Is British politics dead?

[Martinus]

I remember we used to have a lot of threads about British politics. Since Sheilbh, Gups, Warspite, Brazen and Richard Haykluyt still post here, I was wondering why there haven't been any lately? Is the tory-liberal coalition and labour opposition such a boring quagmire that there is nothing really to discuss?

For example, I just got a tweet from Mandy that Cameron appointed some bizarre duo to the Health and Justice secretary positions - nothing about it?

[Gups]

You need people to virulently disagree with each other for threads to run. None of the Brit posters are particularly partisan and there's no Brit Timmy so there you go.

It's probably the most interesting time in British politics for 20 years or more but a lot of Brits think that all three parties are a shambles and so aren't rooting for them. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

I think that all three parties are drawing from a very shallow talent pool. They are very similar too, possibly because they always triangulate on some hypothetical voter with a modest income living in Worcestershire or some such. I would prefer it if the Labour party came up with some left wing policies and if the Tories had some right wing ones.........but there it is.

Meanwhile, at the parish pump level, all goes well. The NHS in my area is quick, efficient and caring. The college my son attends is doing an excellent job, as is the special school my younger boy goes to. Despite the economic "crisis" the town itself continues to improve as a place to live  The people down in Westminster are mainly seen as a threat to this.

[Brazen]

Gups and RH have put their fingers on it. We're all vaguely dischuffed the cabinet reshuffle hasn't shuffled out any of the particularly offensive cards, but the alternate parties are indistinguishable in terms of party politics and demographic.

Here's the latest on the cabinet reshuffle:

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/910790-cabinet-reshuffle-summary-critics-say-too-white-too-male-and-too-rich

Everyone's favourite rhyming slang minister Jeremy Hunt, a man who believes in homoeopathy and actively supports NHS homoeopathic hospitals has been made health secretary. A useful metaphor for a cabinet that's been diluted down so far it has no effective contents.

[Gups]

The removal of Greening after just 10 months as Transport Secretary is the most interesting in purely political terms. The Tory policy on a new runway at Heathrow is unambigously against. Osbourne and Cameron (under pressure from pretty much the whole of the business "community") want to change it but can't say so outright. Greening, whose constituency is under the flightpath is voceferously opposed to a new runway.

She thus becomes the first cabinet minister to be sacked for supporting Givernment policy.

Boris is spitting mad, as are dozens of other Tory MPs whose constituencies are affected.

[Darth Wagtaros]

You need a Brit Hansy and Siegey, along with a cockney Seeds. 

[Gups]

We're fine thank you very much 

[Eddie Teach]

You need a Brit Hansy and Siegey, along with a cockney Seeds.

I dunno, if Siege was British he might sound like Mongers after a half a can of Coors Light.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I'm pleased to report that I have not had to use Heathrow for years and kick off from Manchester for all of my flights nowadays 

It often seems to involve a tight change at Zurich or Frankfurt though.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I'm pleased to report that I have not had to use Heathrow for years and kick off from Manchester for all of my flights nowadays 

It often seems to involve a tight change at Zurich or Frankfurt though.

I prefer Manchester for my flights too. Manchester, NH that is.

[Eddie Teach]

Do you make trips to Burlington, VT?

[Darth Wagtaros]

Not usually.

[mongers]

I wouldn't say dead at all, just that opposition often comes from not the opposition party.

Today, Boris launched a severe and direct attack on the government over the probably U-turn over Heathrow airport expansion; in some measure over-shadowing the positive spin from Cameroon's cabinet reshuffle.

[Gups]

Boris is positioning for his leadership challenge circa 2015.

I have to say that is Cameron and Osbourne do go for a third runway, I will be very impressed with them. Neutral as to whether it is a good idea but it would show real political balls (verging on suicide)

[mongers]

Boris is positioning for his leadership challenge circa 2015.

I have to say that is Cameron and Osbourne do go for a third runway, I will be very impressed with them. Neutral as to whether it is a good idea but it would show real political balls (verging on suicide)

Yeah, that's what the chattering classes are saying, but does he really want to be leader of the official opposition in the commons  ?