Any brief look at GE turn-outs will prove that parliament "lost the audience" years and years ago. FPTP with "safe seats", the scandals that are the norm in westminster, the rule by london for london, all play a part in the isolation of politicians from vast swathes of the public. The debates on forums like this are completely alien to half the population who are completely apathetic to politics and politicians. They know that they are inconsequential in every important way, wouldn't even know the name of their MP, still believe what they see in the media, care more about corrie and the pap that they are force-fed than "politics". This has been the reality since the fifties, it suits westminster grandees, who have every incentive to keep the gravy train rolling. thatcher benefitted by motivating "wives" to vote, not for her politics but her gender, but it was a blip, and now the word politician is instant turn-off for millions once more.
A perfect nursery for unscrupulous bastards like murdoch and dacre and the erg, to exploit the situation they helped to create. The amdram theatrics in this thread are quaintly laughable, the loyalties to left or right instantly transparent, everyone oh so sincere, so anxious to deal "the knock-out riposte", but knowing it's utterly pointless. The ponderous sarcasm, the shrill denials, the even shriller accusations, all part of the fun.
Apart from the fuckin' memes.
