The time for talking, the time for listening, the time for agonising will soon be over. The time for voting is almost upon us.
People often under-estimate the significance of the choice individual MPs face when they decide whether to vote with or against their party leadership. It defines which tribe they're in - loyalist or rebel. Once in a tribe it can be hard to escape.
Rebels come to enjoy the praise they get from voters, the attention they get from the media and the wooing by their party's leadership.
All that leads loyalists to resent and rather envy rebels. In return for their support they expect that they will be rewarded and the rebels will be punished.
How many Liberal Democrats and how many Conservatives join each tribe will shape the future of their parties, their leaders and the coalition - even if, as all sides expect, the motion to raise tuition fees is carried.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2010/12/to_vote_is_to_c.html
cold war political cartoons latest politics news political action committee alabama politics recent political news articles
No comments:
Post a Comment