Michael Portillo on 'This Week'

Michael Portillo appeared on the BBC programme 'This Week' last night and blamed the "daft electoral system" for the BNP gaining two seats at the EU Parliament; he then stated that this situation would never occur with the more sensible "first-past-the-post" system.

This is true, the BNP would never have won any seats in an election with the current Westminster system, but what he fails to understand is that it is this very same dismissive attitude concerning people's voting preferences that caused the situation in the first place. It seems that Mr Portillo does not wish to have a truly representative Parliament, rather a Parliament in which the working class concerns are ignored and marginalised.

The BNP should be revealed for what they really are, not a democratically elected party, but a fascist and racist grouping that only wish to return Britain to the dark ages in the name of ethnic purity. People like Mr Portillo, a politician of many years, should want to understand why nearly a million people voted for the BNP.

Maybe it is because these working class voters were never his core electorate, or it is easier to ignore them, but Mr Portillo is walking a fine line by ignoring the issues that surround this unprecedented event. Or maybe Mr Portillo would prefer a oligarchy, in which the power resides with the elite and the working classes do not have the vote, since he dislikes any form of representative Parliament.

Education and enfranchisement of these voters is needed, rather than the arrogance to ignore them.

The Most Surprising Result.

David Cameron appeared in the Welsh National Assembly yesterday, with all the pomp and circumstance of Rocky Balboa standing aloft the steps of Philadelphia City Hall. Whether it was the Labour vote staying home or the electorate genuinely voting Conservative, the shock waves of this result will resonate for sometime.

This, more than the BNP winning two MEP seats in the North of England, was the most surprising result of Sunday's EU election. Wales has been a stronghold for the Labour Party for nearly a hundred years, even during the dark days of 1979 and 1983, there was always a light on in Wales for the Labour Party. If Gordon Brown and the Labour Party can lose to the Conservatives in Wales then no constituency and MP is safe.

According to Dante there are seven deadly sins; Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Pride, Lust and Labour losing Wales to the Conservative Party. It is probably a natural progression, the Labour Party had committed the six other deadly sins during the MPs' expenses scandal, so losing Wales was the complete set.

EU: Self Help Or Self Harm?

The MPs have really done it this time; they have eroded public trust, including their political capital and have brought unprecedented levels of scrutiny on all Members of Parliament. But the consequences of their actions (money grabbing) go much further...

Possibly the most hard hit of all institutions, because of the MPs' expenses scandal, will be the impact upon the EU. Not just in terms of a vote against all major parties, a bloody nose of sorts for what the public consider a betrayal of trust, but for the institution of the EU Parliament.

MPs have erode their own political capital, not so much the political capital of Parliament as an institution, the concept of the House of Commons is firmly ingrained in the consciousness of the British public. In which most realise that it is the MPs and their expenses which need reform, rather than a major overhaul of the institution itself.

However, the European Parliament can not afford a scandal; the institution has little perceived political capital in the eyes of the general public. This institution has its own expenses scandal waiting to explode, but there will be fewer people willing to promote it once it does.

The major issue that the EU Parliament faces is one of self promotion, it has more vocal detractors than supporters, and it seems almost embarrassed to publicize it successes. Without public knowledge of the many success of the EU Parliament, many will continue to believe the crazy, Daily Mail/Express stories. For the anti-EU lobby ignorance is bliss.

If the EU Parliament wishes to have more support across Europe it must develop a culture of self promotion, shout about the success stories, make themselves relevant to people's lives. Maybe use some of the money saved on MEP's expenses to advertise itself.

Churchill vs BNP

The BNP have again used the crudest of publicity stunts to gain more political attention. After last weeks revelation that the Jesus supports the BNP, which has to be a new low even for them, they are attempting to claim another historic figure with similar success.

Now they are attempting to 'stand on the shoulders of giants' by using Winston Churchill to promote their deluded cause. If history teaches us anything is that Churchill fought a bloody war so that the people of Britain could live in a country that was not ruled by a fascist party. Ironic really...