LGBTQ* in UKIP banned from Pride... Hmm...

UKIP's LGBT grouping has been banned from marching in Pride. I was wondering who else we might ban? Catholic gay groups? Labour Brownites (he was after all against same-sex marriage until it became cool)? I wonder if we might ban anyone who ever held an opinion that "progressive" lefties dislike? We might get one or two floats and a smattering of feminist queers for Pride if we adopted that policy though...

Sigh.

Misunderstanding Labour's Position On Marriage Equality

Last night there was a lot of confusion over Labour's position on marriage equality caused by a recent article by Peter Tatchell entitled "Why has Labour failed to vote for marriage equality?" 


This caused many on Twitter to assume Labour had voted against marriage equality. Now, as much as I dislike Labour and fear their conservative instincts on many issues, I can't see how anyone could imagine a situation where they would vote against such an obviously progressive measure. 


Of course they've been against marriage equality in the very recent past. Gordon Brown answered a question on this here:

In response to Downing St online petitions to introduce same-sex marriage, it was stated that the "government has no plans to introduce same-sex marriage", because it has to "balance the right to live free from prejudice and discrimination with the right to freedom of speech and religion". In what ways does same-sex marriage affect freedom of speech and religion? Andrew Archer

"At the moment there’s a distinction drawn between civil and religious unions, and when civil partnerships were being introduced they took the same form as a civil union which a heterosexual couple would have. We later made it illegal to discriminate on partnership status – so it is illegal to treat someone in a civil partnership different to a married person. That makes no practical difference in terms of rights and responsibilities, but does recognise that religious groups have the right to a certain degree of self-organisation on questions that are theologically important to them, including on the question of religiously-sanctioned marriage. So the provision of ‘marriage’ as opposed to the provision of same-sex or heterosexual civil unions, is intimately bound up with questions of religious freedom."

And Chris Bryant made his opinions on this very plain during the civil partnership debates: 

I do not want same-sex relationships to ape marriage in any sense—several people have used the offensive phrase—because they are different. Although the two share similar elements, they do not have to be identical, so the legal provisions should be distinct.

So there is a reason to be cautious over their approach but since the rather slow progress we made with Labour during the leadership elections last year it's become far more common to hear Labour politicians supporting marriage equality (well civil marriage at least). At last night's Stonewall fringe event at the Labour conference, Yvette Cooper also reiterated her support for marriage equality.

Given how undemocratic Labour's internal workings are, this is probably as close to policy as we're likely to get this side of an election manifesto. And we should be pleased Labour has managed to make this progress.

So no... Labour no longer vote against marriage equality. My only concern is remarks such as Cooper made last night suggesting she'd always fought for marriage equality, a statement I've yet to see backed up by any evidence whatsoever. It's great you're supporting it now, but please do not attempt to rewrite history just to cover-up Labour's complete lack of leadership on this subject.

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Tough Times Behind And Ahead Of Us

Well. That wasn't pretty. I settled down in the pub last night and, stupidly, had allowed Cleggmania to go to my head. I wasn't expecting too much, a slight rise in seats. But what we got... well it was a bloodbath really. Oh sure, we're still better off than in 2001. No doubt about it. But we lost some very good MPs, especially Dr Evan Harris. But, BUT, we still gained an extra percentage point in terms of share of the vote which again highlights the ludicrous nature of our electoral system.

Now our party leadership faces a choice...

1) allow a Tory minority Government which will limp on for a few months before another election.
2) prop up a Labour Government i) with Gordon Brown ii) without
3) prop up a Tory Government i) in coalition 2) on supply basis.

None of these choices appeals to me. In fact all would make me unhappy. Which sort of helps me make up my mind in how I will argue away my concerns about what the leadership decides; I'll accept anything the leadership decides and give support to it. Not that that changes much, being a lay member with no power whatsoever, but I've seen the anger brewing between different groups of party members already, and feel I don't wish to become one of those people. We have a chance to push for something this country desperately needs: electoral reform. I trust the leadership of our party will pursue which ever of the offers we receive gives us the greatest chance of this.

That is what is important. That is what matters now. This is what we should be pursuing. I'm putting aside great misgivings about both the Labour and *shudder* the Tory parties because I understand that now is not the time for self interest but for what is in the best interests of this country.

Let's get behind Nick Clegg and the federal executive and support their decision. Whatever that turns out to be. And may God have mercy on our souls...

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The Party Political Broadcast Rundown!!

Most of these are the 2nd broadcasts...

