Yes, yes we can. In a representative oligarchy, a government should execute exactly the planks in their manifesto, along with any policies that come along as a result of unforseen circumstances that are inline with their manifesto.
In this case, the policy meant to be implemented was significantly higher than the plank promised (to the extent that the Lords broke the Salisbury Convention for the first time ever), and the goverment was deceptive in terms of the aims, costs, and effects of the policy.
There is a mechanism for consultation for the electorate that stops short of a referendum, which is a green paper. If the government were unsure enough of the correctness of what they were doing that they wanted to be able to back out, they should have issued one; they should stick to any policy decisions that they make.
Anything else leads inevitably to populism and headline-chasing.
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Date: 2006-12-19 03:01 pm (UTC)In this case, the policy meant to be implemented was significantly higher than the plank promised (to the extent that the Lords broke the Salisbury Convention for the first time ever), and the goverment was deceptive in terms of the aims, costs, and effects of the policy.
There is a mechanism for consultation for the electorate that stops short of a referendum, which is a green paper. If the government were unsure enough of the correctness of what they were doing that they wanted to be able to back out, they should have issued one; they should stick to any policy decisions that they make.
Anything else leads inevitably to populism and headline-chasing.