In addition to the regular questions we are also seeking your views on what the Conservatives should do to ensure victory, which 'big beasts' should rejoin the frontbench and whether Turkey should join the EU...
« December 2009 | Main | February 2010 »
In addition to the regular questions we are also seeking your views on what the Conservatives should do to ensure victory, which 'big beasts' should rejoin the frontbench and whether Turkey should join the EU...
Posted at 13:37 in ConservativeHome Members' Panel | Permalink | Comments (95)
"The moment a burglar steps over your threshold, and invades your property, with all the threat that gives to you, your family and your livelihood, I think they leave their human rights outside."
Mr Cameron made the remarks during an interview for BBC1's Politics Show, due to be broadcast from noon (tennis permitting).
Tim Montgomerie
> From December's ToryDiary: Chris Grayling will strengthen legal rights of householders to defend their property and families from intruders
Posted at 10:16 in Law and order | Permalink | Comments (170)
With opinion polls pointing to the possibility of a hung parliament, the News of the World reports that David Cameron is preparing to fight a second election if he does not secure a decisive victory.
A Tory source told the newspaper:
"We are looking at holding a second election if we only win a small majority first time round. It would be called in a matter of months. It all depends how difficult things are and how small our majority is in the first vote."
The News of the World speculates that a second election would be fought after Cameron had slashed business rates to jump start economic growth and had announced a crackdown on immigration.
Measures to cut MPs' perks, increase householders' rights against burglars and a freeze in council tax might also form the launch pad for a Tory second election campaign.
The Tories may also hope that discipline breaks down in the Labour Party if it loses the levers of power. This morning's Sunday Times says that Brown wants to remain Labour leader even if he is beaten. New revelations that he used violence against staff can only increase the pressure on him to stand down at the earliest opportunity.
ConHome has argued that the danger of a hung parliament needs to be front and centre in Tory tactics NOW.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 09:00 in Conservative strategy, Opinion polls | Permalink | Comments (81)
ConservativeHome recently published a poll of Tory members that found reducing Britain's carbon footprint was a low priority for the next generation of Conservative MPs.
This letter from David Cameron's office to a correspondent has just been drawn to my attention:
"Thank you very much for getting in touch with David Cameron about your concerns over the integrity of climate scientists at the IPCC. I apologise for the delay in replying but over the last couple of months there has been a huge increase in the number of e-mails David has received each day and it taking us a little longer than usual to reply to each one.
I can see that you feel recent allegations have cast doubt over the case for climate change, and the integrity of the science. However, our view is that public policy on climate change has been built over many years, with input from a wide variety of expert sources, and we do need to significantly reduce our carbon emissions.
It is always right to keep an open mind, and question scientific theories. But, those in favour of doing nothing on the basis of scientific scepticism need to show that the risks we run by not acting are small and manageable. Given all the information and evidence we now have, that is a very difficult case to make.
I will, of course, ensure that David is made aware if your concerns, but I am afraid we may have to agree to disagree on this issue.
Whatever your views are, we cannot afford not to go green. The UK economy is still dependent for more than 90 per cent of its energy needs on fossil fuels, which increasingly come from imports. With the era of cheap oil now well and truly over, our fossil fuel dependency is making us uncompetitive and vulnerable to geopolitical shocks.
We can build a secure, prosperous future, but only if we start the work of transforming our national energy infrastructure now, by increasing energy efficiency and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Being at the cutting edge of new technologies in the energy industry is precisely the action that is needed to prevent the power cuts the Government is predicting by 2017, and it ensures that Britain’s consumers and businesses are protected against the consequences of volatile and rising oil prices into the future.
We need to make the transition to a low carbon economy urgently, and I hope you’ll agree that our plans for a Low Carbon Economy will help create hundreds of thousands of jobs, raise skills and improve Britain’s competitiveness.
Thank you, once again, for taking the time and trouble to write."
Hat tip to An Englishman's Castle.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 19:10 in Environment | Permalink | Comments (125)
Posted at 17:04 in ConservativeHome Members' Panel | Permalink | Comments (54)
We had a YouGov poll overnight suggesting a 7% Tory lead. Nigel Nelson of The People has just Twittered this YouGov finding for his newspaper tomorrow:
For reasons outlined here I don't believe that a 40% to 31% actual result would produce a hung parliament. Nonetheless, the Tories need a more disciplined campaign and a more positive message if they are to be sure of avoiding an indecisive election result.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 12:42 in Opinion polls | Permalink | Comments (83)
There are two slightly worrying opinion polls overnight. Jonathan reported the Tory lead down to 8% last night and another poll by YouGov has the Tory lead down to 7%.
