FFS, someone stick the knife in already. If disaffected teenagers can do it why can’t Labour?
The British weekend papers are full (yet again) of speculation and hot air about how dreadful that Gordon Brown is and how entirely useless; all are agreed, everyone hates him and he should go – but they’re also agreed that his MPs are all all too bloody scared, too frit or too attached to their pensions, salaries and mortgage support to actually do anything so honourable as to rid the country of such an obviously festering boil.
How long has this been going on now? But there is a theoretical way out that would let any frightened internal assassin off the hook and end this impasse. Not that I think any Labour MP should be let off the hook for anything – this is purely in the interests of expediency.
However it would mean talking to the Opposition and preparing to lose one’s job:
…. The Lower House may indicate its lack of support by rejecting a Motion of Confidence or by passing a Motion of No Confidence. Confidence Motions are generally originated by the Government in order to reinforce its support in the House, whilst No Confidence Motions are introduced by the Opposition. The motions sometimes take the form “That this House has [no] confidence in Her Majesty’s Government” but several other varieties, many referring to specific policies supported or opposed by Parliament, are used. For instance, a Confidence Motion of 1992 used the form, “That this House expresses the support for the economic policy of Her Majesty’s Government.”
Such a motion may theoretically be introduced in the House of Lords, but, as the Government need not enjoy the confidence of that House, would not be of the same effect as a similar motion in the House of Commons; the only modern instance of such an occurrence involves the ‘No Confidence’ motion that was introduced in 1993 and subsequently defeated.
Many votes are considered votes of confidence, although not including the language mentioned above. Important bills that form part of the Government’s agenda (as stated in the Speech from the Throne) are generally considered matters of confidence. The defeat of such a bill by the House of Commons indicates that a Government no longer has the confidence of that House. The same effect is achieved if the House of Commons “withdraws Supply”, that is, rejects the budget.
Where a Government has lost the confidence of the House of Commons, the Prime Minister is obliged either to resign, or seek the dissolution of Parliament and a new general election. Where a Prime Minister has ceased to retain a majority in that vote and requests a dissolution, the Sovereign can in theory reject his request, forcing his resignation and allowing the Leader of the Opposition to be asked to form a new government. This power is used extremely rarely.
So. It’s on the Tories to finally lance this festering boil. This cabinet certainly won’t ; the current, deeply frightening political situation matters not a jot or tittle to them just as long as their salary and expenses cheques continue to arrive.
Isn’t there some left-wing, close to retirement backbencher, whose pension is secure willing to have a little chat?
But even that’s not that necessary; the Conservatives could push a motion off their own bat.
So how bad has it got to get before Cuddly Dave does the decent thing? The Tories say they’re fit to govern and Cameron that he’s PM material: let them put up or shut up. If the Tories are waiting to be absolutely sure they have enough Labour backbenchers to swing a no confidence motion then they’ll wait forever. Nothing witters and prevaricarates like a scared Labour MP.
Cameron and the Tories may well be more incompetent than New Labour’s bunch of failed FE lecturers and legacy Labour babies but change is essential or there will be social disorder. It’d be inclined to say it couldn’t be worse than this, but that really would be tempting fate. It can and will get much worse than this, whoever’s in power. Some things are bigger than Parliament. Climate change doesn’t give a toss who’s in and who’s out.
But things are bad now already, to put it mildly. I want those responsible to pay for this and for the last 11 years of war, economic madness. I want at least metaphorical blood spilled in return for the actual blood he caused to be shed. Who does it is not so important as that it’s done, and soon.
In my heart of hearts I know it won’t really make an enormous amount of difference but at least I’ll know that at least one of them didn’t get away with it.
