Blog 2023 Malcolm Blair-Robinson

Oh dear! This is not good. Fights between government and opposition are a required part of the Constitution, but public fights among members of the Cabinet are a no no. We have to remember that this is a coalition government, so we are told, and they may not always see eye to eye. Perhaps not, but they have to be reminded they are a government, they have agreed a plan, they have to find consensus and they have to behave.

At the heart of the matter is the foolhardy adoption of fixed term parliaments; an arrangement utterly unsuited to our vague unwritten Constitution, in which the powers of an absolute monarch are administered by a sovereign parliament, only one House of which is elected. All can now see this government has run out of steam, as we face a wasted year of election campaigning.

Before the change was made as part of the Coalition Agreement, general elections could be called by the prime minister whenever, but usually at about four years. Since 1950 only three governments have run the full five year term; 1964, 1979 and 1997. Each time the governing party was beaten. The British do not like governments to go on and on.

Hitler’s First Lady US

Hitler’s First Lady UK

It is very disappointing for the talented Molly Smitten-Downes not to make the top five as predicted by many. Her initiative, her performance, her creativity and her talent, as well as the choreography of her act, deserved a much better points total than she actually achieved. The forty points she did get were a reflection of a good deal more than her talent.

Of the twenty eight countries in the EU only five gave the UK any points at all and only three others from contesting countries outside the EU offered Molly any support. Even the loudly booed Russia did more than twice as well.

There is something for the UK to think about here. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office might consider this a good moment to review its mission statement.

Hitler’s First Lady UK

Hitler’s First Lady US