Note: no exacations over the weekend. Postings of whatever amuses me...
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My fellow excavators like to regale me with stories of life in England. I try to reciprocate but sometimes I just can't top them.
The UK had local elections the other day. Council seats and so forth. There was some discussion of the results in the Newcastle region which is known for electoral purposes as the South Shields constituency.
Of course in this very blue collar town Labor won handily. But there was surprise and amusement at the fact that the Liberal Democrat Party came in 7th place only drew 1.42% of the vote...and barely topping the 0.8% (197 total votes) gathered by the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.
Wait a minute....
My friends assured me that such an entity exists, sometimes known locally as the Mad Hatter Party. It was founded by an eccentric musician and perennial candidate who went by the name of Screaming Lord Such.
They have been around for a while now, having acquired its current name in 1983. They have actually had a few candidates win local races but appear to be mostly an elaborate satire on British politics.
Many such movements do not survive the death of their founder. But when Screaming Lord Such died in 1999 (by suicide, sadly) the torch was taken up by the political power couple of Howling Laud Hope and his pet Catmando
Catmando has also met his Maker (run over) but Howling Laud is still carrying on the good fight and was the fellow responsible for the humbling of the Liberal Democrats.
As to the policies of the OMRLP and what they would do if actually put into power.....oh, like it matters. They just like dressing in silly outfits, adopting silly names and tweaking the noses of the powerful.
The real Loony Fringe!
I never knew that there was a real Monster Raving Loony party.
ReplyDeleteOf course, we have two of them here on this side of the Pond.