Own Goal!
So the Prime Minister has shot herself in both feet. Several times. First was when she called a snap election that she didn't need to call - for all various papers (and even people) were saying that Theresa May was unelected (as Prime Minister) and therefore had 'no mandate' to govern.
Then, while doing well, she admitted that the party had plans to somehow tax older people - either during their lifetimes or by taxing what they'd hoped to leave to their families. Thus they alienated the very group which generally votes for them.
And third, having won the majority of seats, but not sufficient to govern outright, she formed an (unholy) alliance with the Ulster Democratic Unionist MPs. This could well be the worst mistake of all. The very existence of the alliance will put up the backs of many of the Nationalist voters in Northern Ireland. That's even before the Conservatives require the DUP MPs help to get legislation passed and the DUP ask for favours in return.
When that happens Nationalists in Ulster may well take to the streets. I'm old enough to remember The Troubles and know what that can get to look like. Hah! Just as we'd had maybe twenty or thirty years of 'peace' in Northern Ireland. Hmmm, maybe that was just armed, and re-arming, neutrality. Whatever. It doesn't look good for Northern Ireland or for Britain never mind the Conservative party.
What does look good for the country at least is that when the Conservatives want to bring in some new legislation, or amend some existing law, they'll have to really think hard about what they want to do and how they're going to say it. No more ordering all the MPs in on a Three Line Whip and passing stuff into law almost automatically. Here's hoping having a hung parliament will serve to curb the worst of their cutting excesses.
Of course, having called an election when she didn't actually need to, and having lost come out worse than before, the Conservative party may well decide that Mrs May is now a liability and sometime soon it'll be time to select a new leader. Cue another round of huffing and puffing, posturing and posing from various would-be candidates for the job.
And then the Conservative government will be back to square one, with a new Prime Minister whom various papers will scream is 'unelected' and therefore 'has no mandate' to lead the country.
Or even square minus one, as they have fewer MPs and have to rely on DUP MPs on a 'case by case' basis as they try to create new legislation.
Been there, done that. Bored by it all.
And that's without thinking about the Brexit negotiations, which are supposed to start the week after next.
Mrs May said, when she called the election, it was so that she could go into the negotiations with a firm mandate from which to negotiate. Yes. Well.
I hope that from now on she and David Davies will be doing their homework on what the EU does for us now, what we will do for ourselves, what we want from the EU and what we are prepared to give them. Goodness only knows, it's a lot of preparation and not much time.
Thank God He has everything sorted and under control!
Then, while doing well, she admitted that the party had plans to somehow tax older people - either during their lifetimes or by taxing what they'd hoped to leave to their families. Thus they alienated the very group which generally votes for them.
And third, having won the majority of seats, but not sufficient to govern outright, she formed an (unholy) alliance with the Ulster Democratic Unionist MPs. This could well be the worst mistake of all. The very existence of the alliance will put up the backs of many of the Nationalist voters in Northern Ireland. That's even before the Conservatives require the DUP MPs help to get legislation passed and the DUP ask for favours in return.
When that happens Nationalists in Ulster may well take to the streets. I'm old enough to remember The Troubles and know what that can get to look like. Hah! Just as we'd had maybe twenty or thirty years of 'peace' in Northern Ireland. Hmmm, maybe that was just armed, and re-arming, neutrality. Whatever. It doesn't look good for Northern Ireland or for Britain never mind the Conservative party.
What does look good for the country at least is that when the Conservatives want to bring in some new legislation, or amend some existing law, they'll have to really think hard about what they want to do and how they're going to say it. No more ordering all the MPs in on a Three Line Whip and passing stuff into law almost automatically. Here's hoping having a hung parliament will serve to curb the worst of their cutting excesses.
Of course, having called an election when she didn't actually need to, and having lost come out worse than before, the Conservative party may well decide that Mrs May is now a liability and sometime soon it'll be time to select a new leader. Cue another round of huffing and puffing, posturing and posing from various would-be candidates for the job.
And then the Conservative government will be back to square one, with a new Prime Minister whom various papers will scream is 'unelected' and therefore 'has no mandate' to lead the country.
Or even square minus one, as they have fewer MPs and have to rely on DUP MPs on a 'case by case' basis as they try to create new legislation.
Been there, done that. Bored by it all.
And that's without thinking about the Brexit negotiations, which are supposed to start the week after next.
Mrs May said, when she called the election, it was so that she could go into the negotiations with a firm mandate from which to negotiate. Yes. Well.
I hope that from now on she and David Davies will be doing their homework on what the EU does for us now, what we will do for ourselves, what we want from the EU and what we are prepared to give them. Goodness only knows, it's a lot of preparation and not much time.
Thank God He has everything sorted and under control!