In England, there are two kinds of Parliamentary election. We elect MPs to Westminster using First-Past-The-Post and MEPs to Brussels/Strasbourg using the D’Hondt regional list system.One would think that arguments about fairness would apply equally between the two systems. Not so. The Bill now being railroaded through Parliament will, with very limited exceptions, require allContinueContinue reading “Constituencies & Contrasts”
Author Archives: WR Archives
Remember, Remember
Certain MPs – and former MPs – who voted for the conquest of Iraq are likely to seek extra security after their names were again publicised on the Internet yesterday.We do not condone illegal and arbitrary attacks on the innocent. Nor on the guilty. The mass killing of MPs who voted for mass killing isContinueContinue reading “Remember, Remember”
Good Works, Bad Shouldn’t
“Þæt is nu hraðost to secganne, þæt ic wilnode weorðfullice to libbanne þa hwile þe ic lifede, and æfter minum life þæm monnum to læfanne þe æfter me wæren min gemyndig on godum weorcum.””I desired to live worthily as long as I lived, and to leave after my life, to the men who should comeContinueContinue reading “Good Works, Bad Shouldn’t”
The Rotten Parliament
The campaign to allow MPs to continue to represent real communities, shaped by geography, history and culture, has a growing following. It even has its own Facebook page.The so-called ‘Conservative’ Party and its glove-puppet partners remain steadfastly committed to ripping up our history in the name of ‘fairness’. It really is no defence to sayContinueContinue reading “The Rotten Parliament”
Killing Community, Killing Democracy
Cornish patriots are gathering today beneath the Tamar Bridge at Saltash to protest against the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill. There is even serious talk of hunger strikes. What is it that has brought this on?The Bill paves the way for a referendum next May on replacing First-Past-The-Post with the Alternative Vote system. SoContinueContinue reading “Killing Community, Killing Democracy”
England. A.K.A. London?
We do not argue that Wessex is not English but we do argue that there is a debate to be had about the governance of England. A unified England is a centralised England – in many ways still a Norman England – and one that in practice is run largely for London’s benefit, not ours.TakeContinueContinue reading “England. A.K.A. London?”
No State To Be In?
Lord Deben – the former Tory MP John Selwyn Gummer – wrote approvingly this week of the Coalition’s decentralist agenda: “People who feel that they cannot influence big decisions in a globalised world are adamant that they should control the space around them. It doesn’t help to call it nimby. It is more ‘ideah’ –ContinueContinue reading “No State To Be In?”
Uncommon Sense
The electorate in the Witney constituency numbers 78,766, of whom 62 were far-sighted enough to cast their vote yesterday for Colin Bex. For the rest, as our society plunges from bad to worse, it will be a case of ‘we told you so’, and sooner rather than later.Colin reported a busy day’s campaigning in BurfordContinueContinue reading “Uncommon Sense”
Voting for a Change?
Polling day ought to be a day of celebration. Complete with flags and bunting, brass bands and beer. ‘Party’ politics should mean just that. Tomorrow therefore ought to be an occasion when voters proudly step out to exercise the right of self-determination which past generations died to secure. Not the apologetic, furtive act that soContinueContinue reading “Voting for a Change?”
Busy, Busy, Busy
All three Party officers – President, Secretary-General and Treasurer – were in Witney today canvassing in the run-up to polling day. With good weather for once, residents were willing to stop and talk and their reactions were very positive, especially among the young. Some of the latter proved to be just a fraction too youngContinueContinue reading “Busy, Busy, Busy”