condemnation
• verb 1 express complete disapproval of. 2 (usu. condemn to) sentence to a punishment, especially death. 3 force (someone) to endure something unpleasant. 4 officially declare to be unfit for use. 5 prove the guilt of.
— DERIVATIVES condemn noun condemnatory adjective.
— ORIGIN Latin condemnare, from damnare ‘inflict loss on’.
And so it is....................as per the above dictionary definition David Cameron with Nick Clegg's support has "inflicted his party's loss on" us all by agreeing a dodgy deal with the party who finished third in the election.
All this despite the country's "express and complete disapproval of" the horse trading that has been going on behind closed doors, meaning that we are now "sentenced to the punishment" of a parliament under the control of Mssrs Cameron and Clegg.
No doubt that our public services will now also have to "endure something unpleasant" as the inevitable and jointly imposed cuts hit home hard in closures, reduced services and job losses.
Well let me be the first to declare this unholy marraige totally "unfit for use" and worry ye not! at every step and every turn in both the County Council and Borough Council chambers I will reminding the public of the complicity of these two unatural bedfellows as the truth unfolds as to the details of the deal that has been agreed behind closed doors.
What are the County Tory administration and the Lib Dem Borough administration going to do in their respective chambers are the Lib Dem and Tory oppositions in both now to be a party within a party? Will they both approve any government imposed cuts? and where will the opposition to those cuts now come from?
One thing though is for sure, with both partys taking a short term grab for power they will in future pay a very heavy price both in next years local elections and in the next general election for their decision and also for the impact that Tory economic policy will have on both public services, the financial markets and in our pockets.
Finally both parties may be unaware of the "Progressive Democrats" in Ireland? but I think the logo of the Irish Party should suit their newly created fudge very well? Although "Aggressive Autocrats" might be a more accurate description?
What do you think?
I'm not altogether over the moon about the arrangement but just as I did with Blair (even though I would never have voted for him in a million years) I shall give them the opportunity to show their metal.
ReplyDeleteSo far it looks refreshing and they don't seem too bothered by the trappings. Early days but let them get on with it. You have more pressing problems to occupy your thoughts at a local level, don't you think?
I think that this will occupy a lot of thoughts at a local level!!
ReplyDeleteEspecially when the cuts start to hit local services!
Hi Tony. As you know the Progressive Democrats disbanded as a Party after losing all their support but not before they were in a governing coalition in which the Health Minister who was a PD tried to bring in some very damaging reforms of the Irish health service.
ReplyDeleteDid you see my letter in today's Independent
"In case anyone is thinking "What harm could a Liberal-Conservative government do?", could I remind them that it was just such a coalition that ordered the execution of the socialist James Connolly, one of the great political thinkers of the 20th Century, exactly 94 years ago in Dublin on 12 May 1916."
Bes wishes
Seán O'Donovan (seanlond@aol.com)
Sean,
ReplyDeleteYou spotted that my comparison between the two situations went far beyond the printed headline!
Heres hoping that this coalition goes the same way!
It seems that too many of you want to exist in the past. Perhaps that's one of the reasons Mr Clarke why the electorate failed to give you the support you desired. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it is just that.
ReplyDeleteAs for Irish politics - there have been many TDs in the intervening 94 years that should have been taken out to have a dastardly deed done to them. It isn't just coalition parliamentarians that have caused the beautiful Island to arrive at it's current state. Very selective memory Mr O'Donovan, I'm afraid. One dimensional people such as you appear to be, have been the cause of too much unnecessary heartache and strife over many years in Ireland - North and South. If McGuinness and Adams had taken your line we would still have the bomb and the bullet on the streets of Belfast.
Hindsight? I would settle for Clegg or Cameron having an ounce of foresight!
ReplyDeleteAnd unfortuntely despite all the good work of Gerry Adams (who I class as a friend) and Martin McGuinness the bomb and the bullet have still not been silenced.
Some people may have missed the fact that a bomb was dealt with under a controlled expolsion outside a polling station in NI last Thursday, but I didn't let us all hope and pray that the current turmoil in NI receeds in coming weeks.
All the parties have been prevaricating because of the wish to get the election out of the way first before being straight with the people as to the magnitude of the cuts they will be trying to inflict on the public….
ReplyDeleteThe horse trading of the elites of political parties to stay in office or get into office is their business. Our business is to mobilise against them, industrially, on the streets, with mass demonstrations, and through putting an ideological alternative.
Save Our Public Services is now a very revolutionary statement
Norman Adams
Tony you make me smile - a bit of humility just one week after a resounding defeat at the polls wouldn't go a miss.
ReplyDeleteI read your views above but have two observations for your comment:
1) while its interesting to read the dictionary definition of 'condemnation' it is only a term that has been used in the media; the same media that you accuse on previous blogs of being responsible for the 'over hype' of party leaders during the campaign. How can you run with the hare and hunt with the hounds?
2)Isn't the coming together of Mssrs Clegg and Cameron an example of putting party allegiances to one side for the sake of the country the same thing you have been pushing (I accept they have a had a bit more success) except on a local level you were pushing town not country?
MQTA
MQTA I stand for Independence not Codependense at any price or cost! Any you don't get more local media than a blog read by just 2000 people in a population of 200,000
ReplyDeleteMy good friend John Dickie got it right in his blog when he refered to Cameron and Clegg as the "Jedward of British Politics"
To think that I was beginning to believe you had turned into a new type of politician with wide ranging values and conscience to match.
ReplyDeleteAlas, you are still stuck in the old Labour ways and no doubt would still be within that party if they had not modernised somewhat and seen right through you. They obviously had a little more knowledge of your characteristics than we do. Much as I dislike Labour and most of what they stand for, they made the correct decision when they got rid of you.
