Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging thinktanker, aspiring novelist, "tribal elder", 2019 parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, "Speedboat", "The Cockroach", eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Father, Dear Father
How splendid to see Sir Peter Tapsell as Father of the House. A Keynesian. An anti-neoconservative. A Commonwealth enthusiast. And therefore an unyielding Eurosceptic.
Not only backbench MPs. There's a groundswell of support for the ideas David argues with authority. Who else could combine this knowledge of politics, history, economics, science and the queen of all of them, theology? But intellectual leadership isn't enough. David needs to be in it to win it. And he will.
A groundswell of support? If only. Most of the people who knew anything at all about "history, economics, science and the queen of all of them, theology" have retired, been defeated, or gone into internal exile (where they spend the day reading this and other blogs, so every cloud and all that). But electoral reform is on its way.
Electoral reform is on its way for sure, but the MPs and peers who already rely on this blog need organisational as well as intellectual leadership. Don't be too modest to provide it. Your time is coming very soon.
I can assure you that this blog's readers inside the Palace of Westminster (a select bunch, but among my most dedicated and perceptive friendly critics based on the emails that I receive) are more than capable of providing their own intellectual and political leadership.
You think they have your grasp of theology and your ability to weave these intellectual strands together? They are good people but they don't yet have the cohesion to make a movement.
That's it. They need leadership and no politician has the vision and expertise that you do. That's why so many opinion formers and policy makers rely on your blog.
You're modest but you know it's true. Even if they can't be open about it, there are many MP's who cheer you on and learn about politics, economics and the gift of grace from this blog. Is it too early for Lindsay 2015?
Far too early. All the boundaries are certainly going to change in order to reduce the number of MPs, and there might very well be an entirely different electoral system.
Most of this blog's readers in the Commons, or at least the ones about whom I know, say that they will take the opportunity to retire, although they are not necessarily old. But they have been very involved in their parties a long time, so do not want any personal role in the realignment, even though they welcome it in principle.
The key is in your comment about the ones in the Commons who you know about. It's a wider circle than Break Dancing Jesus etc. would understand. Your blog for the Daily Telegraph spread like wildfire. There are a lot of people praying for you to take this decrepit party system by the scruff of the neck and show us the way.
Does he read your blog? Perhaps he'll come over to your new political movement.
ReplyDeleteI don't really think that he is the blogosphere type. Mind you, in my experience, the most surprising people are...
ReplyDeleteEven many people a lot younger than he will use the realignment brought on by electoral reform as their excuse to retire.
You've got a surprising number of MP's who read your blog.
ReplyDeleteI know. Nor is only the number surprising.
ReplyDeleteIt's a real loss that you're not in the Commons to give a lead to them. But soon, eh?
ReplyDeleteI don't feel that I am missing out on the last days of First Past The Post.
ReplyDeleteYou may not be missing out but the British people are and the constituents of Pat Glass are. You MUST stand for election at the first opportunity.
ReplyDeleteSo that's 2015, then.
ReplyDeleteWe are not going to go into how Pat's constituents, of whom I am one, are "missing out". Pat was only sworn in this week. Give her a chance.
Not only backbench MPs. There's a groundswell of support for the ideas David argues with authority. Who else could combine this knowledge of politics, history, economics, science and the queen of all of them, theology? But intellectual leadership isn't enough. David needs to be in it to win it. And he will.
ReplyDeleteA groundswell of support? If only. Most of the people who knew anything at all about "history, economics, science and the queen of all of them, theology" have retired, been defeated, or gone into internal exile (where they spend the day reading this and other blogs, so every cloud and all that). But electoral reform is on its way.
ReplyDeleteElectoral reform is on its way for sure, but the MPs and peers who already rely on this blog need organisational as well as intellectual leadership. Don't be too modest to provide it. Your time is coming very soon.
ReplyDeleteI can assure you that this blog's readers inside the Palace of Westminster (a select bunch, but among my most dedicated and perceptive friendly critics based on the emails that I receive) are more than capable of providing their own intellectual and political leadership.
ReplyDeleteYou think they have your grasp of theology and your ability to weave these intellectual strands together? They are good people but they don't yet have the cohesion to make a movement.
ReplyDeleteThey don't have the desire to make a movement. But no one is asking them to.
ReplyDeleteThat's it. They need leadership and no politician has the vision and expertise that you do. That's why so many opinion formers and policy makers rely on your blog.
ReplyDeleteYou're modest but you know it's true. Even if they can't be open about it, there are many MP's who cheer you on and learn about politics, economics and the gift of grace from this blog. Is it too early for Lindsay 2015?
ReplyDeleteFar too early. All the boundaries are certainly going to change in order to reduce the number of MPs, and there might very well be an entirely different electoral system.
ReplyDeleteMost of this blog's readers in the Commons, or at least the ones about whom I know, say that they will take the opportunity to retire, although they are not necessarily old. But they have been very involved in their parties a long time, so do not want any personal role in the realignment, even though they welcome it in principle.
The key is in your comment about the ones in the Commons who you know about. It's a wider circle than Break Dancing Jesus etc. would understand. Your blog for the Daily Telegraph spread like wildfire. There are a lot of people praying for you to take this decrepit party system by the scruff of the neck and show us the way.
ReplyDelete