One of the worst features of the British electoral system is the 'safe' seat. Both Labour and Tories have them. In such seats a monkey wearing the right coloured rosette can be voted in with a stonking 10000+ majority. Its a job for life. There is no test of performance for this monkey other than it votes as the party whips direct at all times.
Elections are won and lost in so called marginal sets where majorities are less than 2000 votes. These seats change hands frequently and determine which party will form the next government. The fate of these seats can thus be determined by 1000 voters, swing voters and if you assume an average government majority of 50 then you can see our government is detrmined by the views of around 50000 or so voters. The political parties know this and their whole pitch and effort is aimed at this chosen 50000.
The political elite detest this uncertainty after all if replicated in safe seats they might end up out of a job in 5 years or less. This obviously threatens the whole fabric of our elites political life so therefore they seek to be candidates in safe seats and leave the others to the mugs.
But how does one get a safe seat? Well it helps if Daddy was an MP. This operates spectactularly well even in the party of equal opportunity, the Labour party.
Look at the potential candidates for safe Labour seats:
Stephen Kinnock son of the Welsh windbag former EU commissioner Neil and his MEP wife Glennys and husband of the current Danish PM Helle Thorning Schmidt. Two daughters currently being educated semi privately in Copenhagen. He has been adopted as Labour candidate for Aberavon, Labour majority in 2010 11000, 51% of the vote. As befits a true socialist the Danish tax authorities take a close interest in Mr Kinnock's tax returns.
Will Straw, son of Jack Straw former Home Secretary and pillar of the Labour party selected to fight Rossendale and Darwen, a Tory marginal majority 4,500. Something wrong here surely? Daddy's old seat Blackburn, Labour majority 10000, has an all woman shortlist presumably in tribute to Jack's predecessor and former boss Barbara Castle. The only way in for young Will is to play the Jack Dromey card and marry Harriet Harman who helped her hubby get selected and elected for the Erdington. after a brief flirtation with all women short lists
Most lately there is Euan Blair seeking Bootle, majority 21000. The current incumbent is 81 but wants to avail himself of his job for life. Rumour is he will be eased out and son of Blair eased in.
Finally, the Times reports today one David Prescott, son of two Jags is seeking a Labour seat. He was unsuccessful lately at Greenwich but he will persist.
The Chinese have a name for these people, princes and princesses! All it does is perpetuate the political elite which has done such harm to our country. RIP Wedgie Benn your dynasty goes on.
2 comments:
In the debate on the Parliament Act of 1911 which stripped the House of Lords of its veto powers, the Lord Willoughby de Broke of those days made a spirited defence of the hereditary principle. It worked very well with his foxhounds, he said and pretty well in their Lordships' House.
It seems that, after all that egalitarian nonsense, the Labour party is coming to its senses and now recognizes that blood will out.
Somehow it seemed more fitting in the old days when the great families had a real stake in the country and were not just practised consumers of state funds. They were also expected to send sons to fight and, if necessary, die for their country without too much fuss.
In North Derbyshire, the Church bells would be rung for the electoral victory of the Duke of Devonshire's son. I knew an old radical smallholder, who crept into the church tower and muffled one of the bells (already rung up in expectation of victory) so it was a broken peal which was rung.
Bad blood will out as well!
Its really a question of a level playing field. Students applying for medical school are not allowed to mention or imply in any way that they have a parent who is a doctor.
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