Sometimes, it seems that the actions of those who debate the important issues of the day in our nations parliament building, resemble a 'Punch and Judy' puppet show more than they do any serious kind of political theatre.

Many of the most important questions are never addressed and when they do appear, they often wear the superficial clothing of scripted soundbites, or else are garbed in obscure linguistic technicalities. These serve only to obscure the shape and form of the issues they are supposed to uncover. In this matter, the government and the opposition parties often act in collusion; both concealing more than the reveal and both appearing to be party to private agendas that are never disclosed, and which remain largely incomprehensible to the general public.

Many of the most powerful lobbys funding and informing the policy development of political party agendas are not visibly apparent. They are rarely discussed openly. Where government itself is concerned, it is only as its period in office unfolds that the vested interests lying below the carefully cultivated propoganda surface begin to become visible.

When they do appear, it is often in a manner which tends to obscure their real significance and importance. This concealment, is further aided by the actions and statements of ministers and politicians themselves, who either have much to lose, or a great deal to gain in the overall equation.

Thus it is that our 'honorable members' often seem content to focus the discussion  on those areas of policy (and upon those issues) which serve to direct the course of investigation and the parameters of political debate into channels which can be easily controlled.

Indeed it is rare to see any politician appear in the House of Commons, who seems able to transcend the carefully contrived limitations placed upon them by the personnel managers of the party whip. Even rarer, the sight of one making a bold and brave defense of genuine principle, or pointing out the obvious underlying similarities, in the supposedly opposing positions of the political opponents facing each other across the parliamentary floor.

Against this backdrop, it seems pertinent to ask if the British parliamentary system is in fact merely an elaborately staged political puppet show, where our most prominent politicians act out the scripted agendas crafted for them by a group of largely unseen puppeteers; all the time cheered and jeered by an enthusiastic (though largely irrelevant) parliamentary audience of backbenchers and career politicians.

Is it possible, that some members of the current British government are now serving out their term of office, in the fore-knowledge that (barring some unforeseen circumstance), they will not be re-elected to serve a fourth term in government? Have certain powerful controlling interests privately concluded that the shelf life of this current administration is nearing its sell by date?

As strange as such questions may sound to someone who believes that the visible faces of our government are the real ruling heads of the political body we call the state; they do appear to be consistent with the evidence provided by this current governments recent behavior. Certainly the Labour leadership is demonstrating an amazing tendency to shoot itself in the foot of late and is doing so with an increasingly ridiculous (and barely believable) frequency.

Some will argue that it is the British people who decide who governs them and that they do so at the ballot box. The myth of our egalitarian parliamentary democracy (if in fact it is a myth) is the most important and powerful controlling paradigm of our culture. Yet it must be noted, that even in a supposed political democracy, the political good sense of the people can be hijacked and manipulated by unscrupulous interests.

The will of a people to make informed decisions about the men who govern on their behalf, is largely dependent on what they actually know about them.  Leaders do not govern in a vacumn, nor do they rise to prominence solely by virtue of their own efforts. Such men (and women) are promoted to power by virtue of the association and support of others, who both sponsor their political careers and help to build and craft the image which is presented to the public.

Information of that kind is very powerful and can make or break a political career. The asscociations and special interests which underly a politicians rise to prominence are not generally broadcast very widely. In addition much of the most vital and secret information in our society is not in the hands of politicians themselves, but is instead  likely to be provided to them piecemeal by those in a position to bestow it. It will be given at a price, that being, a degree of loyalty or allegiance to the agenda of the provider of that information.

Politicians are only human-beings and as such, are liable to be influenced, controlled, or even blackmailed  by those with the will and power to do so. It is naive to imagine that the political surface is all that it appears to be, or that we the people are truly informed of what manner and type of person or organisation may wield unseen influence over the people we elect to be our spokesmen.

Perhaps where this current government is concerned, it is simply a case of long-term arrogance breeding complacent incompetence.  Regardless of the visible or invisible truth, with every day that passes, it is looking ever more likely that the Conservative party led (but perhaps not controlled by) by Mr David Cameron, will be forming the next visible leadership front to be presented to the British public. That he will be doing so on behalf of a power that sits concealed behind the spin, rhetroric and theatrics of the parliamentary puppet show,is a fact in doubt only to those who have not observed the hidden hands so obviously pulling the strings.