After June 2016 I watched in mounting horror as Teresa May serially capitulated to the EU. I watched her cowardly car-crash negotiations while all around her the Remain cadre (the ones that really called the shots) undermined, sabotaged and in some cases outright betrayed their own country.
We were in the process of having the biggest political mandate in UK history flushed down the toilet.
I needed somewhere to go.
No mainstream party was viable. UKIP was broken and turning ugly.
All looked lost.
Then I saw a chink of light - an old friend from many years ago. The Social Democratic Party. They were at the time ( and arguably still are ) the only "sane" party offering a home to Brexit supporters like me.
I did something I have never done before in my life. I joined a political party. I became a member of the SDP.
We were in the process of having the biggest political mandate in UK history flushed down the toilet.
I needed somewhere to go.
No mainstream party was viable. UKIP was broken and turning ugly.
All looked lost.
Then I saw a chink of light - an old friend from many years ago. The Social Democratic Party. They were at the time ( and arguably still are ) the only "sane" party offering a home to Brexit supporters like me.
I did something I have never done before in my life. I joined a political party. I became a member of the SDP.
The SDP is a small but nice party I remained a member up until November 2020. But then I decided to let my membership lapse. It was nothing they had done. They remain a small but nice party and I wish them well for the future, but I decided that I would like to reclaim my political neutrality. Maybe I'll rejoin one day. There is certainly no other party I feel orientated to enough to join.
I remain though intrigued by the possibility offered by the bottom tier of UK government - The Parish/Town councils and how a party like the SDP or any other party for that matter could exploit it. (see some old SDP orientated posts below)
In my posts I'll try and be amusing while I try to make some salient points.
But sometimes I'm just angry. (Sorry)
I took a long break from blogging from roughly 2018 to mid 2019 so I'll draw a line between the modern stuff and the historical.
I remain though intrigued by the possibility offered by the bottom tier of UK government - The Parish/Town councils and how a party like the SDP or any other party for that matter could exploit it. (see some old SDP orientated posts below)
In my posts I'll try and be amusing while I try to make some salient points.
But sometimes I'm just angry. (Sorry)
I took a long break from blogging from roughly 2018 to mid 2019 so I'll draw a line between the modern stuff and the historical.
July 2020
Trump, Biden and Penalty Shoot-outs
November 2019
-------------------
A short series each with an amateur analysis of the prospective vote share achievable by the SDP candidate standing in the 2019 General Election in the following seats
The SDP: 2019 Thirsk & Malton
The SDP: 2019 Tottenham
The SDP: 2019 Havant
The SDP: 2019 Epping Forest
The SDP: 2019 Cambridge
The SDP: 2019 Basildon& Billericay
--------------------
Billothewisps SDP Attack Dog
October 2019
Crime and Contraception
Brexit and the Value of Voting
September 2019
Brexit Party & SDP. A Crazy Idea. But….
Parliament, MPs and a Betrayal of Democracy
July 2019
The EU Parliament: A Fake Democracy
An EU Presidential Election: One Candidate in a Secret Ballot
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A short series on the potential for a small party (like the SDP) in the lower tiers of UK politics and how alliances and associations maybe the way to go
The Social Democratic Party - Where now? (one of six)
The SDP and the Brexit Party (two of six)
UK Local Politics and the Low Hanging Fruit (three of six)
Arming the Parish Councillors (four of six)
Parish Councillors: Party Affiliated? Or Independent? (five of six)
Parish Councils Are Dying. So What? (six of six)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------- The Line. Below this are older posts --------------------------
October 2017
Boycotting a second eu referendum
June 2016
A Love Letter To Europe
UK Foreign Aid, the Eu and German Coffee Barons
Eu Referendum Demographics - A Different take
May 2016
Intimidate us Mr Juncker? I'll Raise you Five
Vetos Turkey the Eu and Deception
The Eu: What Happens when a veto is used
January 2016
Another Year for Sgt Blackman
May 2015
A General Election - Or a Lottery?
The Devils Mark and the UKIP Witch
January 2015
Je Suis Charlie - With Caveats
December 2014
A New Year for Sgt Blackman
September 2013
A Bulgarian Back Door?
June 2013
Safe in Their Hands
May 2013
An Emerging Supermarket Cartel?