Within the detail of the poll there is still plenty for the Tories to work with: 64% are dissatisfied with Mr Brown’s performance and Cameron enjoys a 33% to 23% lead over Brown when it comes to preferred Prime Minister.
If David Cameron is to regain his large lead he needs to make a more positive case for voting Conservative. ConHome's 'Closing the deal' series attempted to set that out earlier in the week. The Tories' number one job must be to frame this election as a choice between a hung parliament and a strong Conservative government. Given that there has not been a single opinion poll that suggests Labour can win outright, voters considering supporting Nick Clegg's party need to know that only a strong Conservative government can deal with the deficit.
But on the deficit Cameron has sown confusion in the last 24 hours. Almost every newspaper (including the FT) has seized on hints he made at Davos that Conservative spending cuts might not be very extensive at first. This is how Peter Oborne reports Mr Cameron's gaffe:
"On Thursday, Cameron conceded in an interview with the BBC business editor Robert Peston at Davos that making cuts too early could have the effect of jeopardising economic recovery. The truth is that Cameron is significantly more nervous than Osborne about spending cuts. Indeed, his comment didn't go down at all well in his No 2's office because Cameron appeared to be endorsing Labour criticism of the Tory economic policy. And yesterday, making a speech to British businessmen, he widened the fissure with Osborne by insisting the cuts did not have to be 'particularly extensive'."
Spending cuts need to be extensive and immediate. A new government needs to convince the markets that we will get a grip on the budget deficit or we will - as Cameron regularly warns - go the way of Greece. We also need to get the pain out of the way as quickly as possible. Waiting until Years 2 or 3 of any Conservative government to cut spending will harm the chances of re-election.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 08:49 in Economic policy, Opinion polls, Tax and spending | Permalink | Comments (206)
Anthony Wells at UK Polling Report points us to the publication today of the ever volatile monthly Ipsos-Mori poll, which has the parties on the following numbers:
Conservatives - 40% (-3)
Labour - 32% (+6)
Lib Dems - 16% (-4)
The comparisons are with the last Ipsos-Mori poll, which was published six weeks ago, a week before Christmas.
These figures compute into a hung Parliament with the Conservatives five seats short of a majority, according to UK Pollling Report's Swing Calculator.
Jonathan Isaby
Posted at 23:32 in Opinion polls | Permalink | Comments (51)
PoliticalBetting has this afternoon released the results of its latest Angus Reid poll. The numbers are:
The comparisons are with the equivalent poll from earlier in January.
UK Polling Report computes those figures into a Conservative majority of 88.
Mike Smithson points out that this is "the third successive poll in the Angus Reid/PB series where the CON-LAB shares have been precisely the same - 40 and 24."
Jonathan Isaby
Posted at 15:53 in Opinion polls | Permalink | Comments (47)
Paul Goodman rightly wrote earlier this week in support of Owen Paterson for helping convene talks between the two main Unionist parties in Northern Ireland - the UUP, with whom the Conservatives have forged an electoral alliance, and the more hardline DUP.
However, the latest news to emerge fro Northern Ireland, according to the BBC, is that the UUP and DUP both took part in secret "unity talks" convened by the Orange Order in December.
This is a somewhat alarming development and Mr Paterson has told the BBC that he knew nothing about the meeting, would not comment until he had spoken to UUP leader, Sir Reg Empey, and that he was seeking to speak to him urgently.
More detail will follow as and when it emerges.
3.45pm update: Owen Paterson has released the following statement:
"In his capacity as Ulster Unionist leader, Sir Reg Empey regularly meets all strands of opinion throughout Northern Ireland. He referred 'in passing' to a meeting, requested in October and held in December, but I was not aware of the content or the participants. As there was nothing of consequence arising from the meeting he did not mention it to me again. Sir Reg Empey has made clear to me that it has no bearing on our joint determination to stand together as 'Conservatives and Unionists' at the forthcoming Westminster elections to bring national, mainstream and non-sectarian politics to Northern Ireland."
5pm update: Sir Reg Empey has made the following statement:
“The Ulster Unionist Party was invited in October 2009 by the Orange Order to a meeting with their Grand Master. On behalf of the UUP I accepted the invitation. Mr Saulters wanted a private and confidential meeting to discuss ‘ways and means of finding co-operation on the way forward.’ I have respected his request for confidentiality. Sadly this was not respected by others. Despite a conversation and discussion on the issues that Mr Saulters wished to raise, no agreements were reached.
