The UK Election!!!!

Good point. I don't know what the UKIP position is on voting reform (or even if they have one) but I wonder if they will become keener advocates of proportional representation if it suits them.

So Cameron won't take part in general election TV debates unless the Green party get a place too. Such high minded principles.... LinkBut are TV debates a good thing?
Do we want them?
Could they go ahead without Cameron (the empty chair approach)?Personally I'd like to see them but am not convinced they will take place this year given Cameron's stance.

I take your point about Tv debates promoting style over substance. But "pretty boys"....? Have you see our political leaders? Image

So then, Greece. They have voted in an overtly left wing government that is going to implement policies that will directly challenge the IMF, ECB and world bank and which will bring them into direct conflict with Germany specifically and the neo-liberal hegemony more generally.It's certainly brave. But I can't help thinking that whatever the political, or even economic, rights and wrongs of this the forces against Greece are just too overwhelming for it to end well for them. I fear they will be made an example of by the powers that be determined to show what happens to those who reject the established economic consensus.Interesting to see how it pans out and whether, as many may hope, Greece is the first small step towards a different kind of politics in Europe. Greek election

That is absolutely the priority and indeed the starting point. But it goes further than that. It is about challenging the systems that gave rise to the crisis that austerity has been the prescribed response to. Syriza's stated aim is to take on the oligarchs and financial elites that have crippled Greeces economy for decades as well as to take on the merchants of austerity. They are seen as different aspects of the same wider problem. Very much so. If Spain does something similar to Greece that will be incredibly significant because Spain is a large European economy where Greece is a relatively small one. Those interested should have a look at PodemosIn the UK we lack the firebrand leftwingers of Greece and Spain. But, in policy terms at least, we have the relatively cuddly Green party as the closest equivalents. Currently polling in at around 10%. The reason I mention them is that their policies seem to fairly closely match your own mini-manifesto (outlined here and elsewhere at EvC). It's a stance I have a lot of sympathy with in principle, but I am not convinced it adds up financially. The following is a link to an interview with the leader of the UK Green party putting forward things like a 'Citizens Income'. The interviewer in question avoids challenging any of the premises the policies are based on and instead ruthlessly pursues the economics of such policies. It is uncomfortable viewing. Link

Hilarious. Rap

The first of the UK election "debates". For whatever reason the two protagonists don't actually debate each other but instead face an interview with the renowned (in the UK)"rottweiller" of a political interviewer Jeremy Paxman. Frankly I think David Cameron made a mistake opting for that format as he probably would have had an easier time going head to head with the leader of the opposition. There is also a section for each leader to face questions from a studio audience.It actually starts about 50 seconds in and can be found here if anyone is interested... Link