"Report Says Crisis Curbs Need for Democracy"

"The UK does not need to move toward greater democracy because the financial crisis requires strong leadership, a think tank close to the labour Party said in a report.

The report appears to pour cold water on PM Gordon Brown's declared intentions of cautiously reforming the UK's tightly controlled political system.

"It would be more honest and realistic to say that the democratization of the UK's political system in the near future cannot be a priority. ... The priority for now is good governance," the Government Democratic Council which is headed by senior Minister Peter Mandelson, said in the report released last week.

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Brown has carefully cultivated an image as a liberal since his election, though analysts say he has made very few substantive changes so far.

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"In times of war and crisis, a successful political system becomes charismatic and therefore inevitably more authoritarian. A storm requires a captain," the report said.

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"It's pretty clear a mass-scale democratization will never take place in the UK," said..."

Powerful stuff! Actually some of the words have been changed from the original article in the Moscow Times. Do read the original, but the parallels are quite scary. It is odd to be living in an age where comparisons between authoritarian governments like that in Russia can be made to the Labour UK government with people nodding and saying 'yes, you have a point'