The least read documents in history
Today Labour is launching its sports manifesto. Yes, a sports manifesto.
This must be the most manifesto-ed election in world history. As well as each party's main manifesto, we have manifestos for Scotland, Wales and London.
We have them on health, on business, and on schools, manifestos for pensioners, for children, and on and on.
If I looked I'd probably find manifestos on kangaroos and speed bumps, for circus clowns and acupuncturists.
And they're all competing to become the least read documents in history.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 30th Apr 2010, icecubed wrote:They may not be read, Michael but with your private education and first class degree, surely you should mention to your readers about the Salisbury Convention and the constitutional importance of manifestos?
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Comment number 2.
At 1st May 2010, icecubed wrote:Judging by the lack of comments, this is the read blog in history!
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Comment number 3.
At 1st May 2010, Simon Whewell wrote:Michael - alongside manifestos published looking out to electorate, 2 major elements seem missing in current debate - wondering if you would consider developing them over the last few days:-
1: The value high earners and successful types DO bring to the economy.
Would love you to compare the financial input economically of a £1.5m earning individual to a £22k earning individual...
- how much tax paid, approx disposable income spent on buildings/home/leisure etc etc
- and then to show what they draw down from the state.. education/health (probably both private with the high earner)
and the cost of state provision of education/health to someone on benefits.
2: Our state investment into the Banks are already yielding profit (9 billion growth on 75Bn investment in Bank shares). Can't be done again.. and bankers/investment co's have caused problems.. but mainly through lack of Govt regulation. Need a thriving banking sector to pay for the future state.
Welcome a society that cares for all, including low incomes, vulnerable..those lacking in fair start but the value of high earners is crucial to all our futures. Feel this is not explained to middle ground and low earners in particular.
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Comment number 4.
At 2nd May 2010, barriesingleton wrote:DOCUMENTS
Michael - you will know of Vaclav Havel's cool comment: "In this revolt, the greengrocer steps out of living within the lie."
The miserable UK counterpoint, is found in a House of Common's Information Office document. The document is entitled: 'YOU AND YOUR MP'. It says in part:
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUR MP
"Your MP will generally do everything he or she can to help constituents, but will not feel able to support every cause, nor will he or she be able to get the desired solution to every individual problem. Members may not be able to support one constituent if in doing so they will deprive another. At times a constituent's DEMANDS may conflict with party policy and your MP will have to decide where their FIRST LOYALTY should lie. The Member may think that, in any case, a majority of constituents would support party policy - after all that is likely to be one of the reasons why they elected him or her."
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(Capitals are mine for emphasis) Note the pejorative use of 'demands' rather than concerns or requests. As for multiple loyalties in a REPRESENTATIVE democracy - only in Westminster.
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