The Lib Dems second Party Political Broadcast was... topical; all about the expenses scandal and loss of public trust in Parliament. Honest, straight forward, direct. Nick Clegg keeps it interesting even though it is a little bland.



The Labour parties 2nd one is still is all about Labour's achievements and the Governments attempts to fight the "international recession". They even have a hidden dig at the old Tory Government. Come on guys! It's been 12 years!!! Same Old New Labour.



The Tories 2nd one was edited in a similar way to one of those annoying Channel 4 adverts which means you learn allsorts of things at speed but end up thinking "sod it, this looks like a vehicle for some over rated celebrity". Which, basically this advert was. It was all about David Cameron. There was some policy talk but really no centre. It was all over the place. Lots of money thrown at this, and lots of marketing nuance but no heart.



UKIP's is STUPID. It's designed a bit like one of those poorly funded educational programmes from the early nineties and believes the UK on it's own would be able to compete with China, India or Brazil. Dear UKIP, stop lying. If you want us to be free of the EU, great for you. But if you think we will be able to compete in the future with countries over 10 times bigger than us, then you are... insane. They want a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, Lib Dems want a referendum on Europe. Hmm.. who should the Eurosceptics vote for?? Silly advert doesn't even make sense.



Fucking hell. It's the BNP. And they are pretending to be the inheritors of the heroes of WWII. They believe we fought WWII to defend our British values and "Christian way of life". No. We did it to protect our own ARSES from doom after we'd spent our time appeasing a racist dictator. The Nazi plan was not to create a European super state. It was to gain Lebensraum for the German people. I'm fairly sure they did not plan to create some sort of love in with Western Europe but create puppet states and vassals. They planned for a racist German super state free of the elements the Nazi's despised. Not quite unlike the BNPs policies. Also production values are on a par with my Media Studles GCSE coursework i.e. RUBBISH.



Jury Teams advert seemed to suggest they were all just very nice people. With no policies, except being nice.



What about us? Is the English Democrats cry. WHAT ABOUT ME?? They are the selfish brats of the political parties of Britain. Like a sister looking at her other sisters plates and thinking they all got bigger portions and it's obviously a conspiracy on the part of their mother. Now I don't want to say they are like the BNP. That would be unfair. But this is for the voter who thinks the BNP are great but hates all the nasty racist, homophobic bullshit. For the tolerant, selfish voter.



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Time For A Revolution?

Maybe it's just me but the Prime Minister's suggestion of creating a new, independent entity to review MPs expenses in future is just plan rubbish.

I don't think an unelected and unaccountable group of over zealous managerial types is what we really need. We need a complete, system wide change of checks and balances within Parliament not more structure and expense on top.

It's time we started thinking about the big questions: do we need a written constitution to enshrine the rights and duties of Parliament and MPs forever more, rather than allowing them to change things on a whim? Do we need a new method of voting that allows a more diverse Parliament so that the big three parties don't make secret gentlemen's agreements behind closed doors with little scrutiny? Do we want an elected upper house whose task it is to keep an eye on the other one?

It's time for sweeping change, not more bureaucracy and more expense.

That's my opinion anyway.

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What Has New Labour Ever Done For Us?

Undoubtedly, the 1997 election of New Labour into Government was welcomed throughout the country. The Tories has simply outstayed their welcome and although they'd started to fix their mistakes the problems of the early nineties still loomed large in public perceptions. And New Labour has done much to make this country better (although these achievements escape me right now). But as someone who, despite being a Lib Dem, has supported much of the New Labour Governments I feel totally disappointed with the last 12 years.

1. The reform of the House of Lords. What was the point of getting rid of the hereditary peers without completing the reform? It has created a weak, Government padded chamber unable to perform the function of reviewing legislation nor act as a check on executive power. Half hearted, lukewarm and unfinished initiatives seem to be the hallmark of the New Labour movement.

2. Devolution. A very "British solution". i.e. it's a total hodge podge of a compromise. I understand the urge for devolution. But what has happened is a confusing and unstable restructuring of the very fabric of our Union. Rather than seeking a sensible solution of referendums for the entire country (shocking) and then implementing a quasi-federal structure, New Labour have just bolted on extra bits of complication to our messy unwritten constitution. It's upset a great number of people across the country and really leaves no one happy. The nationalists want more, the unionists want less and the English just want something. Personally I believe the way they have handled the implementation of devolution has created the basis for the collapse of our country. Sad but true.

