Eine kurze Bewertung der britischen Wahlergebnisse, die ich gerade für den Newsletter des Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney geschrieben habe:

The log in the politician’s eyes

Since the beginning of the financial crisis, politicians haven’t hesitated to blame greed and incompetence for our economic problems. In their eyes, everyone else was at fault: the bankers, the managers, and businessmen.

We remember how US carmakers’ executives were grilled twice by the US Senate; how the chief executives of British banks were humiliated by a House of Commons select committee; how our own Prime Minister lectured about the evil ideology of capitalism and neoliberalism. Seldom has it been so easy for politicians to appear so righteous.

The voters, however, are beginning to see through this veil of moral superiority. Almost biblically, they are asking their elected representatives: ‘Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?’

If any evidence for the people’s disenchantment with the political class was needed, it was delivered in the United Kingdom yesterday when the British went to the polls to elect local councils and a new European Parliament.

No, actually that’s not true. In fact, only roughly 30 percent of the British cast their ballot. The rest stayed at home.

Some may think this voter apathy is sheer laziness, but that would be missing the point. A far more convincing explanation is that the British are simply fed up with their political class.

The expenses scandal has made it clear that sleaze and corruption are endemic in the British political system and no party is exempt from it. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also demonstrated his complete inability to lead the country out of its current political and economic malaise (into which he had led it himself). Even senior cabinet ministers are deserting him in droves. Not to be left behind in sheer ineptitude, the opposition parties haven’t been able to cobble together a convincing case that they could be even marginally better.

The voters have drawn their own conclusions. By not voting they have voted against politics. They have expressed their disgust and contempt for politicians promising ever so much yet delivering so little. In doing so, the people have ripped the mask of moral authority from their political leaders.

That sleaze is not only a British phenomenon is clear, just ask Mr Fitzgibbon. And if Australians were not compelled to vote, would you bet on a high turnout?