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THE ART OF DEBATE
1. We spent too many years in a cosy & harmful, unholy political alliance. Those years when New Labour, the Conservatives & the Liberal Democrats all sang off the same hymn sheet.
THE ART OF DEBATE
1. We spent too many years in a cosy & harmful, unholy political alliance. Those years when New Labour, the Conservatives & the Liberal Democrats all sang off the same hymn sheet.
2. The difficulty with that is politicians lose the art of debate because they all, more or less, agree the same policies. Whilst a country is ticking along okay, that's fine, but when a crisis hits & politicians are complacent, it leads to melt down.
3. The Iraq War & the Dodgy Dossier is a prime example of how political complacency allowed inaccurate information to influence decision making in the Commons.
4. Strong debate ought to have questioned the evidence more robustly in a timely manner.
It was Iraq that exposed the flaws in our diluted parliamentary democracy.
It was Iraq that exposed the flaws in our diluted parliamentary democracy.
5. Then again in 2008 we saw how quick the establishment were to claim the financial crash was unforeseeable. Really? How many of you saw people living beyond their means? Big house, big car, big credit card, yet an average job?
6. People were betting on good times ahead to pay for their present day lifestyles, aided & abetted by easy credit & fierce competition to loan money without too many awkward questions asked.
7. Where were the warning voices that the credit bubble was unsustainable & needed tighter restrictions? Who was looking out for the normies instead of the financial institutions?
The political sleep walking led us into 2 major crises in the space of 4 years.
The political sleep walking led us into 2 major crises in the space of 4 years.
8. The unraveling of the economy & lack of trust in politicians following Iraq can be linked to where we are now, both here & in the US.
We both suffered a lack of credible opposition & quality debate.
We both suffered a lack of credible opposition & quality debate.
9. 2016 saw Brexit & Trump as firm rejections of the cosy set up.
2016 - 2020 saw political institutions incapable & unwilling to let go of the policies that led to the crises in the first place.
2016 - 2020 saw political institutions incapable & unwilling to let go of the policies that led to the crises in the first place.
10. Our politicians spent wasted years trying to reverse a vote they didn't agree with. Imagine how much power we could have exerted on Brussels had politicians taken remain, instead of no deal, off the table.
11. Hours of parliamentary debate could have thrashed out the best means of leaving the EU, under a deal given the utmost parliamentary scrutiny.
12. Similarly in the US, the establishment have fought Trump for 4 years, blocking policy, prattling on about impeachment & Russian interference.
13. Slanging matches & conspiracy have replaced serious debate & policy shaping for the future.
No-one has given much thought to the voters & how it's a modest expectation that votes & mandates should be respected.
No-one has given much thought to the voters & how it's a modest expectation that votes & mandates should be respected.
14. The perfectly legitimate course of action for a politician who feels he cannot fulfill those basic instructions is to resign & let someone else more capable do the job.
15. But they don't resign.
They don't see they are the problem.
They cling on until thrown out, but even then have a habit of reappearing in some institution or quango.
They fail upwards with great reward.
They don't see they are the problem.
They cling on until thrown out, but even then have a habit of reappearing in some institution or quango.
They fail upwards with great reward.
16. I see this in our House of Lords.
We saw this with the EU, where failed national politicians find cushy positions.
We see it in the US with the Hobson's Choice of terrible candidates.
We saw this with the EU, where failed national politicians find cushy positions.
We see it in the US with the Hobson's Choice of terrible candidates.
17. Quite how the 2 greatest democracies remedy this political gene pool drought is difficult. The establishment: whether this be the civil service, the Courts, the Speakers or the over-the-hill political figureheads, have a vice like hold over the institutions & the media.
18. I feared matters would come to a head in Britain during the Brexit years. The remain cohort had their marches & demonstrations whilst Brexiteers were more patient.
19. In the US we've seen the destruction of businesses & neighbourhoods through months of rioting by BLM & Antifa, with little intervention.
The kickback was always on the cards.
The kickback was always on the cards.
20. We had a brief glimpse of it here in the summer when a counter protest against BLM took place.
Once again, a lack of debate as to removal or destruction of historic property/monuments compelled people to make their feelings known.
Once again, a lack of debate as to removal or destruction of historic property/monuments compelled people to make their feelings known.
21. The biggest danger here is that everyone stops debating or consulting. The public will take matters into their own hands due to lack of representation in the corridors of power.
Social media needs to keep dialogue open to all, to ensure we keep talking.
Social media needs to keep dialogue open to all, to ensure we keep talking.
