Comments on: Why I am voting Jon Cruddas for deputy leader

By: Vino S

Vino S — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:01:00 +0000

I don’t think the Charists originally spoke of the 8 hour day :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartists

The 6 points of the people’s charter were:

1. Universal Manhood suffrage
2. Secret ballot
3. Equal-sized constituencies
4. No property qualification for MPs
5. Salaries for MPs
6. Annual parliament.

Dave, when i said that a one-year term would not given eough time to see if a policy worked or not, i was thinking of social policy or of economics. For example, Roosevelt’s New Deal took several years to work.

By: El Dave.

El Dave. — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:20:00 +0000

On the last point, you’re wrong. One of the Chartists’ demands was eight hours of work, eight hours of recreation and eight hours of sleep. We’re not even close.

I’m still working out what I think, but my inclination is that the Chartists were right. As I understand it, they felt that a bill could be written, debated and implemented within a year. I think, largely because of complexity of legislation, that said period is longer nowadays, and so two or three years might be more appropriate.

There are some policies which only take effect in the very long run. However, some policies are introduced in the dying days of a government, administration or Parliament. I am thinking in terms (and don’t know where I stand yet) of parties running not on aspirations, but on concrete policy platforms within a framework document (as I understand the Greens do). This would have to sit in a package of changes - I would scrap the lords, use constituencies of three to six members elected by STV, increase the number of MPs and some other things, such as a constitution or bill or right, I’m looking at as well as reducing the length of a Parliament.

xD.

By: Vino S

Vino S — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:53:00 +0000

By the way, you mention in your post that you think 4-5 yr parliaments are too long. Do you want to move to the Australian 3 year system? I think there is a case for that since 5 yrs is a long time to wait for voters if they want to throw out a government they don’t like. At the same time, though, governments need time to try and implement their polices and people need time to see if they work or not.

Of course, the Charists were in favour of annunal parliaments its the only one of their 6 demands that has not been implemented.

By: Commissar

Commissar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:47:00 +0000

Thanks for the hattip and Im glad that you are supporting Jon.

Also nice to see you dont have much time for Ms Blears either!

By: Vino S

Vino S — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:09:00 +0000

I agree with you that Cruddas would be the best candidate. He seems to be more committed to renewing the process at the grassroots. He also understands the importance of housing as an issue.

I also think that his presence in the campaign has also made candiadates like Harman and Hain tack to the left. This is a good thing as it is ensuring that we have some kind of a policy debate that is not simply about how we move further towards a market-driven society.