Liz Truss to hold a news conference at 2pm as speculation builds about another budget U turn.

PR electoral systems do allow the likes of Neil Hamilton and other oddballs to be elected but that allows people to see them for what they are.

Farage tried and failed seven times to become an MP and became more influential in the process. As the EU used PR he did become an MEP and he and his fellow Brexit MEPs behaved disgracefully. If they had been in our parliament they would soon have been voted out but the EU parliament never got much publicity in the UK.

Interesting twitter thread from Dr Julia Grace Patterson about not trusting Hunt.

twitter.com/JujuliaGrace/status/1581166623724929024

volver

I'm not sure how it would be described Casdon. I think it's a good balance between having somebody local and a system of trying to ensure the number of seats corresponds to the percentage of votes cast for each party, country wide. It seems quite effective.

Yes, that sounds the same as in Wales. The main issue seems to be that the regional seat holders are not accountable to the electorate in the same way that local members are, they cover large geographical areas, and therefore the smaller their party the further removed they are from the issues on the ground. We were bitten in mid Wales because we ended up with the infamous Neil Hamilton representing UKIP in the regional seat for our area, and he was a disruptive nightmare.

MaizieD I think that PR will be put on the back burner shall we say, if Labour win decisively at the next general election.
Neither Labour or the Conservatives really want to power share unless they see no other way out.

I agree with your summary Maisie but would suggest they will not bring it to the fore before the election or, if they do, they will play it down - simply because of the Daily Mail and its pals.

I still like the idea of a pact to get the agreed policies through quickly and smoothly in the first two years so they can get things on an even keel. I would have thought PR might be in that and I certainly hope the party members, Labour and Liberal, would put pressure on MPs to get it through.

If they get a big majority, it could well be more difficult to do that. To be honest, none of us can guess what will have happened by then. Heaven help us if we go back into a deep austerity again. First step: Truss should go before Wednesday. After that we will see.

I'm not sure how it would be described Casdon. I think it's a good balance between having somebody local and a system of trying to ensure the number of seats corresponds to the percentage of votes cast for each party, country wide. It seems quite effective.

volver

We have PR in Scotland. Just sayin'.

Isn’t it partial PR in Scotland like it is in Wales volver? We have constituency MS, appointed through first past the post, and then a regional PR system for the remaining seats. It has its pros and cons.

Am sure the next government will be a Labour one, then the only dissenting voices who demand PR will be from Lib Dems

As the Labour party Conference voted for the introduction of PR I think that there would be dissenting voices from Labour members as well. Even though FPTP may give Labour a majority at the next election I think the pressure from the membership will be there to introduce a more democratic and consensual system of voting.. We can't have a repeat of the last few years.

We have PR in Scotland. Just sayin'.

Hardly a well made point, more a repetitive point I think, from a Lib Dem supporter who sees PR as the only hope for that political party to ever have a say in government policies.
It is a forlorn hope too.
The UK has had the system it has for a very long time, we vote in each constituency for a particular candidate, we are all free to use this vote, but many cannot be bothered to vote so their views must be discounted.
If so many people had faith in their Lib Dem candidate then they could easily vote for him/her on their ballot paper.
The truth is that there are not enough people who think the Lib Dems are much good.
Am sure the next government will be a Labour one, then the only dissenting voices who demand PR will be from Lib Dems.

Varian, your point that most voters didn’t vote Tory is well made.

We’ve been stuck with policies, with ideological belief systems that demonise and diminish the poor. The brazen hypocrisy and rewriting of history is astonishing.

Cameron started the closure of the Sure Start Family Centres that were a central plank in Blair’s Every Child Matters policies. Cameron said they weren’t needed and that ‘families like mine take up the places’. Tell that to my northern former cotton/engineering/manufacturing town. We really needed them. Levelling up - don’t make me laugh.

We need a more representative voting system. Most of all we need rid of this morally bankrupt government

Our best hope is to do something amazing- transform the UK into a democracy.

