The Westminster Parliament appears to be tearing itself apart. The current turmoil resembles the time before party whips came to play the role they do today. In the old days, parties were not stable: a leader could not depend on the votes of other MPs and Lords as a matter of course. Much of the time, a member of the legislature had to be persuaded or cajoled into voting in favour of a proposal.

NEO ran a post at his blog, yesterday, commemorating George Washington. The post is well worth a read. In particular, I was struck by George Washington’s dislike for political parties (especially on the basis of geographical divisions). He knew history well, and he was a true patriot. He desired that the people would be united and that faction would not lead to tyranny. Struggles, he contended, can lead to people placing their faith in one man:…