"We are often asked to talk about Unionist cooperation where possible and about how best to provide stability for the future of Northern Ireland. However the UUP is very much aware, given past history, that cooperation is not always achievable. Indeed it makes it much more difficult when a significant aim of one of the organisations you are dealing with is to destroy you. The Ulster Unionist Party will continue to have discussions with organisations on issues that are of benefit to the Union, but we will not be used as an escape route for others who have significant political difficulties.
"Let me also reaffirm my commitment to developing our relationship with the Conservative Party. Along with our Conservative colleagues we will do all we can to promote, protect and preserve the Union and bring national politics unto the Northern Ireland agenda. The spectacle of recent days in our political journey at Hillsborough illustrates the need to get back as soon as possible to dealing with the issues that matter to people such as jobs, health and education.”
Jonathan Isaby
Posted at 14:17 in Northern Ireland | Permalink | Comments (81)
Shadow chancellor George Osborne has co-authored a piece in today's Guardian with Richard Thaler, the American economist and promoter of 'Nudge' theory.
They write:
"If we recognise that people do not always act rationally, what does this mean for public policy? This is where behavioural economics and social psychology... comes in. These disciplines are enabling us to develop a new approach to policymaking, based on empirical evidence about how people really behave
"Evidence from behavioural economics and social psychology can't only help us meet our goals more effectively, it can also help us to achieve them more cheaply, and without intrusive and burdensome regulations. This is therefore a fundamentally conservative approach, which can help us to reduce government spending and get the deficit down, while at the same time building a more responsible society where people are in control."
They go on to give examples of how the theory translates into policy:
"Because the academic literature shows the importance of a way a decision is framed, the Conservative party is working with councils to replace Labour's bin taxes with schemes that pay the public to recycle. In Windsor and Maidenhead our pilot scheme has already increased recycling rates by 30%. And because the behavioural sciences show that people often make bad decisions when they're excited by the prospect of immediate gratification, a Conservative government will impose a seven-day cooling off period for store credit cards, so shoppers can't immediately rack up debts on them when they sign up at the till. That's a far less intrusive way to tackle problem debt than banning store cards, for example, or introducing a new tax."
Click here to read the whole piece.
Jonathan Isaby
Posted at 08:39 in The big picture | Permalink | Comments (44)
David Cameron is at the World Economic Forum in Davos and gave an interview to tonight's Channel Four News, as Faisal Islam blogs:
David Cameron told Channel 4 News today that the Conservatives would start cutting the deficit this year, even if Britain relapses into recession in this quarter. “We’re saying we must make a start in 2010,” he told me in Davos. In one of his first interviews following this week’s poor economic numbers he did concede that a renewed economic contraction meant “the scale of what you might want to do needs to be worked out in conjunction with the Bank of England”.
Warning of “Greek-style interest rates”, Cameron said that cutting the debt would be the Conservatives “number 1 priority”. Of his fiscal austerity message, he said: “I accept these are not traditional ways of winning a general election, but we are being truthful with the british people and I think they respect that.”
He confirmed that the Conservatives back President Obama’s broad plans on banks, but denied rumours that he’s sounding out the Barclays and HSBC chiefs for the non-vacant Bank of England governorship.
His remarks came as news emerged today that the UK is no longer classified as being among the most stable and low-risk banking systems in the world, according to credit rating agency Standard & Poor's
Jonathan Isaby
Posted at 20:34 in Tax and spending | Permalink | Comments (22)
Starting on Monday I listed ten things that CCHQ should do to close the deal with voters. 1, 4, 8 and 9 are, on reflection, the most important ones:
Closing the deal 1/10: This election is a choice between a hung parliament and a strong Conservative government [It must be a top, top message of our campaign].
Closing the deal 2/10: Prepare, prepare and prepare for the debates
Closing the deal 3/10: Set out five clear principles for budget reduction
Closing the deal 4/10: Define the limit on net immigration
Closing the deal 5/10: Distinctive policies on crime, political ethics and tax [In restrospect I should have focused this one on MPs' expenses and Tory campaign literature must realise that the issue hasn't gone away].
