Oh dear.  That old adage about never discussing politics or religion in refined circles, must be broken here

Of course we vote for our MP’s, but recent events (duck houses, flipping homes) must surely demonstrate quite clearly that we have no control over what they do once they’re in there.  There are a few exceptions who spend their time in Parliament really believing that they can make changes, but any changes that do occur are merely tinkering at the edges.  It’s a very naïve view to believe that we have had a Labour Government since the Tories went:  we’ve had another Tory Government in all but name.  Remember too that we have a Parliamentary Democracy, which means that we have a true democracy only on that one particular day when we each cast our votes.

Might I suggest a look at the role of the Ideological State Apparatus and the Repressive State Apparatus, by that great man Louis Althusser who sums up the true state of play as far as I’m concerned.

I promise not to say another word.