In November 2008, I met an old school friend, David Cheetham, that I have known for more than 40 years.
I told him unequivocally I would vote Cameron. I was totally opposed to ID cards and Cameron promised to scrap them.
Then I began to follow Cameron and Osborne's insane response to the global banking crisis.
I watched as Brown and Darling galvanised the global political and financial community during the haitus of the US presidential transition. By the time of Obama's inauguration, I had swung behind Brown and Darling. The Tories economic policy made no sense - it still doesn't. Then Cameron sided with east european homophobes, neo-fascists and anti-semites.
I swallowed my distaste of ID cards, which I still abhor, and supported Labour.
Brown impressed me over the G20 negotiations while Cameron and Osborne flailed in economic irrelevence.
More and more Cameron reminded me of the vacuous Blair.
As Brown and Ed Miliband - a far more astute politician than his dork of a brother David - began to address COP15 and climate crisis my mind was made up. The Tories made no sense on climate issues.
The two most pressing issues of 2009-10, climate crisis and banking crisis, Cameron and Osborne had little to say. What they did say was absurd.
A year later, I have yet to hear the Conservatives make sense on any issue. I shall listen carefully to Cameron these next few weeks.
I won't hold my breath.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
On Gordon Brown
Some weeks back, John Rentoul wrote an article mildly praising Gordon Brown. I wrote the following in response. It was on the Independent site for several hours and then removed. A comment by Ron Broxted was also lost. I don't know why Dr Rentoul removed it. It was not offensive, judge for yourself. Fortunately, my wife copied it to her site and it follows below.
"Chapeau John Rentoul"
While I might disagree with you about Blair, Anthony Seldon's baleful and forlorn wail for humility from Blair was majesterially trumped by John Arlidge in other parishes today.
This is a generous and acute assessment of Brown.
Both at G20 over the global banking crisis and this past week at COP15, Brown has shown a rare talent for international leadership and consensus building. He and the EU may have come away from Copenhagen empty handed but Brown won the moral argument on climate crisis.
Gordon Brown's principled stand beside Africa and the world's poorest countries, his insistence on firm figures for carbon reduction and defence of the need for transparency was statesmanship of a very high order.
The global stage will be diminished by his absence - whether on climate change or the global economy.
Extraordinarily and uniquely, he understands both issues in depth. He is also aware of the intimate link between the two. We have every right to be proud that he represents the UK and EU in such fora.
Many Tory and Blairite trolls may mock but their venom is no more than bile or self-loathing.
Brown has helped set high standards and high expectations - supported by Africa, the EU + others, not least NGOs, thanks to Brown and Ed Miliband the bar of climate change success has been set very high.
On climate and economic crisis: "We must all hang together or we will all hang seperately"
"Chapeau John Rentoul"
While I might disagree with you about Blair, Anthony Seldon's baleful and forlorn wail for humility from Blair was majesterially trumped by John Arlidge in other parishes today.
This is a generous and acute assessment of Brown.
Both at G20 over the global banking crisis and this past week at COP15, Brown has shown a rare talent for international leadership and consensus building. He and the EU may have come away from Copenhagen empty handed but Brown won the moral argument on climate crisis.
Gordon Brown's principled stand beside Africa and the world's poorest countries, his insistence on firm figures for carbon reduction and defence of the need for transparency was statesmanship of a very high order.
The global stage will be diminished by his absence - whether on climate change or the global economy.
Extraordinarily and uniquely, he understands both issues in depth. He is also aware of the intimate link between the two. We have every right to be proud that he represents the UK and EU in such fora.
Many Tory and Blairite trolls may mock but their venom is no more than bile or self-loathing.
Brown has helped set high standards and high expectations - supported by Africa, the EU + others, not least NGOs, thanks to Brown and Ed Miliband the bar of climate change success has been set very high.
On climate and economic crisis: "We must all hang together or we will all hang seperately"
Monday, December 28, 2009
Mercia
It is a pity that the English failed to seize the initiative and establish regional government during New Labour's dalliance with constitutional reform.
It is rumoured that Jack Straw was opposed and sabotaged any glimmer of interest. Be that as it may, the English lost the initiative and now may be condemned to administrative localism and centralised governance.
Mercia would have made an excellent regional structure - province - of some 8 million people. The First Minister of Mercia would have been one of the leading political figures in a revitalised UK.
A Mercian Parliament could have sought legislative powers over banking, health, education, industry, welfare and a measure of taxation. It could have built on the region's engineering and manufacturing tradition and prepared better its youth for 21st century employment.
Lord Toby Harris has given much thought to issues of governance. I hope he can convince the next government to revisit constitutional renewal.
It is rumoured that Jack Straw was opposed and sabotaged any glimmer of interest. Be that as it may, the English lost the initiative and now may be condemned to administrative localism and centralised governance.
Mercia would have made an excellent regional structure - province - of some 8 million people. The First Minister of Mercia would have been one of the leading political figures in a revitalised UK.
A Mercian Parliament could have sought legislative powers over banking, health, education, industry, welfare and a measure of taxation. It could have built on the region's engineering and manufacturing tradition and prepared better its youth for 21st century employment.
Lord Toby Harris has given much thought to issues of governance. I hope he can convince the next government to revisit constitutional renewal.
Think! What thinking?
I have moved from Independent Minds to blogspot. I shall retain the Livejournal site for comments on the Independent and a meditation on Time. It can be found on the right under T'ai.
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