OK, here's "Cameron's Blueprint for Britain" as faithfully trotted by e.g. The Sun:
1. We will work with councils to freeze council tax for two years - saving more than £200 for the typical family.
2. We will reassess 2.6 million people on incapacity benefit to see if they are fit for work. every out-of-work claimant capable of doing so will be expected to work or prepare for work.
3. We will replace the Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights to strengthen Britain's traditional liberties.
4. We will cut the number of MPs by five per cent, and ministers' pay by five per cent and reduce the number, size, scope and influence of quangos.
5. We will honour the Military Covenant we have with our brave troops and make sure they are properly equipped to do their jobs. We will also introduce a free sports and entertainment Tickets for Troops programme.
6. We will cut corporation tax to create jobs, reform inheritance tax to encourage saving and build a stronger society by rewarding families in the tax and benefit system.
7. We will get to grips with national debt and public spending, to keep interest rates lower for longer and boost investment - this is vital for recovery.
8. We will help restore discipline to schools by giving heads the final say on exclusions. Our NHS is special so we will protect its budget.
9. If the Lisbon Treaty is not yet in force at the time of the next general election we will suspend ratification, hold a referendum and campaign for a No vote.
10. We'll double magistrates' sentencing powers from six month to a year and make sure knife offenders can expect to go to jail. And we will get more police officers on the street by slashing paperwork, including the stop and account form.
I'm too angry right now, having had my worst fears confirmed, so I'll point out the general hypocrisy, gimmicks and one-sided economics inherent in each of those points over the weekend. Geek points to anybody who can point them out in advance.
Friday, 2 October 2009
Another ten reasons to hate The Tories
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11 comments:
One thing that immediately struck me is how utterly trivial many of those points are.
"We will also introduce a free sports and entertainment Tickets for Troops programme."
Regardless of the merits of the idea, should that really feature amongst the Top 10 priorities of a major party seeking power?
Yes there is some tosh in there but I agree with comments 1, 3, 4(But it doesn't go far enough), 5 (except yes I agree with Curmdgeon on the triviality of entertainment tickets) , 6 and 10..........
I expect to be put shamefully to rights by Wadsworth's breakdown over the weekend and look forward to eating my humble deluded pie.
9 is a biggie. They know full well it's over by Christmas.
"Our NHS is special so we will protect its budget."
Honestly, people talk about the NHS like it's something out of Arthurian legend. "In the mists of Avalon, the lady of the lake came forth and granted Nye Bevan the 1946 National Health Service Act. 'Guard it, Welshman, for there are men across the sea who are jealous of God's blessing of the NHS on this land. They would come here and take it if you are not careful'".
"10. We'll double magistrates' sentencing powers from six month to a year and make sure knife offenders can expect to go to jail. "
Agree with all points above, and pick this one out for special opprobium.
Where are they supposed to put them, Dave? Who are you going to let out in order to make room?
Excuse me being stupid, but how does 'freezing' council tax save anybody money?
Brian, follower of Deornoth
It is politically interesting that they've got incap at no.2.
I can't think that economically it is significant as at least some of those are correctly on a permanent benefit, or it is disguised early retirement because the job is not there and we all know that it pays to get incap before you hit retirement age - but await your advice.
However, Cameron is correct in identifying this as a disproportionately big emotional issue for many voters. He's calculating that the voters currently on incap were either not going to vote Conservative anyway, or are annoyed at seeing people they don't regard as eligible for the benefit claiming it.
Economically it might be wrong, but electorally it's shrewd.
10 The simplest way to get more officers on the street is to abolish the PCSOs. Each one costs approximately 2/3 the cost of a proper officer but in utility terms is less than half as useful plus many of them are a complete liability when they open their mouths in public.
Three plastic plod costs £60k and offers 1.5 worth of utility value.
Two real police officers cost £54k (starting) and offer 2.0 worth of utility value.
We lose value on every single PCSO. Madness. Don't worry about paperwork at this stage. Cut the PCSOs immediately.
John Redwood's blog has an open letter to the Czech President pleading that he delays signing and ends with the words that "Democracy in Europe depends on your inaction."
Would that 'Democracy in Europe' depended on Camerons BRAVE action'!!
" We will cut corporation tax to create jobs, ".
Good luck with that. Since all of the corporation tax and all of the income tax goes to support the benefit bill, where are you going to find the funds to reduce corp. tax?
Conservatives are supposed to believe in doing the possible, in recognizing reality, in being able to count. I don't see anything here about cutting the incentives to be unemployed and to have too many children - measures that, if missed, will lead the country further into its underclass nightmare and bakruptcy.
It's not looking too good, Davy boy: not by a long chalk.
In fact, the whole policy raft looks like turd polishing rather than the radical reform the country needs.
Thanks all, I hadn't even thought of some of those points, most helpful.
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