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It is perfectly understandable that media people like journalists, following the outcome of the Local Elections and in particular the ousting of Labour from London’s City Hall, are ever quick to rush into print offering ‘this’ analysis, opinions or ‘that’ advice to the Tories.

And much as I am fond of the Daily Telegraph’s comments section with readers responses to the ‘news’, I suppose it was highly predictable that the “Anti-Dave Brigade” were out in force from the neolithic wing of the Tory Party. I suppose that they are today’s equivalents to the Labour Die Hard’s in the late 90′s when confronted with Tony Blair. However, I don’t feel that the real story has been picked up by the media yet, which is a key moment of change in British Politics.

Change

I thought that David Cameron’s reaction to the news was thoughtful and about right, I also think that Brown will hold on to the very last so early Summer 2010 is when the next General Election will be and that is 2 years away so a rather longer game for Cameron to play. However I think that something more significant has happened than just people being sick of Labour and turning to the Conservatives, there has been a major underlying change of mood in the country at large and a desire for “change”.

In some senses, this similar mood existed in 1997 when New Labour was swept to power but the mood of optimistic change gradually fizzled out to be replaced by a rather vindictive Government and Parliament. Whilst I would certainly advise the Tory Party to examine and track the first 5 years of Blair’s Government in some detail, I don’t think that will provide them with all the answers because whilst History does repeat itself, never quite in the same way.

Blair in his later years in Office came to realise the opportunity that he was handed by the electorate and how he had failed to take full advantage of it when he said “I wish I had been bolder…” The British electorate is far more sophisticated than politicians give them credit for and the widespread “tactical voting” that took place in 1997 is the proof, the question is, could that happen again with the specific intent to produce a “Hung Parliament” ? I wouldn’t bet against it.

The Next Election

Regardless of political persuasion, all Parties will be tarnished with the failures of the present Government. The public are now aware that Gordon Brown as Chancellor was too busy trying to undermine Blair for the top job which as it turned out, he can’t do, to do his own properly. During a decade in a land of plenty, he managed to turn gold into brass, healthy public finances into major deficits. Whilst the public used the inflated values of their property to go on a spending spree, so did the Government with our taxes.

The Westminster Parliament has become far too remote from the people, it is a modern day “Palace of Versailles” just before the French Revolution. In 1997 there was a vast influx of new MPs on the Labour benches, in 2010 there will be a similar “changing of the guard” but this time, let us hope without the arrogance and plain ignorance of Parliament so noticeable then from Tony Blair downwards.

A very good example of the wrong type of MP is David Milliband who in his arrogance, so mirrors Michael Portillo in his day, one hopes the same fate beckons and that like Potillo, Milliband learns some humility. As a man who comes from a family to which this country gave shelter and support, to willingly sign away the rights of free born Britons to Brussels in incredible, what kind of immigrant family is that ? No wonder there are Muslims who think that there is even the remotest possibility of establishing Sharia Law in the UK !

Time to Reform Parliament and Renew Our Democracy

The next General Election in 2010 will present Parliament with its greatest opportunity to bring about the reform it so desperately needs. There are likely to be 2-300 new MPs starting their political careers in Parliament so before they get their feet too far under the table, a very good time for the whole of Parliament to commit to reducing the number of MPs by a third to around 400 after the boundaries are redrawn. From that as an incentive to those that survive, a generous new remuneration package upon completion well let’s be honest, we could give them a 50% pay/package rise and it would cost us no more money.

The next Parliament should legislate little, repeal quite a lot, negotiate with Brussels the terms of a Trade Only relationship with the EU and then put it to the public in a binding Referendum to decide whether they want to remain “Inside the political EU” or “Outside”, Parliament and the Prime Minister of the day are clearly not fit to decide this matter.

Quite rightly you may say that “There he goes again, banging on about the EU” but it is a prime example of what is wrong with our Parliament today. They made a promise on a Referendum at the last election which they have broken. They have deliberately made the “scrutiny by Parliament” into a very bad joke but worst of all, they refuse to even attempt to explain to us what it is about, let alone try to persuade us that it is a “good thing”.

I’m against the EU because it is undemocratic and contagiously corrupt, it sullies all who come into contact with it. I personally feel that its democratic deficit will result in another European War within 10-20 years and I would like us out. However, properly put in a Referendum with equal funding both for and against, I would accept the result even if it went against me because that is what democracy is about whereas “listening” to us, is no longer what our Parliament does so, 2010 is a Time for Change.