After two days of debate and 91 Tory MPs revolting against the government, one thing is very clear; the House of Lords Reform Bill is dead in the water. There is clearly no appetite for it now, not in its current state and for it to be considered seriously, it needs to become a different bill altogether.

Yes the current Bill was passed by a handsome majority of 338 MPs – 462 votes to 124 MPs but there is a strong feeling that such a huge constitutional change cannot be rushed through to appease or even honour an agreement.

If we put to one side the appalling timing of these reforms; it is no secret our country is under great pain and in my opinion as it is the opinion of many, both Parliament and the Coalition Government should be fully focused on fixing the nation’s economy, not constitutional reforms.

Never thought I will side with Labour but on this occasion, I too believe such a significant change to the foundation of our democracy should not be decided in committee rooms or late night sitting alone. It should be decided by the public. The people whom its outcome it will directly affect and the voters who will decide who should represent them.

There is no doubt in my mind that there are aspects of the upper house that needs refreshing, but there also should be a referendum on a better developed bill. The House of Lords in its current form had served us well for centuries and if we are to abolish it for a new fully or partially elected house, we then owe it to our history, tradition, our nation and not to mentions our Lords, for the people to be consulted. That is the democratic way to do things!

The institution that served us well for centuries cannot and should not be transformed without consulting those who will directly be affected by its reforms.

Like defacing and burning flags are signs of intellectual bankruptcy. They show a lack of self-expression and an inability to communicate civilly, especially in a place like the UK, where freedom of expression is not restricted.

That’s why I was shocked to learn about what happened over the weekend at St Andrews at the hands of the Conservative students association. They had many ways to express their distaste of the US president and his policies, but burning his effigy shouldn’t in any circumstance have been one of them.

Thankfully since then, Matthew Marshall, the president of the St Andrews Conservative Association has rightly apologized for the offence his association has caused.

First, it is becoming too crowded and over populated by politicians of all hues and flavors. Many on either side of politics fiercely fight to occupy and represent it but come election time, they equally insist they are different! Meanwhile to the voting public they seem too similar, offering the same politics with different colour rosettes, separated with maybe one or two issues here and there.

The second problem with the center is that it’s vague. It reminds me with the saying “Jack of All Trades – Master of None” because it’s a place where the similarities outnumber the differences. It’s where overlaps are common place and uniqueness is hardly there. It’s where politicians can go as close as possible to the other side without having to crossover. Modernizers regard it as “inclusive and progressive” but to the non-politicos ordinary folk; it’s plain confusing and even messy.

Having said that, once in a while, a politician succeeds in occupying and capitalizing on it! Recently, Tony Blair did just that in the 90s and managed three consecutive wins. However, a decade later when Cameron took the Tories to the center ground and although it appeared modern and ‘progressive’, electorally it cost him and his party a 20 point lead. At a time when Blair’s Labour was on its knees and Brown was a sitting duck Prime Minster! The centre ground that gave Blair three consecutive wins and his historic two landslides backfired in 2010 and delivered a hung parliament resulting in the historic Coalition between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats!

Why?

During the Sky TV Debates, and before Brown and Cameron began to agree with Nick, the public saw three leaders representing three different parties, with very little difference between them. They saw clearly what some suspected and many commentators tried to communicate – that our politics today is so similar there is little to disagree about!

That’s the problem with the centre ground today – instead of being the middle ground where politics meet for a compromise and conflict resolution – it is now the home of all political parties, where all election will result in a hung parliament and the country is governed by coalitions.

…another ‘calm down dear’ moment or just simply getting caught off guard by the relentless Ms. Dorries?

Well the little kids are back in school and the big kids are back in Westminster. With so much to choice from – after six weeks recess – any politician worth his socks knows the one issue to talk about and chew over until November (budget) will be the economy.

Ed Miliband, latest style of calm long winded questioning – them KAPOW land a hit was great fun the first few times. Now, the surprise element is no longer there and I find myself simply counting down for the punch line – which becomes very obvious by the second or third question.

Of course David Cameron would have been ready with a number of quotes about any economy question – it was on the news that he walked into Parliament armed with a copy of Alistair Darling’s memoirs – but to all together avoid asking any question on the economy is cowardice and will backfire. Miliband should have used the Band-Aid solution – just swiftly and firmly dived in and took the pain like a man – it would have hurt but also done, over, finished…NEXT!

However, PMQs today wasn’t totally surprise free – Nadine Dorries asked the PM isn’t it about time he told the Deputy Prime Minister who is the boss?” Cameron, in an attempt to empathize with her replied – I know how Nadine is “frustrated” … it was funny but can also be trouble… time will tell!

The other was Mr. Speaker actually attacking Labour and accusing some opposition backbenchers of “organized barracking”…… was that ‘a new sheriff in town’ moment or just a one off….., time will tell here too!

In summery – I have to agree with the Guru, Steve Hilton – “Dave danced like a butterfly and stung like a bee”

Several Labour politicians – some more subtly than others – are desperately trying to pin the recent riots on cuts and benefit reforms and that in my opinion is short sighted and political suicide. Especially as most areas affected by the recent riots are strong Labour areas!

The looters, they are trying to excuse and defend, nine times out of ten are not the voting types – nor are they the political campaign supporting kind either.

However, those businesses, their owners and their families are. In addition to that, these business owners are more likely to be rooted in their community. They are most probably the ones the community respects and go to for support in youth programmes and projects, and they are most likely the ones asked to help out when organizations fall short of funds or need a top up or to pilot some new projects – and in many cases they are the voice and leaders of those communities. The larger businesses are the ones that offer work experience to young people and donate pro bono services to the public. In other words, they are the group that can help change things to the better not the other way round.

That’s why every time a lefty lamely attempts to excuse the criminals and reluctantly condemn their behaviour I want to scream at the box “You stupid idiot, politics has rot your brains and you need a new one”.