The British General Election

Thanks to the BBC and by virtue of being 6 hours ahead of the UK together with still being on holiday, we are enjoying great coverage of the cattle trading prior to the formation of the next British government. I remember 1974 when Britain last had a hung parliament though my memories are more of the personalities than their policies..... Ted Heath, Harold Wilson & Jeremy Thorpe. I must add that here in Thailand it is baking hot and the mercury today in Ratchaburi tipped 38º C, that is over 100º Fahrenheit. I managed to play golf this morning and it became uncomfortably hot and sticky as we progressed.

Back to the UK election, I don't think anyone really knows what is going to happen. The incumbent Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has impressed me. Clearly Labour support rallied in the final days of the campaign because he wasn't supposed to be still in the game at this stage of proceedings. I must confess to being a fan and a Labour supporter. I support the level playing field that Labour advocates in respect of health and education: no one should be disadvantaged on either count.

I find it hard to believe that the Liberal Democrats will throw their lot in with The Conservatives. They are hardly happy bedfellows and I cannot see The Conservatives agreeing to electoral reform. Whatever it is fascinating political theatre and it is fantastic to have it piped into my air-conditioned bedroom. Who really knows where this is going.