John Bercow In Common Sense Shock
Discussion
BERCOW - VOTERS DESPAIRING OF POLITICS
Commons Speaker John Bercow says voters feel let down by political parties because they are "suspicious or even despairing" about the political system.
The local elections saw a low turnout and the coalition parties lose seats.
People are disillusioned because the main parties are "quite similar" and there "isn't a huge choice", he told Sky News's Murnaghan programme.
Mr Bercow also said he has a good relationship with Prime Minister David Cameron but they are not "bosom pals".
The Speaker is expected to remain politically impartial at all times.
He said: "To some extent, [people] are suspicious or even despairing of formal politics as a means to give expression and effect to what they want.
"I think there is a wider dissatisfaction that people feel partly that the parties are still quite similar and perhaps there isn't a huge choice, and partly they feel, well 'I said what I wanted, and I voted accordingly, but I haven't got what I wanted or what I voted for two years ago'."
Mr Bercow was also asked about footage showing the prime minister scowling during his speech at the Queen's Jubilee address in Parliament's Westminster Hall.
The Speaker described the monarch as a "kaleidoscope Queen" during the event.
He said: "I have a good and constructive relationship with him. If you're asking are we bosom pals, no we're not, but we don't need to be, nor should we be."
He added: "I saw that he was caught in the camera shot - is that something that I've ever discussed with the prime minister? No it isn't... am I in any way bothered about or prickly over a thing like that, no not at all.
"I was trying to express what I thought was quite an important concept - namely that there has been dramatic change, in my view change for the better in this country which is vastly more diverse than ever before, and much of that change and increased diversity has taken place during the period that Queen Elizabeth has been our monarch."
Source: BBC News
Commons Speaker John Bercow says voters feel let down by political parties because they are "suspicious or even despairing" about the political system.
The local elections saw a low turnout and the coalition parties lose seats.
People are disillusioned because the main parties are "quite similar" and there "isn't a huge choice", he told Sky News's Murnaghan programme.
Mr Bercow also said he has a good relationship with Prime Minister David Cameron but they are not "bosom pals".
The Speaker is expected to remain politically impartial at all times.
He said: "To some extent, [people] are suspicious or even despairing of formal politics as a means to give expression and effect to what they want.
"I think there is a wider dissatisfaction that people feel partly that the parties are still quite similar and perhaps there isn't a huge choice, and partly they feel, well 'I said what I wanted, and I voted accordingly, but I haven't got what I wanted or what I voted for two years ago'."
Mr Bercow was also asked about footage showing the prime minister scowling during his speech at the Queen's Jubilee address in Parliament's Westminster Hall.
The Speaker described the monarch as a "kaleidoscope Queen" during the event.
He said: "I have a good and constructive relationship with him. If you're asking are we bosom pals, no we're not, but we don't need to be, nor should we be."
He added: "I saw that he was caught in the camera shot - is that something that I've ever discussed with the prime minister? No it isn't... am I in any way bothered about or prickly over a thing like that, no not at all.
"I was trying to express what I thought was quite an important concept - namely that there has been dramatic change, in my view change for the better in this country which is vastly more diverse than ever before, and much of that change and increased diversity has taken place during the period that Queen Elizabeth has been our monarch."
Source: BBC News
I've said it before; choosing between political parties in Britain is like choosing between Coke and Diet coke. There is no real choice only slight permutations on a central theme. That's part of the reason why so many people are increasingly choosing not to vote. Some call it apathy. It is. Yet you can't blame people for surmising their vote makes no difference. Left or right they lie, they don't deliver they betray. Negative liberty is what blights us.
True...except most people didn't vote conservative and hence they can't tell the EU to shove it.
The UK has drifted left over time and the Conservatives where moving further towards becoming a fringe party. Without embracing climate change, social issues etc. as CMD has attempted they would have been left to wander the desolate wasteland of opposition for another term or two, perhaps fade away forever. At some point they had to change their strategy of being principled losers, as most governments do.
The UK has drifted left over time and the Conservatives where moving further towards becoming a fringe party. Without embracing climate change, social issues etc. as CMD has attempted they would have been left to wander the desolate wasteland of opposition for another term or two, perhaps fade away forever. At some point they had to change their strategy of being principled losers, as most governments do.
speedy_thrills said:
True...except most people didn't vote conservative and hence they can't tell the EU to shove it.
The UK has drifted left over time and the Conservatives where moving further towards becoming a fringe party. Without embracing climate change, social issues etc. as CMD has attempted they would have been left to wander the desolate wasteland of opposition for another term or two, perhaps fade away forever.