3. Gay rights. Wow I thought as Labour took a hatchet to the unequal age of consent and Section 28; here's a Government that truly believes in equality for the LGBT community. How wrong I was. Yet another hodge podge occurred with the introduction of Civil Partnerships.

i) Civil Partnerships have created an apartheid on marriage rights. Separate but equal. Again this doesn't please the religious crazies the Government was trying to appease and it leaves the LGBT community with different rights to their straight friends and family.
ii) By creating this situation they have pretty much made the likelihood of the introduction of gay marriage any time in the future (and I'm talking long term) nil. Plus that introduction will be complicated by the pre existence of civil partners whose status will make it very difficult to bring in gay marriage without voiding or damaging their new found rights. It would have been better if they'd just left well alone and allowed a Government with more balls the chance to implement a more equal institution.
iii) A deeply Catholic country can introduce gay marriage (Spain). An African nation can introduce gay marriage mere years after ending racial apartheid (South Africa). And a former Himalayan Hindu kingdom can begin the process of introducing it (Nepal). Yet we here in the supposedly advanced UK can't do it. What a flipping embarrassment.

4) Civil rights. The people of this country have lost more rights in the last 12 years than ever before, outside of the World Wars. Disgusting.

5) Foreign perception and diplomatic clout. Are stupid, unnecessary intervention in Iraq has damaged our reputation just as much as the Suez Crisis (which we didn't recover from until the 80s!) and, worse, took the heat off of the Afghanistan campaign allowing the Taliban to survive. Tony Blair should be unable to operate on an international level, and it is deeply concerning people still take that God bothering, war mongering idiot seriously.

I'm going to say it: Labour has been in power too long. Bring back the Tories. All is forgiven. I feel sick saying it but it has to be said. New Labour has failed.

A Silver Lining

I can trace the beginnings of my strong dislike for the Blair Government back to the date that Ruth Kelly was appointed Secretary of State for Education and Skills. I@ve never liked her, and was gobsmacked when this devout Catholic was then put in charge of Equality!!

Thank God she has made the decision to step down. Perhaps now Gordon Brown might ensure a few less fundies in his Cabinet at the next reshuffle.

Political Earthquake?

I awoke this morning to news that the Scottish Nationalist Party had beaten expectations and took a "safe" seat from Labour in Glasgow.

As a liberal unionist, there is no result I would have liked other than a Liberal Democrat victory. But I still would have preferred a Labour victory over the SNP. As they say the opposition does not win elections, the Government loses them. Hopefully this is less a reaction for Scottish nationalism and more a reaction against the current UK Government.

Gordon Brown has got to go after this summer's terrible by-election carnage. I had great hopes when he took office, his dour attitude sat well in comparison to Tony Blair's faux enthusiasm and his declared Britishness won me over completely. And I don't feel like he has made any huge mistakes, however I feel he has made a far worse error: he has not done anything positive.

As his administration slowly collapses he has been paralysed and has done nothing to shore it up... this has allowed the Tories to make gains south of the border and the SNP to use their so far fairly stable Scottish Government to make gains north of it. This is unforgivable and I trust the Labour party will ensure it is led into what seems can only be a terrible election with someone fresh.

I fear the damage is too great and, with the future possibility of a UK Government led by the increasing divisive Tories and the Scottish Government led by the SNP, this countries continued existence is threatened.

Should the Union fall I, for one, would be deeply upset. To find myself living in a renewed Kingdom of Eng-er-land would be truly a terrible moment. Alas, I feel I am in the minority now... what a sad last testament it would be to the British people: sharing the same islands, but unable to live together.

Oh Happy Days! But for how much longer?

Every time I see the Tories doing badly in the polls a smile crosses my face. I just can't help it. To be honest I've got to the point that the Tories could propose introducing gay marriage (rather than the seperate but equal civil partnerships), renationalising the railways and a Bill of Rights and I'd still hate them.

The Tories have spent so many years preaching hatred and NIMBYism that I can't see my current attitude towards them ever changing. They need to dissolve the party and see what springs up to take it's place.

Anyway... I think Gordon Brown needs to be careful. With the current flooding in the country and the water crisis caused by it he needs to be seen to be acting decisively and mustn't give the tabloids a chance to show him as not doing enough to assist.

It'd only take one major scandal right now and David Cameron would be back in the race. And that man makes Tony Blair look honest. Yuck.

A New Cabinet

Gordon Brown has selected his new cabinet and you know what? I think it looks pretty good!

Ruth Kelly has been moved away from the Community portfolio which means we can all stop worrying about conflicts of interest between her religion and her equality duties. I think she'll do well at transport.

There are lots of fresh faces and I'm really hopeful that we are going to see some changes in the way the Government works over the next few weeks.