Just fuck off. Seriously.

The Coalition really are just another bunch of nanny-state wankers aren't they. I was cynical about them, but I thought we might see some small changes. But no. Now we have "nudging", because some twat has read a book and decided this is how to run a Government. So today we have this:

How much for this initiative, you may ask? 250 million pounds. £250'000'000. A drop in the ocean compared to the monumental debt mountain of a trillion (can't be arsed to write it out, it's a lot of zeroes), but still a lot of wonga.

Andrew Lansley, who is rapidly becoming the Comical Ali of the Coalition (although it actually isn't that funny), is also expected to

...announce moves to stop sales of cheap alcohol, to launch a consultation on the introduction on plain tobacco packaging, and draw up measures to encourage businesses to do more to allow women to breastfeed at work.

So, the parlous state of the UK economy will be fixed by making booze more expensive, making smoking even cooler (and these more popular) and finally making women unemployable and/or small businesses bankrupt.

A source said: “The Government's tack on public health will switch from 'nannying' under Labour to 'nudging' under the Coalition, with the idea of encouraging people to make healthy decisions on their own without lots of regulation and pressure from Whitehall.

So, it's the same, just a slightly different and arguably more pernicious method. At least Labour didn't ever really try to hide their desperation to control every part of your lives. The Coalitiamong however think people are so stupid that they can be conned into changing behaviour. They're probably right, but there is nothing remotely Conservative about this coalition, and truly nothing Libertarian, despite having an "instinctive libertarian" at its head.

Moral Vacuums

A comment on Dan Hannan's latest post triggered a thought for me, as it was perceptive but should be extended much further.

Here it is:
"Yes what exactly are Conservative MPs supposed to believe ? The answer appears to be NOTHING..."

Well yes. Having said that, what politician does seem to believe in anything other than self-interest and working out which way the wind blows? It was always like this, you might argue, but I think there are a couple of big differences which make it so much worse now.

1. Everyone has moved towards what they perceive to be the Centre. Blair started this by detoxing Old Labour, and CMD has jumped on the bandwagon. Tribalism used to mean supporting your party's policies in the face of any evidence to the contrary. Now it means supporting the colour of your party's rosette, while ultimately doing the same thing as everyone else.

2. The death of quality journalism. Journalists used to hold politicians to account. Now they just vomit up whatever press release their MP chums have sent them, while whining about how crap bloggers are. The BBC has a lot to answer for here, I came across this nugget this morning:

In 2007, a BBC Trust report called Safeguarding Impartiality in the 21st Century said: “Climate change is another subject where dissenters can be unpopular … The BBC has held a high-level seminar with some of the best scientific experts, and has come to the view that the weight of evidence no longer justifies equal space being given to the opponents of the consensus. But these dissenters (or even sceptics) will still be heard, as they should, because it is not the BBC’s role to close down this debate.”

Words fail me.

3. Science and the reporting of science following journalism down the toilet. Here's a great example. This article suggests cancer is a modern invention as little trace of it can be found in ancient mummies. Nowhere does the report say something like "Of course, this could be due to the lower life expectancy of 25 to 50, since the median age of cancer diagnosis is in the 60s". I'm not saying this proves that the report's conclusions are wrong (although that is my opinion), but there is no rigour anymore, no balance. Facts are manipulated to fit theories, and to chase money.

Which brings me to the end. No-one seems to believe in integrity, fairness or balance. Politics (including the quango and EU farces), science and journalism have become a chase for funding at all costs. It's exactly the same in the US, anyone who has any interest in where we're headed should listen to Dan Carlin's Common Sense podcasts. This is exactly how I feel about UK politics, just change the names.

Mixed Feelings

A strange day today. Part of me feels very excited about the whole thing - I can sort of see the merits of a Libservative coalition, and I must concede parts of the manifesto are appealing. It would seem the Lib Dems are relatively keen on repealing some of the damage done to civil liberties in the last few years, while the Tories seem to have kept in place their ideas on schools reform, and knocked on the head the silly idea of losing Trident and thus our sway with the UN. No arguments with the 10k personal tax allowance either, and I believe ID cards will die a quick and painless death. So part of me understands where Charlotte Gore is coming from here.

However, part of me also knows where Herr Clown is coming from here (and he's not the only one).

I believed before the election that all three parties are fundamentally pretty much the same. I do not believe that this coalition will make any meaningful efforts to reduce the role of Government in day-to-day life, which is a huge problem for me. The Tories are apparently pleased to have kept their "£6bn cuts this financial year and a reversal of some planned rises in national insurance contributions" (from this article). Well, pardon me for not getting too excited, but last time I checked, the National Debt was £912,123,669,658, but that was 3 seconds ago so it is probably a few grand higher.

