U turns

I agree Valkyrie at least we do have a choice more than lots of women in

other countries they have no say at all. I just wish our politicians would

develop better listening to the people skills!

I've always wondered why the press seem so sure that U-turns are a bad thing. Surely we want our politicians to listen to a range of views and to take them into account when making decisions. I thought the idea of a white paper was that it was a blue print for discussion (sorry, seem to have got a too many colours in there!).

Just to add to the colourful confusion, I think a green paper is the blueprint for discussion and the white paper is for voting. Perhaps it would be better if MPs and ministers in particular gave some thought to proposed legislation before broadcasting their plans to the media and then having to rethink.

Where I live in Scotland, parent-power and democracy has just stopped a train of primary school closures after seven months of arguing. Yay for democracy! Oh, and the council administration did a U-turn in effect but they will call it something else. Who cares? There are a lot of very tired but very happy parents in Scotland today.

Yes and stop knee-jerk (hate the phase but can't think of a better one at the moment) reactions

Green (they are not) and White (they are not) papers are both discussion papers, but the White papers are more advanced, and tend to ask for agreement rather than comments.

Yes "thinking" and "consulting" are both ways of practising good government, but "U turns" are only taken when neither has preceded the knee jerk reaction taken by the politician.

and there was me thinking this thread would be about driving skills!!

You mean you can actually do them ? I am in awe.....