

I never said I hated our politicians. There are a lot of good people of all parties in our parliament who do a great deal of good work (particularly at committee level).

What I hate is the way that the MP elected for bowlerhatshire doesn't vote the way the people of bowlerhatshire want him to vote, he votes the way his party whip tells him to vote. The party leader controls the whip and therefore when he has a majority (like TB) he controls the parliament, giving him executive power to force his whims through against the wishes of the people he is supposed to represent.

Tony consistently demonstrates his contempt for parliamentary democracy (IE: releasing news to the media, before the House of Commons). and that's why I want to make clear to our representatives, that a great many people want him out.

so again, what to do? write to my MP? ;)

[Krimson]

I never said I hated our politicians.

Sorry about the generalization there. My bad. :oops:

[Mikey_C]

This impeachment idea is intriguing. Unfortunately, I can't see it working (wouldn't it be great to see the look on Blair's face if it did?). There's an odd bunch of people involved - some very principled, some Tory opportunists. Even an s/f connection: Iain Banks.

Kommando's response highlights the No.1 problem with representative democracy; the "political process" can be viewed as a form of self-selection for sociopaths! Would you want to be Prime Minister? No thanks!

I would say there's a pretty widespread rejection of politics here in the UK, and the Iraq war, declared on false premises and so clearly opposed by the majority of the population, can only increase the cynicism. When Lemmy says "All politicians are bastards" he's speaking for a lot of people. Impeaching Blair might help to restore some faith in the system as a whole - he has so clearly abused his office. There should be some redress.

[M-A_19]

Sorry about the generalization there. My bad. :oops:

No problems Kommando, you are right to draw similarities between US and UK politics anyway.

Mikey_C, I totally agree, but what do you think is the best way of ensuring "redress"?

Our MPs, (mine definitely She's a Blair-Babe) aren't listening, The labour party won't drop a leader this close to an election...

What are we supposed to do, vote Tory?

[Mikey_C]

OOh, beat me Tony, harder, HARDER! :twisted:

I think Blair's impeachment would be some sort of redress. Think of the numbers of people, from the director of the BBC to the editor of the Daily Mirror (a clear set-up that one, in my view), who have lost their jobs because of mistakes connected to the war. The man who made the overall mistake (if mistake it was) is still in place!

Not that this would cure all our woes, of course. But it might give people a little more faith that positive things can be achieved through the political process. The thing that bothers me a bit when people slag off politicians as a class (however justified this might be) is that other people, (i.e. corporate bosses), even more self-serving and unaccountable are extremely willing to assume greater power. Democracy may be flawed (to say the least), but it's all we have. Blair stands accused of abusing it.

[Kalessin]

What are we supposed to do, vote Tory?

Yes. 8)

[Pietro_Mercurios]

...

What are we supposed to do, vote Tory?

Why not try choosing Liberal Democrat? Don't laugh, it's not meant to be funny.

The excuse for voting "New" Labour being that the only alternative to "New" Labour is the Tories, is no longer enough. Tony Blair, his Cabinet and his party have done something very very wrong: They have misled their country and people and they have taken them into war for no good reason.

Tony and his Cabinet helped mislead the people of Britain, as well as the USA and the other allied countries, as to the nature of the threat from Iraq. People may be mad at the actions of President Bush and his mob of NeoConservative crazies, but Prime Minister Tony Blair, as leader of what used to be a left of centre party and as a former lawyer and barrister, should have had the sense to just say no. When he so completely succumbed to flattery and switched off his lawyer inside, then enough of his party should have had the guts to say no for him.

The Tories would almost certainly have done the same and followed the US's lead. Only the Liberal Democrats have consistently said NO to the War in Iraq and they should be rewarded with at least enough seats to drive a serious wedge into the cosy Two Party System, that's overseeing the "Globalization" of Britain.

Edit: Spelling, Grammar, sense, etc.

[Kalessin]

I just don't think the Lib Dems have a solid enough infrastructure to run the country. They've certainly messed up on my local council, and they've gone much too far to the left for my liking since New Labour moved to hog the centre.

I do rather like the current Tory front-bench - Letwin is certainly first-rate, and will do the key job of Chancellor just as well as Brown does.

[Mikey_C]

The Lib-Dems are all things to all people. You want left wing? They do left wing. You want right wing? They do right wing. Their "consistent" opposition to the war, don't forget, faltered whilst it was actually taking place. I see them as opportunists all over, I'm afraid.

Not that any of this makes "New Labour" any more palatable. I can understand why people will be turning to the Lib-Dems as a protest vote. Hopefully they will come to replace Michael Howards' legions of the undead as her Majesty's loyal opposition.

[Pietro_Mercurios]

The Lib-Dems are all things to all people. You want left wing? They do left wing. You want right wing? They do right wing. Their "consistent" opposition to the war, don't forget, faltered whilst it was actually taking place. I see them as opportunists all over, I'm afraid.

Not that any of this makes "New Labour" any more palatable. I can understand why people will be turning to the Lib-Dems as a protest vote. Hopefully they will come to replace Michael Howards' legions of the undead as her Majesty's loyal opposition.

Fairly consistent, then.

All true, but it really is time the pretend binary oppositions in British politics were given the boot. The whole system has become down right unhealthy and corrupt. It's all being run like a fifth rate student union at a third rate polytechnic.

[M-A_19]

A Blair-Led labour will never have my vote.

He could form the "Free money for M-A_19" party and be leader of that, I still wouldn't vote for the c*nt.

I think it's time for Proportional Representation, then we might get a Parliament that represents the views of the British people, instead of the best-guess-hash-together that we have now.

and if that means minority parties like the BNP getting seats then fine, someone's got to give the daily mirror readers a voice ;)

[Mikey_C]

Don't you mean The Daily Mail? Don't forget the "Blair Babes"!

[garadan]

Why not Lib Dem

I hear this all the time with do we vote conservative or Labour, but the Libs will have no chance of winning, they have no consisent policies or they dont have the infrastructure.

I have been involved with the party since I was a child and I can say through personal experience that they are none of the above.

What really annoys me is that (if we are lucky) 30-40% of people vote which mean on average less than 20% of the voting population vote in the elected govenment. It comes down to apathy more than anything else.

I have said many times if you dont like anyone (or party) you are voting for either stand yourself or vote none of the above. If the 15% of the voting population did this it would make govenment sit up and look.

Like America, the people and the govenment have forgotten one of my favourite statements about what govenment is about. "For the people, by the people." Govenment is not a profit and loss corporation, which I fear it is turning into.

To finish my mini rant is that we wont know if the lib-dems would make an effective govenment, but I would ask can they be worse than what we have experienced in the last 30 years.