Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Unelected

Regular readers will have noticed that I am rather anti our PM, Gordon Brown. There is nothing personal in this. Indeed, I would love him to pop round for a chat one night. We could get in a parmo* and a couple of beers if he liked. Play on the Wii; that sort of thing.
My problem with Mr Brown is that he is unelected. I know the apparatchiks of New Labour want him in power but, in a democracy, that is really not the point. The people of this country should want him in power and we do that through a General Election. He will never have any real power or credibility unless/until he is actually elected PM.
The same goes for Mandelson. Just wheeling this old crony in from the Lords to get us out of this recession doesn't wash. We are a democracy, damn it! The Lords are there to keep an eye on the Commons and take dodgy payments to make laws. They are NOT there to be in executive positions. I had the same reservations about Lord Carrington in Thatcher's time.
Perhaps I have it all wrong. Perhaps we are not living in a democracy.

*A Middlesbrough delicacy. Think Pizza, but replace the doughy base with hammered out chicken. Excellent.

1 comment:

GC said...

I totally agree with this. If the parties elect a leader, in opposition, then fine. As long as we vote on the PM when they are in government.

But...democracy is an interesting concept.

It doesn't really mean that we decide. It means we decide who we want and then let them do what they think is right for five years. Really, it's a bit of a 'hit-and-miss' thing. Like the BBC; we pay for it but have no say whatsoever on what the money is spent on. That produces brilliance (Top Gear) and drivel (too much to mention).

Anyway, Gordon Brown...if Mandelson hadn't been caught for previous ''improprieties'' it may have been him. Imagine that.

On the other hand* Hitler was elected wasn't he? Churchill wasn't as I remember?**

Democracy...an interesting concept.

*As all great economists say. And me.
**Speaking metaphorically as opposed to personally. I wasn't there.