This appalling Tory party won a stonking 80 seat majority of MPs in 2019 on the basis of a minority vote.

Let me put it another way. In the last general election most voters voted AGAINST the Tory Party.

But because we elect MPs by FPTP, and we are the only European Country to do so apart from Belarus which is a Putin Puppet state, this appalling party has been in a dictatorial position since then and could in theory continue for another two years- trashing of the UK economy and the UK international reputation. This could never have happened if the UK was a true democracy, electing our governments by proportional representation.

MayBee70

you are doomed.
Your only hope

is to move house!!!

Wyllow3

Frame it with the date on, it might be worth something one day, but in the meantime keep a good photocopy just to tease your MP when needed for questioning her judgement...

We each been doing that for years now. Alas her party can do no wrong in her eyes…( she was one of the ones in tears when Johnson left)

Frame it with the date on, it might be worth something one day, but in the meantime keep a good photocopy just to tease your MP when needed for questioning her judgement...

MayBee70

Just had a letter from our MP saying what a great job Truss and Kwarteng are doing economy wise. I think we’re going to photo copy it and return it to her saying ‘well, that didn’t go well, did it…’

... definitely an "oops" moment!

Unless your MP knows something we don't

Just had a letter from our MP saying what a great job Truss and Kwarteng are doing economy wise. I think we’re going to photo copy it and return it to her saying ‘well, that didn’t go well, did it…’

Dickens

MayBee70

I’ve just listened to her speech again. What did she mean by ‘the way we are delivering our mission’? Why call it a mission? It sounds almost evangelical.

Do you remember those 'mission statements' that were popular with some companies and organisations, back in the day (maybe still are)?

Dreamt up in the hokey, contrived world of advertising, or the result of a company 'brain-storming' session involving earnest men in suits (with the obligatory female or two)?

Her ‘the way we are delivering our mission’ sounds like she's hot-footed it straight from Tufton Street with the newest mantras zinging round her brain.

You're right - she has the evangelical zeal of the newly converted. Once an ardent Remainer, now a dedicated Brexiter. Previously a Republican, now an obsequious 'subject' bowing to the new Monarch and telling him what a pleasure it is to meet him again.

DH used to work in sales and he has reaffirmed what you have just said. It was in the 90’s….

" Liz Truss is a planet sized mass of over-confidence and ambition teetering on a pinhead of a political brain. It will all come crashing down""

Matthew Paris August 2022

Grantanow

Call that a news conference? Larry the cat could do better.

I think Larry is patiently waiting outside No 10 in the hope that someone who looks reasonably competent might sit in that seat in the conference room.

And hoping that the next round of public spending cuts and austerity won't affect his supply of 'Dreamies'.

The idea of an evangelical zealot is a good one.

Still, hopefully she will be gone soon.

Rory Stewart said she was never pro EU and only supported remain because she realised that leaving the EU would cause years of financial disruption. Uncannily insightful but quite strange considering she’s done that single-handedly with the mini budget.

MayBee70

I’ve just listened to her speech again. What did she mean by ‘the way we are delivering our mission’? Why call it a mission? It sounds almost evangelical.

Do you remember those 'mission statements' that were popular with some companies and organisations, back in the day (maybe still are)?

Dreamt up in the hokey, contrived world of advertising, or the result of a company 'brain-storming' session involving earnest men in suits (with the obligatory female or two)?

Her ‘the way we are delivering our mission’ sounds like she's hot-footed it straight from Tufton Street with the newest mantras zinging round her brain.

You're right - she has the evangelical zeal of the newly converted. Once an ardent Remainer, now a dedicated Brexiter. Previously a Republican, now an obsequious 'subject' bowing to the new Monarch and telling him what a pleasure it is to meet him again.

She’s gone. No one could make a speech like that and survive.

Call that a news conference? Larry the cat could do better.