Gransnet forums

News & politics

Sir Sadiq Khan! For services to what, exactly?

(106 Posts)
Sarnia Tue 31-Dec-24 07:16:50

The New Year's Honour's List has Sadiq Khan being given a knighthood. I am sure that will sit well with the families of children killed as a result of London knife crime, spiralling on his watch.
Stephen Fry and Gareth Southgate also receive knighthoods.
There are some awards for the Post Office campaigners too and these are the people I like to see recognised although I wouldn't be upset to see the Honour's Lists being abolished altogether.

Casdon Sat 04-Jan-25 15:29:31

The majority haven’t voted for any government since the 1950s in the UK. Unless you’re an advocate of coalition governments and think that’s the route we should take, you have to suck it up when your preferred party isn’t in power. Even with a coalition government some people are disaffected.

Rosie51 Sat 04-Jan-25 15:33:00

Casdon

By that argument Rosie51, Boris Johnson wasn’t popular in his second term either, as the turnout was below 40% then too. Is that really what you mean? The only measure of popularity that means anything in the British democratic system is who wins the seat.

I don't recall claiming Johnson was popular, he certainly wasn't in my house. I stated that Khan was fairly elected using the system we have in place but by any metric to claim that most Londoners agree he's a good mayor just isn't true is it? Did most of the country agree the Conservatives were great when they were re-elected to span 14 years in government? I'd say no, but perhaps you'll want to say yes.

Casdon Sat 04-Jan-25 15:37:04

But I didn’t say you did say Johnson was popular Rosie51, I said it didn’t apply to him either? The truth is, we have no idea what ‘most Londoners’ think, neither you nor I, nor do we know what ‘most people’ really think about any government. We only know who people voted for, that’s all that counts in our system.

Rosie51 Sat 04-Jan-25 15:49:43

Casdon

But I didn’t say you did say Johnson was popular Rosie51, I said it didn’t apply to him either? The truth is, we have no idea what ‘most Londoners’ think, neither you nor I, nor do we know what ‘most people’ really think about any government. We only know who people voted for, that’s all that counts in our system.

In which case I wasn't wrong to challenge KateW19's assertion that most Londoners agree Khan is an excellent mayor was I?

For the record I do object to the fact that we're normally governed by a party who are supported by a minority of the country, whichever party that is. Other countries seem to manage without our ridiculous first past the post minority governments.

Casdon Sat 04-Jan-25 16:07:44

You were neither wrong nor right to challenge the assertion, because nobody knows if what KateW19 said was true or not.

I think we all have views on whether first past the post is the best system. We’ve got proportional representation for some of the MS in Wales, and I dislike that system too because regional representatives rather than local MS doesn’t work for local communities. There are no simple answers, look at the current issues in France and Germany due to PR returning coalition governments.