[Tealeaf]

Trouble is, Bob, the Council is a bit behind the times. We used to have - as part of the unwritten constitution of this country - the concepts of "collective cabinet responsibility". "individual ministerial responsibility" and the Prime Minister was merely the "First Among Equals".

Alas, this all began to change with Thatcher and now with Blair. He take decisions and determins major policy whether the cabinet likes it or not; their role is simply to fill in the bits and provide the mouthpiece. Other than in name, our system of government is now a Presidential one - more so probably than even in the US, where at least Congress is independant of the Executive.

So come on Hyndburn Council. Move with the times. Get yourself a President before it's to late - someone who can go naked into the conference chamber and seriously kick some Blackburn-with-Darwen ****....come on, now - who's it going to be?


hells bells - the censor's got out of bed early this morning....