The Great Debate

Well, as of right now, it looks like Prime Minister Gordon Brown will head to the Queen to ask for an election on May 6th. This has been the rumoured date for a very long time now.

However, this is not the thing that got me to write this. What has, is the proposal to hold a televised debate. This has been a thorny issue for a long time. It was difficult for Parliament to decide on the structure of the debates.

The first of all, the fact that Britain does not use a Presidential style system of government, where we all get to vote for the President, a la the US and France, but we get to vote for a local representative who campaigns on a party platform. The biggest party is then invited by the Queen to form a government. Formally, she does not have to listen to the voters choice, but woe betide her should she choose to ignore it! Makes it hard to really say a Prime Ministerial debate rather silly, since most of the people in the country cant actually vote for the guy!

Second,with American politics, it is easy to find the candidates, since there are only 2 parties. However, in the UK, we have many parties that make up our politics. Some sit in the House of Commons, others sit in the House of Lords, others sit in the devolved parliaments. Some sit in all! So, how on earth do we pick who is represented in the debates!

Well, the TV companies, the BBC, Sky, and ITV decided to get round all this by linking up together, and organising the debates themselves. I think this was a great idea. It settles many arguments, as it is something the TV companies do, rather than leaving it to Parliament to organise. They just decided to do it! It also means they get to set the rules.

The TV companies have arbitrarily set the rules. This has caused some grief, but at the end of the day, it is their event. They have organised these debates, and invited the people they wanted. Stating that if the people they invited did not show, they would leave the chair open and not in use. Probably to embarrass the person involved.

What they decided to do was to bring in the 3 leaders of the parties that have a direct impact in the lives of the vast majority of the population. So, that is Gordon Brown of Labour, Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats, and David Cameron of the Conservatives. It is the Conservatives through their link with the UUP in Northern Ireland who do genuinely reach across all the home nations, whilst the others are involved in politics in 3 out of the 4.

However, this has irked the SNP in Scotland, and Plaid Cymru in Wales, both of whom play significant roles in the political lives of Scotland, and Wales, and have complained vociferously about their nations politics being shunted into the sidelines with their non-admittance into these debates. Their argument is that by excluding them, the political voice of Wales and Scotland is diminished.

They have appealed to the BBC trust, acknowledging that they cannot force Sky and ITV to amend their debates. They have also proposed a 4th debate run by the BBC including them along with the main UK parties.

Except, in my view, the main parties have a point. The TV companies have included the leaders of the three main UK-wide parties only. Other UK-wide parties are not included, such as the Greens, or UK Independence, and thankfully, the BNP. Also, if the TV companies include Plaid and the SNP, does that not diminish the English voters? After all, we get to watch 3 people we get to (indirectly) vote for, whilst voters in Wales and Scotland get to pick from all 5!

These debates are supposed to cross the UK, and cover UK related issues. This means that they will talk about issues that the British Government will discuss and debate. And these three leaders are the ones who will lead that debate. The SNP and Plaid, because they only operate in one of the four home nations will NEVER be in a position to lead those UK-wide debates. If we end up with a hung parliament, then yes, they will have a greater voice, and be able to influence the decision making process, but they will not be able to dictate policy. 

Also, why should the English, who make up 80% of the electorate in the UK, be forced to listen to 2 people spout on about how hard done by their constituents are, when they have absolutely no impact on their lives! It is hugely irritating!

All I can say is, well done to the TV companies for proposing this, and dont cave in now to these two shouty little men who want to have their cake, eat it, and nick from the English as well! After all, as it stands, despite making up the bulk of the UK, England is horrendously under-represented in government!