Sunday 9 May 2010

Rural Life: The political side: 2


Dear Local MP

I wish to congratulate you on remaining our elected MP. I happily voted for you. And for your Party. Not least because I've never found myself represented by a visible and hard working constituency MP before.

I've even seen you in the flesh. On that demonstration walk to protest closure of our village Post Office?


Which closed all the same, didn't it... and the shop that contained it.


So I wish to make it very clear that I am non-plussed and alarmed to find that I have helped elect a Party that is about to ally itself with the very Party that I did not want in power.

I was appalled at the quick declaration of Your Leader, that your Party would negotiate with The Smooth-Faced Jolly Party to give them government.
Of course, he had said this before election day (a pointer which I stupidly ignored), and he said it again on result day. Before your own good self had been confirmed winner of this seat, in fact. So quick was he to get in there.

What was his phrase? The party with the "moral right" to form a government?
This would be despite the "constitutional right" of The Prime Minister to try to form a government in circumstances where there is no clear majority Party?

Personally, my hackles rise and I start sniffing the wind when too many people start going on about the "moral right" as a standard for public governance and action. I regard "morals" as a personal issue. Now "ethics" .... that's another matter altogether. But government isn't all that interested in "ethics", is it? I mean, sadly, they do not appear to have been a sine qua non for political life. Have they?

More to the point. I feel as if my vote has been hi-jacked. I am not a Smooth-Faced Jolly Party supporter. If I were - I would have voted for them. I voted for your Party's policies not Smooth-Faced Jolly Party's ones.

I urge you and the other MPs of your Party to keep open dialogue with the current party of government; and to make every effort to work with the Parliamentary party that I thought to be closer to yours on issues such as electoral reform, Europe, and immigration; and which is ultimately - more experienced than the Smooth-Faced Jolly Party.

If this alliance does go ahead - I will, in future, vote with my heart, regardless of the qualities of the sitting MP (yourself) and sadly accepting the likelihood that my vote will never result in a representative of my choice. (Because you don't really think that the Smooth-Faced Jolly Party will give you electoral Reform do you?)

Just a minute. What's that sound?
Ah yes - the baying of hounds getting ready for the return of hunting.... the sound of badgers being wiped out ... the bells ringing for the compulsory attendance of church .... the closing of the frontiers ... the rustle of bank notes .... and the hidden washing of dirty laundry.
Plus ca change ....

Yours with concern,
Grey Doll

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