LIES, DAMNED LIES AND POLITICIANS..

The `debate` in Parliament today is, of course, entirely academic, simply because the result of the vote at the end of it is a foregone conclusion.   But once again any prospect of even discussing a referendum on Britain`s membership of the EU send politicians into paroxysms of panic.

Successive Prime Ministers - Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown and now Cameron - have all promised a referendum in their pre-election manifestos which, years ago, used to mean something approaching a promise to the electorate to be honoured.   Not any more.

And so today Cameron is coming the heavy with his back bench `rebels,` who aren`t really rebels anyway because they are simply seeking to keep faith with those pre-election manifesto promises;   the Tory Whips are going around issuing dark threats in dark corners, a three-line whip is in place along with all the paraphernalia of heavy handed political persuasion.   Simply to put the lid on a discussion that might lead to a non-binding vote in favour of doing what they said they would do.  

All of the trite excuses are being trotted out - it`s not the priority at the moment - there are other more important things - it`s not the right time - and so on.   All in the face of overwhelming opinion polls that show a large majority in favour of having a referendum now - the respected YouGov poll published today shows  as many as 66%  in favour, 20% against and the remaining 14% unfathomably seeming not to know.

Now, for me at least, the issue of the referendum itself is almost secondary to the wider concern that, if promises were made to have one and the vast majority of the electorate say they want one now, then it`s pretty clear that the political class are once more treating the electors with contempt, ignoring public opinion and failing to represent those they should be representing.   And all because they are terrified of the answer the electorate might give.   It really does come to something when elected representatives are terrified of the majority wishes of those whom they are supposed to represent.

And they wonder why they themselves are treated with the contempt they deserve by those like me who are tired of being lied to, tired of being taken for granted and, most disturbingly of all, tired of having our intelligence continually insulted.  Time for another riot, I think.