I can honestly say most people are not concerned about climate change or "progressive" thinking.The UK has drifted left over time and the Conservatives where moving further towards becoming a fringe party. Without embracing climate change, social issues etc. as CMD has attempted they would have been left to wander the desolate wasteland of opposition for another term or two, perhaps fade away forever.
Here is what people are most concerned about IMO
Immigration
Benefit Cheats
Petrol Prices
EU meddling
Foreign Aid
Regardless of where they sit on the political spectrum, these are the issues that come up the most.
jbi said:
speedy_thrills said:
True...except most people didn't vote conservative and hence they can't tell the EU to shove it.
The UK has drifted left over time and the Conservatives where moving further towards becoming a fringe party. Without embracing climate change, social issues etc. as CMD has attempted they would have been left to wander the desolate wasteland of opposition for another term or two, perhaps fade away forever.
I can honestly say most people are not concerned about climate change or "progressive" thinking.The UK has drifted left over time and the Conservatives where moving further towards becoming a fringe party. Without embracing climate change, social issues etc. as CMD has attempted they would have been left to wander the desolate wasteland of opposition for another term or two, perhaps fade away forever.
Here is what people are most concerned about IMO
Immigration
Benefit Cheats
Petrol Prices
EU meddling
Foreign Aid
Regardless of where they sit on the political spectrum, these are the issues that come up the most.
elster said:
That isn't quite true. I will dig my You Gov stats out. EU meddling doesn't really come very highly, neither does Ferign Aid. You have the economy, jobs and the justice as the top 3 at the moment.
True and benefit cheats is only a top five issue on Pistonheads to be honest, with it representing less than 2% of the Welfare spending its hardly the biggest problem we have facing us today. Foreign aid is an issue which your typical gorilla moans about in the pub, its not actually a vote swinger.The issues PH wants the Tories to tackle are actually fringe issues, Cameron does read the YouGov surveys you know, I'm sure he knows what issues are attracting the most attention. When MP's speak to their constituents, most of them will talk about petrol prices, jobs and the economy. They do not talk about House of Lords reform, The European Union, Gay Marriage or any other nonsense.
The economy is the number one issue and unfortunately its the one where Cameron and Osborne are failing. If EU meddling was a top issue people would be voting for UKIP in their droves, they're not. This was Labour's week and even an idiot wouldnt associate them with being anti EU for goodness sake.
People are most concerned about issues which affect them every day, the price of fuel, the economy, jobs etc
Edited by martin84 on Monday 7th May 17:12
martin84 said:
True and benefit cheats is only a top five issue on Pistonheads to be honest, with it representing less than 2% of the Welfare spending its hardly the biggest problem we have facing us today. Foreign aid is an issue which your typical gorilla moans about in the pub, its not actually a vote swinger.
The issues PH wants the Tories to tackle are actually fringe issues, Cameron does read the YouGov surveys you know, I'm sure he knows what issues are attracting the most attention. When MP's speak to their constituents, most of them will talk about petrol prices, jobs and the economy. They do not talk about House of Lords reform, The European Union, Gay Marriage or any other nonsense.
The economy is the number one issue and unfortunately its the one where Cameron and Osborne are failing. If EU meddling was a top issue people would be voting for UKIP in their droves, they're not. This was Labour's week and even an idiot wouldnt associate them with being anti EU for goodness sake.
People are most concerned about issues which affect them every day, the price of fuel, the economy, jobs etc
Actually that is not true. The economy is the main issue and Cameron/Osborne and the Conservatives are polling with a much higher approval rating over Milliband/Balls, Labour or Lib Dems. The issues PH wants the Tories to tackle are actually fringe issues, Cameron does read the YouGov surveys you know, I'm sure he knows what issues are attracting the most attention. When MP's speak to their constituents, most of them will talk about petrol prices, jobs and the economy. They do not talk about House of Lords reform, The European Union, Gay Marriage or any other nonsense.
The economy is the number one issue and unfortunately its the one where Cameron and Osborne are failing. If EU meddling was a top issue people would be voting for UKIP in their droves, they're not. This was Labour's week and even an idiot wouldnt associate them with being anti EU for goodness sake.
People are most concerned about issues which affect them every day, the price of fuel, the economy, jobs etc
Edited by martin84 on Monday 7th May 17:12
Although UKIP did have a rise in the polls, with about 10-15% it did have an impact on the result as for every 8% rise in UKIP it is 5% loss from Conservatives.
Labour did not have a rise in the election results, their voters just turned up.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff