Britain needs an opposition

The Political Betting website has an article this week which says that

"Britain needs a better opposition than Labour is providing."

(They also noted that the biggest cheer Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell got in his reply to the Autumn Statement was when he said "in conclusion.")

What would people have said when Ed Balls was shadow chancellor if anyone had dared to predict that in Autumn 2016 Balls would be a national hero on a reality TV dancing contest and there would be a new Labour shadow chancellor who would be far worse and far less popular?

(Probably something like "Yeah, right, and Donald J Trump will be the next president of the USA.")

It may seem surprising that I as a committed supporter of the government would like to see a more competent opposition, but not for the first or last time on this site I will quote the words of Disraeli:



Britain faces strong challenges in the post-Brexit world and it is in everyone's interests including that of the Conservative party that the government faces a constructive challenge in the House of Commons.

That challenge is not forthcoming either from the Labour party or from the Lib/Dems as Tim Farron tries to ride the anti-Brexit horse which no party which was serious about forming a government could mount, or even from UKIP as they continue to descend into infighting and farce.

God help us, the SNP's pretensions to be the real opposition look a lot less ridiculous than they should.

Politics, like nature, abhors a vacuum. If Labour will not provide a constructive, realistic and effective challenge to the government, the electorate will eventually find someone else who will.

Comments

Jim said…
"If Labour will not provide a constructive, realistic and effective challenge to the government, the electorate will eventually find someone else who will."

Hmmmmm, can make this sentence better

If Labour will not provide a constructive, realistic and effective challenge to the government, the electorate will do so themselves, which will be far more effective than any nominated representitve.
11:27 am
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