February 2013
The Coming Dark Age - Revisited
A Gift Horse in the Mouth
Huhne Pleads Guity
November 2012
Vote Independent for Police Commissioner
Saville McAlpine and the Secret 28
October 2012
BBC Whitewash: Matt or Gloss?
August 2012
Rotten to the Core
Tim Yeo, Contraception and Energy Policy
May 2012
If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next
October 2011
The English MP
September 2011
Redcar and the Barnett Formula
Scottish Tories and a Changing Game
The Road to Weimar UK
Yvette Cooper Immigration and honesty
August 2011
Good News from Redcar Steelworks
Does a Dead Cat Bounce If named Footsie?
June 2011
A Confidential Crime Policy
Rethinking England
Erasing English Politics
May 2011
The Striking Out ofEngland (again)
December 2010
England Almost Unstruck
September 2010
England Erased Revisited
AnEnglish Void
August 2010
England Erased
May 2010
What about England Dave?
Cameron Clegg and Elephants
England In a Losers Coalition
A Greek tragedy and anEnglish Vote
A Scottish Debate inEngland
Aprils 2010
So When Is theEnglish Debate?
Spoil it forEngland
March 2010
English Railways and English Taxes
February 2010
English Sour and Fusion Reactors
AnEnglish Identity
January 2010
AnEnglish Apology
AnEnglish Conspiracy
December 2009
The Striking Out of England
November 2019
-------------------
A short series each with an amateur analysis of the prospective vote share achievable by the SDP candidate standing in the 2019 General Election in the following seats
The SDP: 2019 Thirsk & Malton
The SDP: 2019 Tottenham
The SDP: 2019 Havant
The SDP: 2019 Epping Forest
The SDP: 2019 Cambridge
The SDP: 2019 Basildon& Billericay
--------------------
Billothewisps SDP Attack Dog
October 2019
Crime and Contraception
Brexit and the Value of Voting
September 2019
Brexit Party & SDP. A Crazy Idea. But….
Parliament, MPs and a Betrayal of Democracy
July 2019
The EU Parliament: A Fake Democracy
An EU Presidential Election: One Candidate in a Secret Ballot
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A short series on the potential for a small party (like the SDP) in the lower tiers of UK politics and how alliances and associations maybe the way to go
The Social Democratic Party - Where now? (one of six)
The SDP and the Brexit Party (two of six)
UK Local Politics and the Low Hanging Fruit (three of six)
Arming the Parish Councillors (four of six)
Parish Councillors: Party Affiliated? Or Independent? (five of six)
Parish Councils Are Dying. So What? (six of six)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------- The Line. Below this are older posts --------------------------
October 2017
Boycotting a second eu referendum
June 2016
A Love Letter To Europe
UK Foreign Aid, the Eu and German Coffee Barons
Eu Referendum Demographics - A Different take
May 2016
Intimidate us Mr Juncker? I'll Raise you Five
Vetos Turkey the Eu and Deception
The Eu: What Happens when a veto is used
January 2016
Another Year for Sgt Blackman
May 2015
A General Election - Or a Lottery?
The Devils Mark and the UKIP Witch
January 2015
Je Suis Charlie - With Caveats
December 2014
A New Year for Sgt Blackman
September 2013
A Bulgarian Back Door?
June 2013
Safe in Their Hands
May 2013
An Emerging Supermarket Cartel?
February 2013
The Coming Dark Age - Revisited
A Gift Horse in the Mouth
Huhne Pleads Guity
November 2012
Vote Independent for Police Commissioner
Saville McAlpine and the Secret 28
October 2012
BBC Whitewash: Matt or Gloss?
August 2012
Rotten to the Core
Tim Yeo, Contraception and Energy Policy
May 2012
If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next
October 2011
The English MP
September 2011
Redcar and the Barnett Formula
Scottish Tories and a Changing Game
The Road to Weimar UK
Yvette Cooper Immigration and honesty
August 2011
Good News from Redcar Steelworks
Does a Dead Cat Bounce If named Footsie?
June 2011
A Confidential Crime Policy
Rethinking England
Erasing English Politics
May 2011
The Striking Out of
December 2010
September 2010
An
August 2010
May 2010
What about
Cameron Clegg and Elephants
A Greek tragedy and an
A Scottish Debate in
Aprils 2010
So When Is the
Spoil it for
March 2010
February 2010
An
January 2010
An
An
December 2009
The Striking Out of