This debt is the defining issue of the next 5 years. As AngryTeen said, and he should know since he is a yoof, "their bailouts will leave me with an unbelievable debt to pay". His generation will be saddled with a humongous debt burden to pay. Christ, if we're not careful, my two sons, whose combined age is 19 months, will be saddled with this debt. It needs sorting, and until I see some honest figures and a plan of action, my joy at Brown's departure is heavily tempered by the concern that not very much will change.

I am stoked about Brown going though, I can't deny it. Time for a new tag I think...See Ya!

A tiny sliver of joy

Seems Brown is finally packing his bags. Believe it when I the locks are changed, but my word, it is nice to have something positive out of the shite of the last few days. Still not convinced much will change, but at least the scorched earth policy Brown seems to have operated, either intentionally or by accident, may be reduced.

Cameron, your time is now. Step up and prove us all wrong. Prove you have the stones to slash public spending. Prove you really will tear up the quangos. Prove there is some spine lurking there somewhere.

"The guy can't even resign properly"

Unbelievable. Being as I am fairly busy in the evenings with a new baby, I didn't have the chance to watch or read any news last night. I did see something about Brown resigning that warmed my heart, but it was all too hectic to I thought I'd read it at my leisure at work.

So here I am. First warning sign is the pound below 1.48 against the USD. What's going on, I wondered? And then I opened my Google Reader. Fuck me, what a shitstorm this is! The egregiously unpleasant, power-obsessed fabian turd has actually managed to do the worst possible thing for the country, with a bizarre half resignation. And the frigging spineless, unfit for purpose Lib Dims are seriously getting into bed with Labour?

I said this a couple of days ago, and I'll say it again. What exactly do these fuckers have to do in order to stop people voting for them and working with them? Do Labour actually not only need to shit on the carpet of every voter in the country, but also the carpet of every single Lib Dim MP as well, just to make doubly sure that people get it?

I'm actually slightly despondent this morning about it all. I thought the result might be the death of British politics, but I was wrong. This is. The political classes are so out of touch with anything that, while the country's economy is melting down under a colossal debt mountain, they are stamping their feet about reforming the electoral system. It's just awful.

As the Clown said:

Watch the markets. This isn't going to be ugly.

This is going to be Greek.

We will be cap in hand to the IMF, it'll be the late 70s all over again, before we see the back of Brown. Every politician (and I do mean every single one), every Labour voter, every pathetic journalist incapable of doing any work, understanding economics or searching out the truth, hang your head in shame. The UK is going down the toilet, and it is your fault.

What he said

Mr. Eugenides has it right

Put us out of our misery Cleggeron, please.

The public wants what the public gets

Apologies in advance for swearing and general rage, not impressed.

What a monumental failure on the part of everyone, and I do mean everyone. Let's look at the list of failures shall we:

1. The British Public. 235 Labour seats at the last count. Ed Balls still has his seat. Ed fucking Balls. Hazel Christing Blears as well. What do these people have to do, actually come round to each voter's house and shit on their carpet before these pig-ignorant tools decide to vote for someone else? Seriously, you idiots in those constituencies, enjoy these devil children looking after your area. And by the way, if Labour somehow wangle their way into a minority coalition, enjoy that too. That's on you. When they destroy the country and the UK goes begging to the IMF, remember that you voted for that.

2. CMD. I know that Labour have gerrymandered the boundaries, bought a load of votes with benefits etc. but seriously. You couldn't beat Gordon Brown? You useless, spineless jellyfish.

3. Cleggmania and the Lib Dems. Don't, don't, don't, don't believe the hype.

4. The BBC. If there is one area of sympathy I have for the Tories, it's this. When the major state broadcaster turns against you for 20 years, and when many people believe that this broadcaster is impartial, it's hard to come back from that. So BBC, you can have a piece of this as well. I hope whoever does get in takes your licence fee away so all your Guardianista idiots can try the real world for a change.

5. I could go on and on, but I won't. Enough bile for a Friday.

Notice who I have left off the list? Labour and Brown. Gotta say credit to them, they really didn't underestimate the public. Hey fuckhead, I just spent 13 years ruining your country and saddling you and your children with ludicrous amounts of debt. Hey look, a squirrel. What was I saying? Oh nothing, just Vote Labour, here's a lollipop made of shit. Yeah, you like that, don't you. That's right you do.

Sorry Charlotte, I really do agree with everything you said here, but sometimes it's just too much.

