With the tragic events in Paris and the on-going threat to both our own country, Europe and much of the rest of the world, we need our democracy to function properly. It is essential that we stand together, take decisive action when it is needed and ensure the values that underpin our society are defended.
But one key element is missing: We seem to have no effective opposition in parliament (although the House of Lords are doing their best). This is not to “oppose” for the sake of it, but to ensure government is supported in times of threat and crisis but also held to account.
For this to happen, there needs to be an effective leader of the opposition who demonstrates that they understand the issues facing the nation and who carries the confidence of the nation in performing their role. Unfortunately we have a Labour party leader who fails on both counts, just at a point in our history when an effective leader is essential to ensure that our democracy functions properly.