Saturday 10 September 2011

Ukip & an English Parliament

In his speech, posted here earlier today, Nigel Farage announced a policy change that meant his party now supports the creation of an English Parliament. Whilst details at the time of writing are sparse, it would appear from the party's website that this would involve the creation of a First Minister and executive which would be responsible for domestic legislation such as education, health, the environment and transport. 

I have for some time complained about Ukip's lack of ability in the areas of administration and presentation; and the announcement above illustrates that point admirably. If a party is to announce a new policy - and presumably one that has not been decided on the spur of the moment - might it not be a good idea if the details of that policy were immediately available on their website? Unfortunately, the policy for the constitution of the United Kingdom has yet to be amended, as can be seen.

In view of the fact the present policy complains that:
"Bureaucracy overrules democracy at every level, from Brussels to Whitehall to the town hall."
perhaps someone can explain the logic of creating yet more politicians and more bureaucrats? Does the club not already contain far too many self-opinionated and self-centred members? If, as Nigel Farage maintains, Ukip is a Libertarian party then surely they are in favour of small government - not increasing the existing large one?

Just asking, you understand.......................

5 comments:

John Page said...

Would that Conservative backbencher's proposal not be cheaper?

But then maybe that was discussed in the wide party consultation which the democratic Mr Farage doubtless undertook.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

JP: No doubt it was discussed at the NE meeting he mentioned, problem is when you're talking to a collection of nodding dummies..........

TomTom said...

Politics is funny in Britain - it is either Establishment by hereditament or Mass protest movement with little in between.

The whole nature of opposition to Establishment from Wat Tyler onwards was The Mob. The Chartists were violent in the North, often Irish textile workers coming over to escape famine.

The Labour Party, a product of trades union nurturing after Taff Vale and the Manningham Mills Strike in Bradford.

Carson's UVF in Ulster - a million men ready to fight for the Union, but died on The Somme instead.

The success of the Student Protests lay in organisation by dissemination (Text/Message) and no central coordination. No leader. The TUC failed to mobilise because it is too cumbersome and bureaucratic.

The Communists failed in Britain because they could not effect mass action and so infiltrated Labour and killed it off as a mass party.

The party system is now a self-renewing group of like-minded university graduates who have/or are sleeping with each other and are totally cut off from mass action politics. They are cadres.

TomTom said...

That is why UKIP cannot break through: it is Farage, or it is unreported. It still relies upon Corporate Mass Media outlets to present a former Tory MP addressing former Tories.

Richard North speaks of "Movements" being outside party; but that is exactly how Mussolini and later Hitler described their organisations, though Hitler was more expressive of "party" since he had infiltrated an existing party, whereas Mussolini, former comrade of Lenin created a Movement.

You cannot build a Mass Movement around former Tories and expect it to be National. It needs dynamism from youth and that means Diversity in Unity as a European Slogan - that people should be engaged with people in Europe but Government should not interfere or direct or control or usurp private clubs, groups, teams to some overarching goal.

A Europe with cheap transport and freedom to move around is NOT what we have; we have overpriced transport and obstacles created by Governments and the EU Superstate.

No organisation in Britain today is professional at agitating and instilling enthusiasm for challenging the status quo - maybe it is a British failing and a depressive sense of inertia.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

TT Totally agree with the last paragraph of the first part of your comment about cadres.

The 3rd/5th paragraphs of the second part of your comment are also true and again I agree.

I still think that the system of politics needs changing and I am in the process of producing the last two papers in my constitution series - they will appear in the next few days.