To read, or not to read, a manifesto (or two). That is the question.

Well, I was about to download and skim-read the party election manifestos for the Conservatives [direct link], the Liberal Democrats [direct link] and the UK Independence Party [direct link].

I’ve only ever read a Labour Party manifesto once [direct link], and that was morbid fascination than genuine interest in the party’s policy choices.  It horrified me.  The party always picks dysfunctional policies - the most economically illiterate it can think of - then, when given the chance, botches their implementation.  The party supposedly of (and for) Robin Hood always seems to do a better job for (and of) the Sheriff of Nottingham, and an ever better job covering it up.  So I’ll not waste my time skim-reading the Labour Party manifesto: I would expect it to be a blatant con-trick from start to finish, deploying a sinister combination of carefully crafted omissions, manipulation, emotional blackmail and neurolinguistic programming.

In any event, the manifestos mean nothing.  Political parties will say anything to get elected, and nothing in the manifesto is likely to be sufficiently specific, measurable, achievable, realistic or time-based to hold the mafia to proper account.

I dread to think how deeply issue-illiterate the manifestos are regarding Brexit policy, and related choices/strategies..

It seems that the Conservatives have done some sort of U-turn on bits of their manifesto within four days of publishing it.

My thanks to European “colleagues”, who have been politely quiet (so far) about their disdain for any democracy, but particularly the unique form of disinformed democracy in which Britain specialises.

Still, at least when we have Brexited, it would then be worth engaging more in national politics.  It might begin to mean something for the first time in nearly 50 years.  We might actually get some half-decent politicians!  Gotta hope, because one alternative is looking like civil war.  It’s just the short-term pain we have to endure…