Thursday, August 26, 2004
Silly Season starts
Proof that the long awaited media silly season has started is found in the first five pages of today's Western Mail. They have devoted a large part of their paper to an attempt by a Plaid Cymru MP to impeach the Prime Minister! I had to turn to page six to find some real news.
Plaid Cymru are taking a novel approach but it is one that has no chance of succeeding, it has clearly been manufactured for political gain and it commits the cardinal sin for me at least, of once again personalising the political process. I disagree strongly with the Labour Government's actions in disregarding the United Nations and supporting the USA in prosecuting a war on Iraq, but I will not reduce this debate to the personal vilification of the Prime Minister or any other individual.
We are already moving too quickly for my liking towards a Presidential style democracy without opposition MPs, who should know better, seeking to revive long discarded devices such as this. We have a Parliamentary democracy in which the Government acts collectively through resolutions of the cabinet and the actions of its Ministers. If MPs want to raise matters of competence then the correct device is to table a motion of no confidence in the Government on the floor of the House of Commons. If Adam Price MP wants to initiate impeachment proceedings then I would advise him to move to the USA and stand for Congress.
Plaid Cymru are taking a novel approach but it is one that has no chance of succeeding, it has clearly been manufactured for political gain and it commits the cardinal sin for me at least, of once again personalising the political process. I disagree strongly with the Labour Government's actions in disregarding the United Nations and supporting the USA in prosecuting a war on Iraq, but I will not reduce this debate to the personal vilification of the Prime Minister or any other individual.
We are already moving too quickly for my liking towards a Presidential style democracy without opposition MPs, who should know better, seeking to revive long discarded devices such as this. We have a Parliamentary democracy in which the Government acts collectively through resolutions of the cabinet and the actions of its Ministers. If MPs want to raise matters of competence then the correct device is to table a motion of no confidence in the Government on the floor of the House of Commons. If Adam Price MP wants to initiate impeachment proceedings then I would advise him to move to the USA and stand for Congress.
