The Poliblogs 25th September 2007

Time To Abolish Political Parties?

Over the years we've extended the right to vote to all our adult citizens in a desire to have a representative democracy, is it now time to take the final, logical step in that process and abolish political parties? Where once they were mass movements they've slowly restricted the influence of their members, driving down membership numbers to become almost wholly reliant on the donations of a few unions and millionaires.

Mayor Watch

Time for the beauty contest

Now that Gordon Brown has spoken (and spoken, and spoken), it's time for the runners and riders for the succession to sashay down the Bournemouth catwalk and show us what they can do. The PM made a slight joke of it yesteday, when he said his answer to those who asked if he would recommend the job to others was "not yet". So says he, but the rest of us are already running the political sliderule over the young thrusters vying for our attention.

Ben Brogan

Libdemologists: Insufficient Deaths, Too Much Rain

Hot on the heels of bankrupt Liverpool it seems the Lib Con alliance in Birmingham are looking for scapegoats as their budget runs riot. Just as well that the Libdemologists and Con merchants themselves who set the budget are not to blame. If so there could be a rout at the polls next May. So just who are the guilty parties? According to the Birmingham Post the buck passing Lib Cons say main culprits are:

Chris Paul: Labour of Love

Ahmedinajad - not a nice guy

Mahmoud Ahmedinajad appeared at New York's Columbia University yesterday (or was it the day before? I meant to write this blog post yesterday and have got confused - but anyway that's not the point). Some people might, and did think it was inappropriate. I'm not 100% sure I agree. I think these public appearance in a western democratic setting do wonders to highlight what an evil little bugger the Iranian president really is.

Caroline Hunt

Get ready for a short, sharp campaign

Labour 07: Gordon Brown is not a ditherer, and I predict he will announce the election very soon.

Derek Draper

Labour lead opinion polls are a load of rubbish.

I have come to the conclusion that the opinion polls that have been published over the last three months are a total and utter load of codswallop. I don't know of anyone who is not annoyed in some way or other with Gordon Brown. If you don't believe me go to the BBC News site and have a look at the Have your say section on Gordon's speech.

Daily Referendum

A step backwards

Labour 07: The big unions have fallen on their swords; from now on, party conferences can be little more than a media showcase.

Seumas Milne

Another change in Leadership

This one is in the Green Party: Shiona Baird will no longer be one of the Greens' Co-Conveners. Alison Johnstone has been nominated in her place, pending approval by the party membership. Johnstone is one of the Greens' three Councillors in Edinburgh (where she represents the delightfully named Meadows & Morningside ward), and one of eight nationwide (the other five are in Glasgow).

J. Arther MacNumpty

How difficult is it to have cleaner hospitals?

One of the Conservatives more memorable lines from 2005 has now been answered. The answer is “very” for some NHS hospitals. Today we will learn that the problem is so worrying the government willl spend more of our money on a new regulator to supervise hospital cleanliness, and on a deep clean for every NHS hospital in the land.

John Redwood

Election on November 1st?! Do me a favour!

Nick Robinson says he has it sound authority that the government will not call an election for October 25th. So, those still gullible enough to be drawn along by this "snap" election nonsense are now looking at November 1st. Do me a favour. It's not going to happen.

Liberal Burblings

Where are the new ideas (on the left)?

It would not have gone unnoticed by many that the Labour Party and the Conservatives increasingly sound the same on many issues.

Pickled Politics

Avoiding the issue?

Labour 07: Despite debating immigration, Labour seems unwilling to formulate coherent policy.

Ros Taylor