Well that about wraps it up for the Labour Party as far as I’m concerned. Less than three years after they doubled the the amount of time that a suspect could be held without charge, they have pushed through a bill which increases the time by another 50%. If the bill gets through the Lords, you’ll be able to be held for 42 days. This is far longer than in any other western democracy.
Like pretty much everyone I know, I’ve been becoming more and more disgusted with the Labour government. But through it all I clung to the belief that they were the best alternative. And I (usually) still voted for them.
But that’s all over now. A party that has so little regard for human rights is not one that I can possibly vote for. I left the party and sent back my membership card in protest over the Ken Livingstone/Frank Dobson fiasco in 2000. I’m beginning to wish that I hadn’t as this is a far more important matter to protest over.
The problem is, of course, who do I vote for now? Only the Labour and Conservative parties have a chance of winning my constituency. I’ve always been physically repulsed by the idea of voting Tory. Is it time to try and overcome that revulsion. Or do I effectively waste my vote by voting Green or for one of the more extreme left wing parties. I suppose I have a year or two to decide.
But this is a sad day in British politics. The modernisation of the Labour Party has gone too far. It’s time for “New Labour” to go. We want our party back.
Update: Blimey. A Tory politician with principles. Hats off to David Davies.
There’s something very very wrong when I find myself saying “thank god for the unelected Tory-dominated House of Lords”.