the end

[raven]

I had a very long day today on very little sleep, and I got in about half five and thought, hey, I'll have a nap.

I woke up at seven. AND WE NO LONGER HAVE A LABOUR GOVERNMENT.

...hi, it's back to ALL POLITICS ALL THE TIME round here. Okay. There will be no political insight in this post. I used it up this afternoon in employment law classes where the whole room was sneakily passing around an iPhone with the Guardian live blog open on it.

Here is the best thing ever, courtesy of foreverdirt:

Oh, BBC, I love you SO MUCH, you make fanvids and then put them on the Politics Show. Oh, just.

(Other things, quickly:

If you're here in Oxford (or even if you're not!) and still grieving for the loss of Evan Harris: wldeh. We Love Dr. Evan Harris, yes we bloody well do.

Also, Laura notes this.)

And that's a wrap, I guess. Brown's resignation speech was touchingly subdued; Cameron has gone to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen.

Labour have been in power for thirteen years - from when I was ten, to when I was twenty-three, and although I actively disapproved of so many things that they've done, this is the end of something that began in 1997 with me being woken up and picked up and swung around the room in the bright lights in the early hours, because things were going to be better for all of us. And they were.

Someone on Radio 4 said: "These things are the milestones in your life. The political is personal."

Yes. Yes, that.

Comments

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

Labour have been in power for thirteen years - from when I was ten, to when I was twenty-three, and although I actively disapproved of so many things that they've done, this is the end of something that began in 1997 with me being woken up and picked up and swung around the room in the bright lights in early hours, because things were going to be better for all of us. And they were.

WORD. My parents are downstairs right now in silent disbelief and horror. Such a turnaround from 1997 when I was woken up by Dad cheering and laughing and crying.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*shakes head* I just called my parents and they were very similar. It's so awful.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

I think the least you could do is share the ficlet with us...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I deleted it with EXTREME PREJUDICE.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Perhaps a sequel is indicated...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*laughs* But will I respect myself in the morning!

[bekkypk.livejournal.com]

I wish I could have watched Gordon's speech in full, but it was drowned out by my gloating shit of a father. Why he's taking such delight in the resignation I can't think; As I've said throughout, I'd still rather have had him continue then put up with the Cons at all, and we are not a Labour household but we're very much Conservative-haters.
What I saw I liked, in that I also thought it was a touching display and as was said, a milestone.
I could get very depressed talking politics, so I may have to stop there *_*
xx

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*sighs* It sucks, doesn't it? The link above goes to an embedded version of Brown's speech, so you can watch it still.

[biascut.livejournal.com]

NO, NO, DO NOT WANT!

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

right there with you.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Okay, that "fanvid" made me LAUGH.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

It's the bright spot in a woeful day, I tell you.

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

*buries face in your neck*

*is too distraught to even look down your top*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I think this encapsulates the moment, yes.

[rhipowered.livejournal.com]

Someone on Radio 4 said: "These things are the milestones in your life. The political is personal."

I've been there (January 2001), and then again in November 2008. May Britain weather this period better than the US did in the former (and I don't mean in terms of terrorism).

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

One thing comforts me - at least we're not doomed to a fixed length of this. Might be five years, might be five months.

[subservient-son.livejournal.com]

I hate to burst your bubble, but fixed term parliaments is apparently high up their legislative agenda.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*grins* I'd hope they have very good constitutional lawyers. Oh wait, no I don't.

[subservient-son.livejournal.com]

They're the government - that's where the good constitutional lawyers go.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Actually, no - good constitutional lawyers go into academia. Seriously, though, fixed-term Parliaments are such a bad idea on so many levels.

[subservient-son.livejournal.com]

Why so?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

First of all: logistics. What about votes of no-confidence? Does the government just stagger on? What about a situation like Major had, with a majority eroding away through by-elections? What about outbreaks of war?

Second of all: we don't have constitutional sovereignty. We have parliamentary sovereignty, which means ipso facto that Parliament cannot bind its successors. I am open to argument that this doesn't mean what it meant when Bagehot said it - EEA, devolution, etc. - but the main thrust of the principle does still stand. So what if there is fixed-term parliaments on the legislative agenda, then? What's stopping the very next Parliament from legislating it away again? It seems a meaningless thing to be advocating.

