What contempt this shows for ordinary men and women who apparently are incapable of making up their own minds as to who they want to represent them in Parliament.

We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. [Orwell]

Absolutely spot on.

In a democracy, the role of the media is supposed to be holding politicians to account. If you believe this is true how can you possibly deny that the media influences public opinion?

Saying that, the majority of the media in this country wants people to view politics as the X factor, like some detached circus where we ape and ogle at recognisable faces, boo and jeer at others, with little or no interest in actually critical, brave debate.

If punk ever happened I'd be preaching the law, instead of listenin to Lydon lecture BBC4

It is common knowledge the sun influences a large proportion of voters. It's bought by 4 million and read by 10 million. Big damaging headlines on the front and a pathetic amount of current affairs in column inches on page 2, which is ignored as its opposite bikini girl on page 3.

I never said all people, all working class, or all scousers. It just needs enough to swing the result, and it can.

COYP

The £350 million per week saved after Brexit to go to the NHS was what COULD BE DONE, by someone who is a foreign minister, not PM or health secretary. Even Farage said it was bollox. It's also, as we all know, not £350 mil if you take into the account the rebate of nearly half that they tell you where to spend it.

I agree with a lot of what you've said though. I voted Lib dem in 2010 for diluted conservatism, Tory in 2015, I now probably HAVE TO vote Tory now, which is how I'm sure many feel. I have and would vote Labour, not that it makes much difference if in a safe blue seat, but in the last 7 years?

The unions blew it getting Ed Moribund in. Should've been David. He was their only hope. Now it's even worse. Without the apocalypse there will never be a socialist government.

The thing is, many lefties wanted an election to decide Brexit/referendum 2. Now there is one Labour are shy in Brexit whilst the Tories are scooping it all up. Labour need to embrace Brexit and take some ownership of it and what they can offer. Without that they're toast. Some of us want to hear about policy but the numbers aren't going to swing it. Brexit will, but too many labour MPs won't drop their remain ideology. Better look for alternative employment for when the parachute money runs out then.

COYP

So how do you propose to run elections then? No electioning allowed? No statements of policy however, short or long? Banning of newspapers during the campaign? How would you structure it so that the electorate are not duped as you think by the Sun etc.

We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. [Orwell]

Is that first paragraph a comedy post? Good second paragraph but come on....Getting involved in politics without gaining power is little more than talking for the fun of it.

I know the 'progressive left' are divorced from reality...and I really don't mind that...but when they take over the main opposition it's a real problem for working class people in the country.

The hard left just end up making life worse for the poorest....still they aren't the types to take the responsibility and instead just finger point instead of address the real deficiencies.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

That will never happen but I would not be unnerved by Labour and SNP nonsense about power grabs and dictatorships.
It is because of the inept nature of Labour and the self interested anti Brexit position of the SNP that we are having this election. The next couple of years are very important and we need to move forward.

The deal with the EU is going to be a political, not a legal, settlement.

Hence all of the game should being played by Tusk and Juncker. Asking for ridiculous amounts of money the scale of which is not owed by Britain, trying to interfere with the process of the GE, name calling of Theresa May. This shows us that the EU is rattled. Remember that the EU is one giant horse trade. Always has been. Because it is a union of so many countries and cultures, politics is ingrained in its DNA.

Kier Starmer may well have a stella legal mind, he is a very capable and intelligent barrister, by playing the political minerield that is Brussels? I don't think he is capable of doing that because his brain is focused on legalese rather than dirty politics.

"That was fun and to round off the day, I am off to steal a charity collection box and then desecrate a place of worship.” - Smokey, The Selhurst Arms, 26/02/02

You need to think aboutpolitics in a different way mate.

Think about local action groups. I help out in one of the many soup kitchens across the country, giving out food to those who often go hungry or eat crap. No elections are needed for this. Politics is not exclusively about power, its about participating, actively looking out for your fellow man, and not just trying to gain superiority over others.

Who does more good politically, soup kitchens or blairites? We aren't divorced from reality, we are trying to actively help thepoor while most just read the news and do nothing.

Rant over.

If punk ever happened I'd be preaching the law, instead of listenin to Lydon lecture BBC4

To my mind politics is mainly about helping and standing up for the most vulnerable. That can be done through voting, but it can also be done on an individual basis and a collective one. Putting all your faith in westminster to look after the poor will lead to inevitable disappointment.

Anyway ill focus on the palace now. Eagles!

If punk ever happened I'd be preaching the law, instead of listenin to Lydon lecture BBC4