Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya – to name but a few
“Our leaders cannot accept that by removing one kind of evil they may succeed only in bringing about another evil – anarchy instead of tyranny, Islamist popular theocracy instead of secular dictatorship. They must have a narrative of continuing advance, so as to preserve their sense of being able to act meaningfully in the world. Thus they are driven again and again to re-enact their past failures.” John Gray, Philosopher. Sunday Times, 15th August.
Proportional representation is “A Prospectus of Surrender”
From its foundation in 1981, the SDP was continually bigged-up by the press and media – in order, no doubt, to do maximum damage to Labour. The message constantly pumped out was that the SDP would “break the mould”. At the 1983 General Election, the Alliance of SDP and Liberals was only some 2% behind Labour. But, under FPTP, the SDP only won 6 seats and the Liberals 17. The SDP had a further disaster at the 1987 General Election and then it split very acrimoniously.
Recently, Shadow Cabinet Minister John Healey was spot on. His magisterial response to pleadings to embrace PR – “A Prospectus of Surrender”!
“Retro” works in the fashion industry but will not work for Labour
“Keir Starmer’s decision to try to revive his party’s standing using union jacks and retrogressive ideas of ‘belonging’ now looks rather off the mark. The wider left, meanwhile, continues to tie itself in knots over the viability of “progressive patriotism”.
John Harris, Guardian.