15 August

People are often disgusted with politicians arguing. This disgust actually irritates me, politics is the way societies invented to resolve their differences. I think it was Paul Keating who once noted that societies whose politicians don't argue usually live in a state of constant civil war. It really amazes me that people think politicians should just 'all get along'. In my experience even in a club or workplace of 5 or 6 people, people often don't get along, they bitch and moan and undermine other people - all the things they hate in politicians. We need to be more grown up about this and recognise that there are profound differences between us sometimes, and they need to be argued out, there is no happy compromise. I love the UK parliament, it's a bear pit. As it bloody should be.