It's been a while since I blogged on anything political, so what follows are some brief thoughts on a few different recent topics.
Firstly, A National Conversation - I haven't really had a chance to read too much detail, but I did find that the pre-emptive rejection by the other three parties before the details were published was maybe a bit of a mistake. I also find it curious that the SNP favour further devolution as a step towards independance, whilst the other three favour further devolution in order to strengthen the union. It surely can't do both. Of course, this is Mr Salmond's bait to draw the others into the debate - so far no biters. Personally, I think in the short term it would probably satisfy the hunger for greater independance, but in the long term would lead to a greater nationalist feeling.
In the immediate future, there seemd little prospect of a referendum in Scotland being agreed by Holyrood, let alone getting the necessary legislation through Westminster.
Of course, Mr Salmond is a smart enough operator to realise that nationalist feeling is also swayed by feelings within Scotland towards the Westminster government and he exploited the anti-Blair sentiment well at the elections. So, the middle of the Brown-bounce with recent polls showing the majority of Scots feel Brown is a better leader than Salmond is not the right time to be pushing things further.
Which takes us south of the border and you can tell the Conservatives are in trouble when their leader starts to talk about taking a harder line on immigration - one of the customary knee-jerk reactions of ailing tory leaders (see Hague, Duncan-Smith, Howard, etc...). It hasn't worked in the past and won't now.
As to other Tory proposals to make struggling children resit the last year of primary school. OK, this wouldn't apply in Scotland anyway, but somebody should point out that the main effect of this, other than the stigma, would be that far more of these children would be able to leave school before taking GCSEs or equivalent. As it is safe to assume that, having been kept back a year, most would not have a positive experience of education, we can also assume that most would leave, which would be a huge own-goal.
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5 comments:
Re David Cameron's rightward movement, I think I heard reference made on the news to William Hague publicly advising him strongly against it in the terms, "Don't do a Hague!" Always refreshing when people are prepared not to take themselves too seriously, especially politicians for whom it must be difficult not to be constantly on the defensive.
Here's my idea for a policy (though I'm sure it'll have been suggested elsewhere). Raise the retirement age for both men and women to 70; use the extra revenue generated to improve health and social care for older people and to support their carers.
BTW it's a good thing I'm not running the country. If I were, now let me see... :o)
a) A great deal of investment would be ploughed into developing a safe, reliably reversible vasectomy operation for all newborn males - and all other males besides unless they successfully apply for a reproduction licence. This would of course necessitate a new and enormous public sector industry, but the money saved overall would be incalculable.
b) Deport all criminals to Australia or the Carolinas. Or maybe China.
c) Fit medically innocuous internal electric devices to members of gangs, programmed to deliver a trouser-soiling electric shock should members of a gang come within 20 metres of each other or a vulnerable pensioner.
d) Bring back the stocks!
Adam,
I never have you pegged for such a reactionary. I can only concur with you - its a good job you're not running the country!
But thanks for the comment anyway.
Tony.
Haha, well one could hardly call proposal (a) reactionary. Much more Brave New World methinks.
Here's some genuine reactionary polemic though: in spite of Government's bleating to the contrary, standards really have slipped. When I tutored first and second year psych students at the university, most of whom will have had to get straight A's to get on the course, I was amazed not just at the gross inadequacy of the spelling and grammar of many but, moreover, at the almost ubiquitous inability to construct simple sentences that actually made sense. And when I say straight A's, I mean predominantly in arts/humanities subjects where essays are de rigeur. My medic coursemates - most of whom took sciences at A-level - tend to be slightly better, but still very far from satisfactory. The solution? Bring back Shakespeare, borstal, the cane and Jackanory! (sp?)
And matron, of course.
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