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Popewatch finally over
Apr. 2nd, 2005 09:19 pmWell, thank God it's over.
The question in my mind is this: for the UK, where a General Election is imminent, political news will vie with news first about the Pope's funeral, and then the election and coronation of the new one. If my recollection is correct, John Paul II's funeral will be sometime towards the end of next week (Thursday or Friday). The Conclave begins 15 days after the pope's death, or 20 days at the latest. That would mean April 17 or 18th for the start of the Conclave, and probably an election by the 20th. The Coronation (perhaps they don't call it that any more) will then happen sometime toward the 25th to the 30th of April.
Parliament is probably going to be dissolved by the end of next week, and an election will probably happen on May 5th, when local elections for most of the local councils in England and Wales are set. So people's attention will be divided between the two elections, one Papal, the other Presidential...er...Parliamentary (sorry for the slip; it's so easy...) It will be difficult for the political parties to capture the mood and mind of the electorate when the media will be full of Roman Catholic pomp and ceremony.
This is probably one of the worst things that could happen to UK politics short of an assassination or the death of the monarch.
Oh, and that little soirée in Windsor? Who cares about that any more?!!
The question in my mind is this: for the UK, where a General Election is imminent, political news will vie with news first about the Pope's funeral, and then the election and coronation of the new one. If my recollection is correct, John Paul II's funeral will be sometime towards the end of next week (Thursday or Friday). The Conclave begins 15 days after the pope's death, or 20 days at the latest. That would mean April 17 or 18th for the start of the Conclave, and probably an election by the 20th. The Coronation (perhaps they don't call it that any more) will then happen sometime toward the 25th to the 30th of April.
Parliament is probably going to be dissolved by the end of next week, and an election will probably happen on May 5th, when local elections for most of the local councils in England and Wales are set. So people's attention will be divided between the two elections, one Papal, the other Presidential...er...Parliamentary (sorry for the slip; it's so easy...) It will be difficult for the political parties to capture the mood and mind of the electorate when the media will be full of Roman Catholic pomp and ceremony.
This is probably one of the worst things that could happen to UK politics short of an assassination or the death of the monarch.
Oh, and that little soirée in Windsor? Who cares about that any more?!!