Why the constant belligerence? Discourse - yes. Hard argument - yes, but not the constant beating down of those who have a differing point of view.
Wake up Mr Clarke and show the humility that MQTA referred to in one of the above posts.
As for double acts - yourself and Mr Dickie have propped each other up for awhile but with what success?
Cameron and Clegg deserve an opportunity. For once, let the bitterness settle, just for awhile. In the future, if they fail by all means have a go.
"Men fall from great fortune because of the same shortcomings that led to their rise" La Bruyere Characters (1688)
"It only takes 20 years for a liberal to become a conservative without changing a single idea."
ReplyDeleteRobert Anton Wilson
(or in instance case 6 days!)
Liberal Democrats - we will sit on our hands, for what we oppose?
ReplyDeleteLiberal Democrats have long opposed any new nuclear construction. Conservatives, by contrast, are committed to allowing the replacement of existing nuclear power stations provided they are subject to the normal planning process for major projects (under a new national planning statement) and provided also that they receive no public subsidy.
We have agreed a process that will allow Liberal Democrats to maintain their opposition to nuclear power while permitting the government to bring forward the national planning statement for ratification by Parliament so that new nuclear construction becomes possible.
This process will involve:
- the government completing the drafting of a national planning statement and putting it before Parliament;
- specific agreement that a Liberal Democrat spokesman will speak against the planning statement, but that Liberal Democrat MPs will abstain; and
- clarity that this will not be regarded as an issue of confidence.
Wise up Norman, we call all read the document for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteDon't always oppose just for the sake of it - let things take a positive course for the time being please. If you want a cause, have a go at the Banks and those, such as Blair who have made and continue to make fortunes from them.
Locally the Liberal Democrats are the party destroying the Town. Focus your attention on them.
Anonymous - first it is easy to hide - the let things take a positive course - I see nothing positive in cuts to public services - the time to oppose is NOW
ReplyDeleteNorman Adams
If you haven't got the money, you can't spend it or at least you can't without borrowing it somewhere else and then the spiral goes on and on. We all have to sacrifice a little until such time as things may get a little better. Time to moan is when they cut and not before. You are unfortunately trying to second guess.
ReplyDeletePS Nobody's hiding - just can't be doing with the unsolicited correspondence one gets when one tries to argue logically in the open. Way too much bitterness for differing points of view. We all can't be right but we can all pull on the same end of the rope. Many hands, lights and all that.
Those few pints you had with Mr Binley at the count the other night worn off yet?
Anonymous - you write: we all have to sacrifice a little...
ReplyDeleteIn 2008 or even 2009, many workers may have felt that everyone was suffering in the economic crisis and that it made sense to take a bit of the pain.
reported by the Sunday Times on 25 April.
"The collective wealth of the 1,000 multimillionaires in the 2010 Sunday Times Rich List has climbed to £335.5 billion, up £77.265 billion on 2009... a 29.9% increase",
Any worker reading the Sunday Times Rich List can see that Tax the rich!
Must be on our agenda?
Norman Adams
So that's the answer is it Norman? If someone has made a few bob through endeavour and along the way probably employed many people and paid God knows how much tax - lash them again just because they have.
ReplyDeleteWhat you have us all do - hand up our wages/salaries and ask for pocket money back?
"Let age not envy draw wrinkles on thy cheeks"
Sir Thomas Brown, A letter to a Friend (1690)
Anonymous - seems you have just got a new 'Dictionary of Quotations' - seems you expect the unions to just roll over and see services, wages and jobs damaged?
ReplyDeleteI think you will be busy writing about greedy workers, soon -
Norman Adams, a comment to anon (2010)
No I won't. When a man/woman does a fair days work then a fair days pay is well deserved.
ReplyDeleteAsk about the wealth union representatives accumulate and the large limousines, who pays for them - the worker.
Tell me about the number of union secretaries who have been rewarded and enobled for just doing a job. How many ordinary workers does that happen to? Don't make me laugh about unions.
There you go again - a criticism for everything. Is it not possible that I might be well read? Always the snipe Norman. Are you not happy with your life. Instead of always having a pop about some nonsense or other, why don't you go for a walk and breath the beautiful air into your lungs. Smell the beautiful scents and aromas, feel the wind in your face. See the beautiful things that are happening all around you every day - for free.
PS Normally called a Thesaurus of Quotations
Anonymous you wrote - Ask about the wealth union representatives accumulate and the large limousines, who pays for them - the worker.
ReplyDeleteYOUR points on union general secretaries – I agree with you – that is why in my own union (UNITE) I will campaign again for members to vote for Jerry Hicks in the next election
EXTRACT FROM his last election address:
Its not enough to scream at the ‘Fat cats’ in the city and have a ‘Fat cat in our union’ with wages of £126,939 plus perks, free car and a virtually free £million house for ever. A lifestyle not remotely like that of any of our members. This would end if I were elected. My pledge is that I would only take the average wage of a skilled worker. I say this not to score points but to make the point, and I will do it because it is the right thing to do. The real issue here is standing up for what is right not standing aside when something is so obviously wrong. This gives us the opportunity for everyone in our union to take part in the biggest and most open debate we have ever had.
You will no doubt then have to agree that in the campaigning words of your preferred candidate ...collectively, when determined people come together, "all things are possible".
ReplyDeleteJerry Hicks doesn't have a monoply on that belief.
I think this will be my last post on this thread – BUT one last quotation -
ReplyDelete"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed Citizens can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever does”
Margaret Mead BA MA PhD (1901-1978)