Good on the Irish

[freeindeed]

You may think it silly ,I know, but being British has always been something I'm exceedingly proud of. Previous fights with neighbours can be-and have been- forgotten, and I don't mind inviting them to tea ocasionally. I'n not quite so keen on them telling me what to do or tramping all over my living room at will though. Does that sound terribly wrong?

When electing Governments, there's always a them and us. Realistically there's only two parties in the UK that in the current climate are likely to be elected, Conservative and Labour, and invariably, they get elected on about 40% of the vote, so there's more people don't want them as do. So we're quite happy to have someone who's been elected on effectively a minority vote but have a big hang up on where in the world they sit...

Indeed, they have just 40% of the vote, and then they do things such as going to war with Iraq that the majority of the 40% who voted them in don't support. So on who's behalf are they acting?

As i see it, on behalf of big buisness. Politics is driven by money. It's the reason we and the US invade and take over an oil rich nation, and its the driving force behind the European conglomerate. The more members involved, together with the most efficient & synchronised systems of exchange (ie labelling, currency, regulations) ultimately means more worldwide bargaining power and profit.

It grows under it's own steam (virus?) and won't be stopped.

It may have the desirable effect of creating a system of equal weight to America which can at least challenge their free reign as global policeman & bully.

As for national identity - i take it back even further. The majority of the English gene pool although complex is mainly Celtic. I don't identify with the hordes of Germanic invaders who came and whacked the indiginous British or identify with their history. It seems that when they came there wasn't a mass genocide of the Brits but rather they became the ruling elite where the masses lived under subjugation. So respeck to the Welsh!

[Worthy4England]

You may think it silly ,I know, but being British has always been something I'm exceedingly proud of. Previous fights with neighbours can be-and have been- forgotten, and I don't mind inviting them to tea ocasionally. I'n not quite so keen on them telling me what to do or tramping all over my living room at will though. Does that sound terribly wrong?

When electing Governments, there's always a them and us. Realistically there's only two parties in the UK that in the current climate are likely to be elected, Conservative and Labour, and invariably, they get elected on about 40% of the vote, so there's more people don't want them as do. So we're quite happy to have someone who's been elected on effectively a minority vote but have a big hang up on where in the world they sit...

Indeed, they have just 40% of the vote, and then they do things such as going to war with Iraq that the majority of the 40% who voted them in don't support. So on who's behalf are they acting?

Regardless, of whether they're elected on a majority or minority ticket, someone has to take decisions like "should we go to war with Iraq". As it happens, the vote to go to war was taken with a fairly significant majorty across both main parties 414 MP's, representing a significant proportion of the electorate voted yes. Only 146 or so voted against, including all the Lib Dems (52 voters) 85 Labour "rebels" and 3 Tory's.

414 MP's in favour represents significantly more than 40% of the popular vote....

[freeindeed]

Yeah but the party in power always backs the US' military actions. The Tories always back the US' military decisions.

Just as with the European vote - if put to the people it woulda been an overwhelming NO. But the politicians say yes due to different agendas.