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I must admit that I am a fan of the Daily Telegraph and not just because of my political views but mainly because they are still the best media organisation by far when it comes to letting people air their views and apart from editorial oversight, will publish even if you were very obviously a paid hack from the Labour Party. Today I read a Leader they ran on the IWAR poll and responded to one of these usual suspects who wanted to pooh, pooh the whole exercise.

It was published and although it reflects much the same arguments as in my previous blog, I attach it below (in quotes), because it really does highlight further, I think, how this one issue impinges upon the need to renew our Parliamentary processes. However and whilst not one to to believe in “Conspiracy Theories” so loved of some in the US and the Middle East because “cock up” is more British, I am starting to wonder a bit about what is going on.

Is There a Conspiracy ?

The other day a peaceful lobby of Parliament by people who want a referendum was totally ignored and over shadowed by a protest on the roof of Parliament by the “Plane Stupid” group. The most interesting thing here was that they had very large banners to unfurl and metal handcuffs plus, they made it onto the roof all of which speaks of an inside job because of the security measures in place. To the people from Plane Stupid, they may have felt that they were helped by a “sympathiser” on the inside, to the rest of us, was that person an agent of the Government ?

Just as oddly today, whilst even the BBC mentioned the IWAR poll on its news front page (some editor will get it in the neck for that), neither the Times or the FT mentioned it, who is paying who for what one wonders ?

More on a Crumbling Parliamentary Process

“I think that you are really missing the point here, single issue yes but the numbers and the method they were arrived at are significant. To put that into perspective, whilst Blair and his urban MPs were happy to ignore 400,000 people from the Countryside Alliance over fox hunting because it was a one off event, this is very different because these were the electors in each constituancy and I understand that in 8 out of 10 seats, the votes cast against the EU Constitution were greater than the incumbent MP achieved at the last General Election. Ignore this at your peril.

Perhaps the key point is rather more that just this particular topic, it concerns the accountability of Parliament to the electors and this is where the single issue does play well. Our system lends the power of the citizens to the directly elected representatives of us the people and however unpopular a policy may prove to be in the event, it is accepted that providing it was in the published manifesto of the party at the time it was elected, there is no requirement to consult the electorate again. Where did Labour say it would sign the EU Constitution ?

Brown and Milly may say as often as they like that the “Treaty” is different from the “Constitution” just as every other EU Leader says it is the same but as this is the same team that bought us the “Dodgy Dossier” on Iraq, we are not buying it and they are not even trying to persuade us but ramming it through the House and sticking two fingers up at us in the process.

If any Labour MP wishes to continue their career in the House after 2010, they really need to think about the numbers particularly as they only got just over 22% of the potential national vote last time round. The arrogance being displayed by Brown’s Government over this issue goes even further than just party politics, it is damaging to our Parliamentary system of Government, like Charles I, Parliament does not have a “Divine Right to Rule”, they all really do need to listen, this is not fox hunting.”