Closing the deal 6/10: Big regional roles for the big beasts
Closing the deal 7/10: Cameron should join Twitter and soon
Closing the deal 8/10: Lively campaign websites for key voter groups [The big missing ingredient from CCHQ's new media operation is an integration of campaigning and news].
Closing the deal 9/10: Build better relations with MPs, journalists and other friends
Closing the deal 10/10: Make 'Cameron the movie'
What would you have added?
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 16:19 in Closing the deal | Permalink | Comments (90)
Last night was the annual Cornerstone Group drinks party, hosted by MPs John Hayes and Edward Leigh.
Alan Duncan was one of 40 MPs present and certainly the most surprising guest. Mr Duncan famously called Cornerstone the Tombstone group and lambasted the party's Taliban tendency. Who says the Tories are not now one big and happy family?
Resplendent in imperial purple, guest of honour Lady Thatcher was also greeted by about 20 PPCs. Just about everyone present wanted a photograph of them meeting the woman described by Edward Leigh MP, the Cornerstone co-chairman, as our greatest peacetime Prime Minister. Women were much on her mind as she told the guests, many of whom were female candidates, that Parliament badly needed more women. Certainly, it needs more women like her.
Tim Montgomerie
> The next generation of Conservative MPs cut their teeth during the Thatcher years
Posted at 14:47 in Light relief, Thatcher & Thatcherism | Permalink | Comments (23)
The Conservatives have been somewhat in the shadows this week, which is no surprise given the news agenda. Much of the first half of the week was dominated by the crisis talks in Northern Ireland, and this is also the most significant week so far for the Chilcot Inquiry, with all eyes due to be on Tony Blair when he gives evidence tomorrow.
Yesterday too, the rolling news channels gave huge amounts of live coverage to the evidence given to Chilcot by the former attorney general, Lord Goldsmith.
And it was after that appearance that the shadow foreign secretary, William Hague, has spoken out about the Inquiry, since accusations are being made that Sir John Chilcot is effectively being gagged.
As today's Telegraph reports:
"In an apparent breach of the Inquiry terms, Sir John Chilcot, head of the probe, expressed his “frustration” that he was unable to refer to key documents while questioning Lord Goldsmith, the former Attorney General, about why he gave the “green light” for war.
"Lord Goldsmith also said that he was unhappy at being denied the opportunity to discuss documents including a letter from Jack Straw, then-former foreign secretary, about United Nations negotiations."
William Hague has responded as follows:
"When he announced the Inquiry Gordon Brown said unequivocally that 'no British document and no British witness will be beyond the scope of the inquiry'. It would be unacceptable for the Government to backtrack on that clear commitment.
"It is crucial that the Inquiry has unfettered access to all the Government documents that relate to the decision to invade Iraq. The Government’s reported unwillingness to cooperate fully will do little to dispel the suspicion that Brown’s Downing Street would have preferred a more restricted inquiry."
Jonathan Isaby
Posted at 08:37 in Foreign affairs | Permalink | Comments (43)
Remember Kinnock the movie?
It was groundbreaking for the time (if a touch cheesy) but, at ten minutes, a little too long perhaps. David Cameron is the party's biggest asset (well, second biggest asset if you count Labour's record of failure) and he should be front and centre in our campaign. I hope CCHQ are making a video about his life, his family and his vision for the country.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 17:15 in Closing the deal | Permalink | Comments (54)
James Forsyth writes an excellent politics column for The Spectator - a product of good contacts and intelligent observation. Up until today he has tended to pull his punches but not with his latest piece.