[subservient-son.livejournal.com]

As to the first point, I assume parliament would dissolve under those circumstances. This raises two questions: 1) would we then get a PM deliberately losing a vote of no confidence when he/she wanted fresh elections? 2) If parliament is dissolved early, does that mean the date set for fresh elections holds, or is the date reset to 4/5 years hence.

As to the second, I can only assume it would be as aprt of creating a written constitution. Unless they'd be relying on teh fact that a future government would lose face by reversing such legislation.

[liminereid.livejournal.com]

I'm not convinced any PM would ever deliberately lose of non confidence vote. It tends to be quite damaging to their reputations!

[foreverdirt.livejournal.com]

My mum woke me and my brother up, and told us to remember that whatever happened next, at least people had a chance now.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Oh, Katy. My parents were so, so happy, I remember it so well.

[vampire-kitten.livejournal.com]

Have I told you what my dad said?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

No! Tell me.

[vampire-kitten.livejournal.com]

That there would be no Christmas presents that year because the governement was going to take all our money.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

OH THE NUANCE.

[manynames.livejournal.com]

I'm just so sad. I don't even really know what to say.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Me neither, really. I keep reading those lines from the Kinnock speech - "I warn you not to be ordinary. I warn you not to be young" [etc] - and feeling melancholy.

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

Oh that video is hilarious. Very thoughtful of the BBC. I suspect they feel they are being very witty and very daring. Heh.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Bless them, they are so great.

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

It does feel so very, very personal. 1997 was my first election, and I was so proud to cast my vote. I cried a little this evening. Dammit, I think I am going to go to bed and cry some more.

Now we have a Tory government. Joy.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Urgh. Early bed, stiff drink.

[dr-biscuit.livejournal.com]

All I can think is 'no no I've been through this kind of movie before'
It's an awful feeling that there are people out there who wanted this, and who won't mind watching as it happens.
*hugs*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Dette! *cliiiiiiiing* Why is this happening, why.

[dr-biscuit.livejournal.com]

I DON'T KNOW!!!!!
(But in all truth - I was taking blood from a sweet little on lady on Friday, and she told me she hoped that nice Mr Cameron would get in, and honestly, I stopped minding whether or not the needle was uncomfortable. I didn't do anything different. I just stopped minding.)

On a totally selfish note, I desperately hope the LDs can stop them from changing immigration law in such a way that I have to go...
*hugs*
xxx

[burnmybridges.livejournal.com]

I can see why people got so disillusioned with Labour - I know I did, and even an aunt of mine who was one of the most loyal Labour supporters you'll ever meet didn't vote for them this time. Nor my mum, who literally cried tears of joy when they were elected in 1997...yet I really don't know what to think about us being a Tory country now. Mostly I know I'm probably going to be a lot worse off financially (is that even possible???!!!) but I'm a bit too young to remember much of the last Conservative gov.

Am basically feeling very uncertain toward my country's future right now. Not a feeling I like.

[kuteki.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the vid, I really needed a laugh! :(((

[marymac.livejournal.com]

I'm clinging to the fact that the Tories generally can't keep it together in a stiff breeze and the Lib Dem whips are akin to cat herders. And given that Cameron systematically alienated the usual allies in times of backbencher rebellion during the campaign, if they make it past a year I'll be stunned. Its not much of a majority, once the rebellions start, they've no cushion at all. *prays for rebellions and PR*

And usually the guys who come in and make the swinging cuts don't get reelected. I do hope we can keep that tradition up.

[tau_sigma]

Gah. Fixed term government! I am not sure I have logical reasons for disliking this idea, but my gut feeling is that I very much do.

Ficlet! Fic makes all things better, Iona. It is your DUTY to post it. Yes. Please?

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Ack! My hotel room internet is too slow for videos, and I won't be back in time to go to the emergency LibDem conference either (I think we can keep the Tories in line, even though I would have preferred a coalition with Labour, the SNP and PC).

Still, I can at least watch the video when I get home.