And another thing…

It’s entirely plausible to feel like an outsider in any organisation.

Nobody should have to face the ignomy of being ‘outed’ as an MP.

Even MP’s have ooman rites,innit.

In Tom’s world – anyone who refers to MP’s as “awful people” must have “severe mental trauma”.

In the real world even MP’s know the Commons is rotten.

He’s not the only politician labouring under misapprehension.

Gordon Brown has been on the receiving end of hectoring and shouty phone calls from disgruntled voters for years, especially about the economy.

In fact, The PM dashed off a hurried, hand-written memo to Alistair Darling to the effect that they should operate a government-wide “scorched ear” policy.

Sadly, the Chancellor made a genuine error when reading the memo.

Carswell reminds me of a younger Redwood.

Always pronouncing, always populist, but never quite managing to score direct hits.

I fear he’s going to end up the same way.

Rowing himself into a political back water.

Mr Carswell sounds like a very sensible chap.

As Obnoxio says it is not such a remarkable position in general – I know teachers and policemen who feel alienated within their own profession, it’s just unusual to hear a politician break ranks.

The gallery at Holyrood has become a viewing platform from which the aghast watch the ghastly, and there is at least one MSP who feels the visitors have the right perspective!

Meeow.

(The system tells me this is too short. Seems adequate ro me).

But he is not like most MPs that why he refers to the third person.

His difference is that he is honest has a sense of duty, is a family man,and is just far too straight for most people. that’s why he is an outsider. But I would want more like him and far less of the other.
It does you no good to criticise him Tom.

Why does Labour always knock anything that has traditional values?

I am very disappointed in you Tom.

However his day will come, and yours has gone..

Tom

Given the way a large number of MPs have (mis)behaved over recent years I can’t say I’m surprised that Douglas doesnt want to be too closely associated with them. Judging by the reaction of many voters when they find out what their elected representatives have been up to he’s not exactly alone in his views.

Aren’t you similarly disinclined to be tarred with that brush? If not, why not?

Johnny Norfolk is a national treasure.

Maybe the reason for Carswell’s strange mental contortions is because he, and his best pal Dan, appear to be converts to the far-right American position of active hostility to government.

The bible for this philosophy is Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. It is, Carswell says in a review of it
…an anthem to freedom and individualism. You must read it. It has a great deal to tell us about the state of the world today.
http://www.right-read.com/book.aspx?id=8

Meanwhile, Johann Hari, reviewing two new biographies of Rand, described her as
…one of America’s great mysteries. She was an amphetamine-addicted author of sub-Dan Brown potboilers, who in her spare time wrote lavish torrents of praise for serial killers and the Bernie Madoff-style embezzlers of her day. She opposed democracy on the grounds that “the masses”—her readers—were “lice” and “parasites” who scarcely deserved to live. Yet she remains one of the most popular writers in the United States, still selling 800,000 books a year from beyond the grave. She regularly tops any list of books that Americans say have most influenced them. Since the great crash of 2008, her writing has had another Benzedrine rush, as Rush Limbaugh hails her as a prophetess. With her assertions that government is “evil” and selfishness is “the only virtue,” she is the patron saint of the tea-partiers and the death panel doomsters. So how did this little Russian bomb of pure immorality in a black wig become an American icon?
http://www.johannhari.com/2009/11/02/how-ayn-rand-became-an-american-icon

Rand’s philosophy is a sort of Nietzsche for Dummies. It’s rather worrying that Doug and Dan seem to rate it so highly.

Douglas Carswell told those who frequent his blog that he had never been happier than picking blackberries, early one morning alone I think it was.

He had previously enjoyed picking them with his daughter he also told us.

Johnson B wrote on making damson jam, and not, I recall removing the stones.

There have to be areas for empathy with these people.

Nicky:

Friedman’s Capitalism & Freedom which I read as an undergrad C1967 takes a similar line, and the localism is an obvious element.

I have a Library copy of Carswell @ Hannan’s masterwork t present. Poor Douglas was upset that the BBC has not been giving them much in the way of puffs I recall.

‘Nice people, with nice manners, but got no practicality at all’ (to paraphrase rather late at night)

@ Quietzapple: Even given the BBC’s current love-in with the Tory party, Doug and Dan are just beyond the pale as far as they’re concerned.

@Nicky

Doug was on Westminster Hour – and treated better than Ms Quinn managed fer wor Tom imho:

http://www.talkcarswell.com/show.aspx?id=1121

Daniel still wants to be on Late Night Lineup I suspect.

We might be better off with them running some talk radio station perhaps?

Tom,

I asked you what you thought of Carswell before. Perhaps this is your inimitable way of responding.

I would ask, what do you think of his proposed reforms?

Surely as a parliamentarian you cannot be too impressed with either the current Westminster system or the European parliament, or perhaps you are?

Do you think Westminster needs any changes? If so what policies do you think would make Westminster more effective/accountable?

Douglas Carswell is about the Government, politicians and others in authority being accountable to the people, which presently they are manifestly not. I always thought that that is what socialism was all about; but again, obviously not. Conversely, you and your Labour colleagues are now about the people being accountable to the politicians and authorities. How did all this come about? Because you and your parliamentary Labour colleagues have reneged on the fundamental principles of the former Labour Party. Those who see the decay and do nothing to stop it are worse than those who are the cause of the decay. More power to Douglas Carswell and his like.

Douglas Carswell & Daniel Hannan seem pleasant coves, but their version of “localism” isn’t very nice at all.

Anyone who has ever sat on the board of a local charity and seen the way “local” people try to administer same will realise that this is yet another area where the bureaucracy of the state is usually better in important ways. Confidentiality for example.

We get howwwls about imaginary civil rights when terrorism is being combatted.

Somehow I doubt the same people would find the kinds of intrusions into the affairs of the deserving poor which local charities in my experience think appropriate objectionable.

“Local people” – eh?

Come on Tom.

Carswell is the only MP to say anything close to meaningful (IMO) regarding genuine parliamentary reform. What are your proposals? What is wrong with his?

Douglas Carswell favours election of judges.

http://www.talkcarswell.com/show.aspx?id=1132

Pity EL Wisty has gone, he might have been in with a chance, and, with Bozo Bojo’s Fred Karney affair in London as an example, Bruce Forsyth may yet welcome a career move.