Punch one: "When David Cameron and George Osborne move between their suite of offices at the eastern end of the parliamentary estate and the Commons chamber they do so with a pomp that would not embarrass a medieval monarch. A crowd of attendants accompanies them, constantly changing positions but never disrupting the order: staffer, Cameron, staffer, Osborne, staffer. The party moves through the corridors at breakneck speed, heads thrown back, staring into the middle distance rather than looking around at their colleagues. This display certainly succeeds in getting them noticed. But to the Tory MPs whom they march past without even a glance, the whole procession symbolises not power but the remoteness and arrogance of those who are running the party." Punch two: "By rights, Tory MPs should adore the men who are about to end their 13 years in the political wilderness. Three successive leaders have led the Tories to defeat. Now, Mr Cameron is about to take them to victory in a campaign masterminded by his shadow chancellor, Mr Osborne. But talking to backbench MPs, one is struck by the lack of love for either of them. The reason for this is simple: the infantry feel underappreciated and ignored. As one backbencher told me in exasperation this week, ‘the Cameron machine doesn’t listen to anyone’ — and, worse, it doesn’t even pretend to listen. Even members of the shadow Cabinet can occasionally be found asking journalists for clues as to what the party leadership is up to." Punch three: "For all his talk about devolving power, Mr Cameron has as Tory leader centralised power at every opportunity. It is a long-standing joke that anyone who works as one of Mr Cameron’s aides automatically outranks any shadow Cabinet member. But this joke is too close to the bone now for many members of the shadow Cabinet. Andrew Lansley was infuriated when his changes weren’t made to the Tories’ draft health manifesto, leading to a slew of stories about Tory splits and U-turns. Others have taken to firing off irate emails when policy is announced without their knowledge. " The article goes on in the same vein. James is spot on in what he writes. I'm amazed at the number of key think tank leaders, MPs and journalists who have next to no contact with the key members of the Cameron team. As James writes in his column (not yet online) a failure to nurture key relations doesn't matter much when you have a double digit opinion poll lead. It'll matter a great deal when the leadership needs supporters in the press and on the backbenches. In an insightful column for PR Week Week Tara Hamilton-Miller notes that the political honeymoon is a shortening phenomenon. Blair had three years, she writes. Sarkozy had eighteen months. Obama has had less than a year. Cameron may need allies quicker than he thinks. I suggest three key urgent steps that need to be taken: The drawing up of a list of the 100 people Cameron most needs to nurture. A little bit of face time does make a big difference. I know of one political commentator who has been decidedly more positive about the Tory leadership after getting some quality time. Cameron's diary is already full but he does too much of the party's big events. He should do less (so protecting the specialness of his interventions) and his big beasts need to do more. That should free up his diary a little. Promote one or two of Graham Brady, David Davis, Mark Field, Bernard Jenkin, Patrick Mercer or Hugo Swire to the frontbench. Up until now Cameron has not rehabilitated any of the frontbenchers who in some way or other he has fallen out with. He needs to show that there is forgiveness and a way back under his leadership for talented individuals. Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 16:01 in Closing the deal, Frontbench, Team Cameron | Permalink | Comments (79)
Jonathan Isaby's verdict: No killer blows, but Hague outperformed Harriet Harman. Her constant attacks on what the Conservatives did during the 1980s and 1990s get rather tedious and it was inappropriate of her to accuse William Hague of playing party politics on Afghanistan when he was taking a very constructive attitude.
12.02 Harriet Harman explains that Gordon Brown is in Northern Ireland and that he will make a written statement on those matters later. She also pays tribute to the latest casualty in Afghanistan.
12.05 William Hague wished the PM well in Northern Ireland, saying that the Conservatives want justice and policing devolved. After paying tribute to the latest casualty, he wants reassurances that military gains be followed by effective reconstruction in Afghanistan.
12.07 Hague makes the point that the last conference on Afghanistan in 2007 made unreasonable targets over what ought to happen - will the aims be reasonable this time?
12.07 Harman says that she wants Hague's support rather than "carping". Hague says that he and Cameron are to visit President Karzai after PMQs and Harman should not make party political points. On banking regulation, Hague wants to know why Labour are not enthusiastically supporting Obama's plans. Harman says the US have different structures and the the government is addressing Britain's issues in its own way.
12.09 Hague asks about a levy on taxpayers that Obama has envisaged and calls on the government to drop the Tobin tax. Harman says she has never argued in favour of a one size fits all solution - but that she does agree with Obama on the fiscal stimulus - unlike the Conservatives.
12.11 Hague says that Obama has frozen spending and raised VAT - hardly a stimulus. Hague says that only central banks can supervise the banks properly and attacks Labour's system of regulation. Will the Government give the Bank of England that power again? She says it's nice to hear the Tories in favour of more regulation.
Continue reading "Harman and Hague clash at PMQs on Afghanistan and banking regulation" »
Posted at 11:35 in PMQs | Permalink | Comments (15)
Ben Brogan wrote a bracing and indignant polemic on his blog yesterday championing David Cameron’s right to be a Unionist politician, which Tim highlighted here. It’s essential, Ben wrote, “to find political ways to ensure Sinn Fein doesn’t end up the winner as the result of the failure of Unionism in Northern Ireland to get its electoral act together” (and such ways, incidentally, don’t necessitate a DUP/UUP merger).