The Death of Politics

That debate was an absolute disgrace. If this is the intellectual capacity of the three men who will be charged, either jointly or individually, with leading the UK out of economic crisis, then you may as well tow it out to the middle of the Atlantic and sink it.

I turned it off after half an hour, because not one of them has a grasp of even basic Economics, and not one of them can suppress the populism coursing through his veins like fire. Brown YET AGAIN gets away with this ludicrous statement about the Tories taking 6bn out of the economy. Why? Because CMD doesn't understand how to counter the argument. I have gone through this before and won't waste time repeating myself.

Not one of them can answer a question properly. Not one of them can debate properly. Nick Clegg's pathetic re-use of his "I didn't hear your name. is it? Well , you're absolutely right" goes unpunished. Brown just appears to have no idea what he is being asked, so utterly indoctrinated in his own nonsense is he. CMD is just so utterly weak and feeble when faced with frankly terrible opposition, that he is actually going to balls this election up, and if he does win it will be despite his myriad failings not because of his leadership.

So what next? I have no idea, but it's pretty bleak. They can talk all they like about restarting the manufacturing industry, but this isn't a planned economy and they don't work anyway. They can talk about getting the Banks to lend again, but if you tax them AND regulate them at the same time that won't work. Cutting benefits is a step in the right direction I suppose, but it won't be enough as long as there is this obsession with frontline services and a refusal to consider reducing foreign aid.

Thursday 6th May will be remembered as a terrible day for the UK, no matter what happens. It will be the day politics finally came off life support, and couldn't breathe on its own.

Cameron misses the point

In an interview with the Times today, CMD misses the point horribly with the following statement:
"We need to win a whole series of arguments about the problems of a hung Parliament".

Wrong.

You need to win the election by explaining to people why they should vote for the Conservatives.
You need to win a whole series of arguments about why the Conservatives should lead this country.
You need to win a whole series of arguments about why we can expect anything different from you.
You need to appeal to people who are thinking "stuff this, I'll vote BNP/UKIP/LPUK/Green/Monster Raving 'cos the big three all look the same to me"*.

The argument can't just be "vote for me, otherwise we'll have a hung parliament and that's no good."

The lack of ambition is palpable, and a huge disappointment.

*Not lumping together or dismissing these parties, or commenting on them per se. Just illustrating my point that a lot of disillusioned people may well vote elsewhere than the big three not because they want a Hung Parliament, but because they want something else. This is the point that escapes Cameron (and the other two).

Great Debate

Pretty tedious really, found it so hard to concentrate. Agree with Dizzy though, Clegg came over really well and looked worryingly like a leader. Brown was actually not as car-crash like as I might have expected. His first answer was mystifying but after that he warmed up, tough for the incumbent even if he is an idiot. Repeated himself too much though.

The big failure was Cameron. The Tories are so bloody terrified of putting people off, they shy away from every single opportunity. When Brown was banging on about taking 6bn out of the economy, over and over again, Cameron had a golden opportunity to explain that no, the money wouldn't leave the economy, it would leave the Government's coffers. As any fule no, privately spent money is usually better used than public spending, so the 6bn would probably be used better. Instead he hemmed and hawed and didn't really get anywhere.

CMD will need to step it up for the next one, because if he doesn't own these debates, then hung parliament all the way, and with Brown's "Nick and I agree..." parroting in evidence, that is something to be scared of.

Had a funny thought

I had a strange half-awake dream this morning. It's the Cameroid, about 3 days before the election coming out and basically saying:

"Labour keep nicking our policies, or lying to undermine them, so we've kept these beauties under major secrecy until the last moment", then laying out a proper badass manifesto involving an EU referendum, savage spending cuts, a proper quango bonfire that doesn't involve another quango to manage, a single tax rate and various other bits that I can't remember because I was half asleep. Naturally he went on to win by a massive landslide, as about 20% of the country who weren't planning to vote said "sod it, I think I will".

I know it won't happen, but I can't think for the life of me why not. He could crush NuLab this way, they just would not have time to respond at all.

Oink

This does not bode well at all. It must be heartbreaking for Brown to be so torn between his desire to bugger up the UK economy and his desire to pretend to be electable and therefore not completely and overtly pro-Europe.

A golden opportunity to really fuck the Tories over here, deftly committing to a horrific and ever-expanding PIGS bailout, calling a snap election and losing it. Call me Dave knows he couldn't renege, he'd never become the President of the European Council that way.

The Press Conference announcing the continuing horror is at 1545 GMT, watch and shudder as Van Rumpy goes for the power grab.