Posted by Dan Ewert : 2/03/2003 11:25:00 PM (Archive Link)
If you’ve never watched any coverage of the British House of Commons on CSPAN, you should. At least once. It’s quite entertaining. The MP’s address their questions to the House Speaker but they’re really intended for the Prime Minister who’s sitting right there. An example, “Mr. Speaker, I would like to know if the Prime Minister can explain such and such…” Then Tony Blair will step up to his podium and respond. Also, they always refer to each other as “Right Honorable Gentlemen” or “Right Honorable Friend.” If the MP’s agree with something that’s said, they’ll stand up for a second or two and then sit down. If they disagree, they’ll make a grumbling noise. It’s a constant Q&A of the Prime Minister, though, like some extended cross-ex. Blair’s up to the challenge and it’s impressive to see just how nimble he is at answering questions. It’s also odd to see a foreign government openly debating American policy. I’ll also say that Tony Blair is a true friend of the American people and the best ally we have.

Speaking of, you might find this article interesting. It discusses England’s relationships to America and to the EU and the choices it must make in how close to be to each. Personally, I think the more distance it keeps from the mainlanders, the better. Any country that joins the EU will increasingly lose its own autonomy. What’s good for the EU is not what will be good for Britain politically, militarily, or economically.