The most dangerous ideas are not those that challenge the status quo. The most dangerous ideas are those so embedded in the status quo, so wrapped in a cloud of inevitability, that we forget they are ideas at all.

Jacob M. Appel, Phoning Home: Essays

Graham Brady has an article in the Speccie, one which highlights a paper published by Reform; an, in their own words, independent think tank. It is extremely difficult to know where to begin critiquing both Brady’s Foreward; and those of Brake and Flynn – let alone the Reform paper itself, without repeating everything I have ever written on the subject of democracy,representative democracy and the deficits therein; and the supposed intelligence of MPs (something Flynn reckons there is a great depth thereof in Parliament).

When a supposed think tank ‘discovers’ the problem that is inherent in the payroll vote and then proposes the idea that reducing the number of MPs may reduce the effect of the problem; the mind can only boggle. Surely if Reform is a think tank then it is a tank without the power to think. If a problem is identified, then is not the cure to eradicate same, not reduce it?

But then where tanks that do not seem able to think are concerned, Reform is not unique. We seem to have a plethora of them, headed by those who do not seem to recognise that their ideas are, in fact, the most dangerous as they are embedded in the status quo; ie, in common with our political class they are loath to lose the power they are able to wield, coupled with the fact, which is common to both, they so obviously know nowt – or do not wish to acknowledge owt – about that which they pontificate.

Where existing ‘think tanks’ are concerned I find it difficult to believe that there exists one whose head does not have a hidden agenda, one which encapsulates either leading the ‘In’ or ‘Out’ campaign, come any referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU. or becoming an MP; or even when considering politicians speaking against EU membership, leader of their party. A cynical view that may be – but would anyone wish to argue against it? Do feel free, please.

I can but hope that the group, formed as a result of my initiative back in May last year, will be different – I live in hope. I can but remind them that my criticism of anti-EU groups to date has been one that all have lost sight of their raison d’être; and have become but a nest of egotism, founded on careerism – something they have in common with our political class, but I digress.

We have been informed that the forthcoming general election is one of great importance – and it is. But who, in that nest of egotism which is founded on careerism, has really ‘homed in’ on the subject central to this election; namely that of democracy, one which encapsulates the question to whom does this country belong: the people or a small group of entwined, self-centred elitists? It is indeed a tad late to raise such a question, but it is a question that has not been raised and one I fear we will live to regret in the years to come.

Having said that, are we not part of repeating history? Have not all nations sleepwalked into oblivion?