Belgium

Belgium has been run by a "caretaker" government for seven months. Politicians have been told that they have until tomorrow to consider a new plan to break the deadlock following last June's general election.

This BBC article includes the following intriguing quote:

"Seeing the country running without a government for so long without experiencing any major problem might play on the side of those who want the end of the country," says Jean Faniel, researcher in political sciences at Crisp, a Brussels-based politics studies centre.

"They could say: 'You see, we don't really need a federal government, we're doing well without one.'"

There you are: it's official. A modern European country can run without a government. I ask you: why do we put up with it?

Until the next time

Suffocating

Image source: Here

It is well known that Britons are leaving the UK in droves and have been for some years.

The latest scheme from the British Government suggests to this writer that the tide may actually increase - people will feel less oppressed in many countries that were perhaps previously thought to be repressive.

The scheme, which is incredibly ambitious, will be in words from this Gizmodo article, "[a] one-stop-shop database [which] will retain details of all calls, texts, emails, instant messenger conversations and websites accessed in the UK for up to two years."

The bill for the taxpayer will be colossal - well into nine figures, and this will be done without an act of parliament.

Democracy in action then, so that's all right isn't it?

I'm glad that I don't live there any more.

Until the next time.