This is the first reason why we were right to promote the recent talks between pro-Union parties. But there’s also a second reason, which has nothing to do with promoting the Union – or dishing Sinn Fein - and has everything to do with saving the peace in Northern Ireland. It’s to our credit, and has been so far neglected by the mainstream media.
The best way in which to begin thinking about the current political deadlock is as follows. If the devolution of policing doesn’t take place, the Northern Ireland Executive will probably collapse, to be followed by Assembly elections – only a few weeks before a general election, if we assume May 6 or later.
These elections will almost certainly take place against a fragile security situation. A simple net search finds that only yesterday, for example, police shots were fired in Carrowdore, County Down. I wrote on Monday about the possibility of Northern Ireland’s political settlement and security stability unravelling – right at the very start of a Cameron Government.
Owen Paterson thus had a second reason to encourage talks between Northern Ireland’s two largest parties. As Ben argued, the first reason – finding a common understanding from a pro-Unionist perspective – isn’t dishonourable. After all, Irish political parties will sometimes discuss politics from a nationalist view with both Sinn Fein and the SDLP, and at the same time.
Posted at 06:20 in Northern Ireland | Permalink | Comments (74)
Posted at 15:57 in Economic policy, Tax and spending | Permalink | Comments (51)
Lots of pundits have their knickers in a twist about Tory talks with the DUP.
Ben Brogan has responded:
"It seems a stretch to lambast Mr Cameron for doing his job as a unionist politician, which should be to find political ways to ensure Sinn Fein doesn’t end up the winner as the result of the failure of Unionism in Northern Ireland to get its electoral act together."
More of such common sense here.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 12:28 in Northern Ireland | Permalink | Comments (96)
So, Britain is out of recession but growing by a measly 0.1%.
Andrew Lilico, Chief Economist of Policy Exchange commented:
“These are appalling figures. This is just the preliminary estimate, and the chances of being revised down by 0.1% or more are about evens, so we may well still be in recession. And that is taking account of an inventory bounce as firms restocked their warehouses and the shift of consumption from January into December as households tried to avoid the VAT rise. It now seems certain that there will be a double dip back into recession next year, and that may come as soon as the first quarter. The slip back into recession might be announced in late April, right at the peak of the General Election campaign. Grim.“
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne issued this statement:
“Gordon Brown’s promise that Britain would lead the world out of recession lies in tatters. We were one of the first in and now, today, we are the last out. One of the reasons is clear: Gordon Brown’s decisions as Chancellor left Britain ill-prepared and his judgements as Prime Minister made the recession even worse. Gordon Brown’s legacy will be the Great Recession.”
A Channel 4/ ICM poll last night said that voters were unlikely to reward Labour for the end of recession...
"Asked if the end of the recession would make them more likely to vote Labour, 12% said yes. That could, presumably, be significant in marginal seats. But it is more or less cancelled out by the 10% who say the end of the recession will make them “less likely to vote Labour” – thankless business, politics."
...and that was before they knew how feeble it was.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 10:05 in Economic policy | Permalink | Comments (95)
It's not just that the latest British Social Attitudes survey finds more people ready to vote Conservative than Labour (the first time the Survey has found that in two decades) it is in the underlying attitudes:
Just after 7am, Alison Park, a co-author of the report, told Radio 4's Today programme that there had been a "swing more towards the right, in that people have become less sympathetic towards the poor." I didn't quite choke on my cereals but nearly. Ms Park's sloppy rubbish was repeated during the Today programme's main 8am news bulletin. People have not (necessarily) become less sympathetic to the poor but less sympathetic to the left-wing idea that high taxes and an ever larger welfare state helps the poor. As a Conservative who has worked for many years on social policy I'm convinced that Tory policies on tax, immigration, education, family life and voluntary sector reform are the best hope for the poor. Ms Park was wrong to say what she said and the BBC was culpable in re-broadcasting it.
The BSA survey also found more tolerance towards homosexuality and cohabitation. Melanchthon discusses Radio 4's treatment of those topics on CentreRight.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 08:57 in Compassionate conservatism, Opinion polls | Permalink | Comments (84)
The poll also finds encouragement for the Tory line on marriage:
"Despite Conservative confusion over who would gain and how the tax cut could be paid for, 65% think a cut for couples with children is a good idea, against 29% who oppose one. Among married couples, backing rises to 78%. Among definite Labour supporters, it is 70% – remarkably one point higher than among Tories."
More in The Guardian.
Tim Montgomerie
Posted at 18:40 in Opinion polls | Permalink | Comments (92)
Recent Comments