All these things that I have done

I've never forgiven him for knifing Charles Kennedy in the back

Also tribalism, non? ;-)

What political parties in general, or this in particular? I trusted, liked and agreed with (as far as one can for someone who one only sees in the media) Kennedy, so I was very annoyed when they decided to dump him for more or less no reason. I think of it more as a personal vendetta - if it was tribalism, it'd be more like it for me to close ranks with the party, I would have thought.

Politics in general is very tribal though, and the parties do do that sort of thing a lot - unable to welcome good ideas just because they come from the other side and that sort of thing.

This bit in particular, though there is a general point to be made - I was about to reply to your comment on my rugby post making this particular point. People are generally quite tribal, and if it's not for sport then it's often for politics. I was wondering why you thought it "worrying" when it was to do with sport, and yet apparently less so when it's Charlie v. Ming?

It's when it turns to violence that I find it worrying, as in the Rangers/Celtic example. I would put the Irish Protestant/Catholic thing in the same category - violent tribalism is not confined to sport. It's also true that the impulse to not support the other side because they're the other side is not confined to violent tribalism (witness politics, as I said above). I just found the choice of such a particularly violent example odd.

ps - my favourite politician ever was a friend of the family, and has now sadly passed away, but he was in the Assembly, and a scientist, and was well known for being able to be persuaded by an argument, and to change his stance accordingly. One of a rare breed...

Yeah, they're not all bad :)

It's a tricky call though - is it much better to side with the people who knifed Ming?

Ming was a pretty unsuccessful leader, where as Kennedy was doing really well right up to the point where Ming decided he wanted the job so I'm less concerned about him. Also, there doesn't seem to be any consensus as to jump or pushed at this stage - I'll have to see who's on the ballot.

"Barin is the rightful heir!"

(...yes, 'Flash Gordon' was on TV again last week.)