Tories - the fightback

[Simster]

The Torys should promise that we will never accept an EU superstate or the Euro whilst they are in power.

And all of a sudden, the Tory vote in Hartlepool leaps to 6,500 - only 4,000 behind the Lib Dems and 6,000 behind Labour then.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Drivel. Utter drivel.

Fine. You base that on what, exactly? How do you know that councils all over the country don't see a) speeding in areas where the limits are simply wrong, and b) parking, as about the most piss-easy money-raisers around. They rely on it for service provision. Parking attendants can earn more if they issue more tickets. How can that be about helping the community?

I challenge the very term 'speeding' as it is used officially - because so often it means an artificially low limit, say 40 or 50 on a dual carriageway, with no safety implication whatsoever.

Built up areas would be different - but there are no speed cameras on residential roads.

 

[3gulls]

People who live in country towns and villages (a stronghold of Conservative voters) would be appalled at the disappearance of speed cameras. The main road through these places is often narrow and dangerous. People in many places like these have campaigned for road safety measures, and the mere threat of a speed camera is enough to get most motorists to slow down - even if a little.

If it meant a free-for-all of driving through a village once again at 60mph, I am sure many people would be put off the idea - and they are some bloody stupid drivers about.

Plus this is a mere populist tactic from a cheap opportunist party. It will win them hardly any votes when the real issues in the UK are more important - Europe, Iraq, the economy, education, health. Even fox hunting and Falmer would be considered more important by many people than bloody speeding.

Hardly a fightback, more a gob off.

What planet are you from? In the real world, more people are p1ssed-off with all the speed cameras being installed than most of the things you mention. And I live in a village!

 

[3gulls]

And all of a sudden, the Tory vote in Hartlepool leaps to 6,500 - only 4,000 behind the Lib Dems and 6,000 behind Labour then.

The vote in some poxey northern town, where a goat with a red hat would win, is of no relevence to the national picture. If they could increase there vote there as you state, then we would be rid of this Blair and his cronies. Except in Wales and Scotland where he is buying votes with Englishmen's money!

 

[Tooting Gull]

Most people in this country don't live in villages. There's some ridiculous nonsense been spouted on here about speeding as if it is single-handedly responsible for all road deaths, which is garbage. Bad driving is the No1 killer, with drink driving obviously to the fore. Harder, even more regular, testing would help.

We all know people we would rather be in a car with at 70mph than others at 30. It's about knowing when you can safely go faster, and when you can't.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The vote in some poxey northern town, where a goat with a red hat would win, is of no relevence to the national picture.

I'd say the official opposition finishing in 4th place for the first time since WW2 IS of national relevance.

The fact that Labour won by only a narrow margin and lost almost 20% of its vote is also significant.

 

[Gwylan]

According to Department of Transport figures:

Speed cameras reduce deaths and injury at cameras sites by an average of 35 per cent.

Excessive and inappropriate speed are contributory factors in at least one-third of road crashes. Speed is the biggest factor in road deaths in the UK and is more significant than drink-driving.


I think you're on a loser on this one, Tooting.

 

[The Large One]

What planet are you from? In the real world, more people are p1ssed-off with all the speed cameras being installed than most of the things you mention. And I live in a village!

Diddums. You represent all views of all villagers just because 'you live in a village', do you? Why are you pissed off about it? If you don't drive fast, it won't affect you. I would put it to you that you are just selfish rather than concerned about safety.

 

[Pavilionaire]

So who are all these people driving above 80mph on our motorways then?

 

[cirC]

vote tory and get rid of Bliar
Ok he's had a heart op ,strange that ,didn't think he had one.
Then again we get the politicians we deserve so hows about no one voting.Now that would make florida look like they did not have a problem in 200 state presi election!

 

[3gulls]

Diddums. You represent all views of all villagers just because 'you live in a village', do you? Why are you pissed off about it? If you don't drive fast, it won't affect you. I would put it to you that you are just selfish rather than concerned about safety.

I am not a fat bast*rd and am used to moving around quickly. This extends to by driving. Call me selfish if you will, most people drive faster than the speed limit when possible -fact!

 

[Rangdo]

I am not a fat bast*rd and am used to moving around quickly. This extends to by driving. Call me selfish if you will, most people drive faster than the speed limit when possible -fact!

And those people deserve to be caught by one of the many speed cameras and given a parking ticket when they stop on the double yellows to get their newspaper. Fact.

 

[fatbadger]

Fine. You base that on what, exactly? How do you know that councils all over the country don't see a) speeding in areas where the limits are simply wrong, and b) parking, as about the most piss-easy money-raisers around.

More to the point - what have you based your analysis on? How do you know that councils do think in those ways? Where's your evidence? Oh, sorry, I forgot - you don't have any. You've just been reading the tabloids.

Don't speed; don't park where it says 'no parking'. How difficult can that be? Although I suppose anybody stupid enough to believe that speed cameras exist as revenue-raisers can't read road signs - so maybe it is difficult for them, poor poppets.

 

[London Irish]

The Torys should promise that we will never accept an EU superstate or the Euro whilst they are in power.

It's because they've indulged in all this anti-Europe bolix that they have been out of power for 7 years and will probably be for another two elections. Europe brought Thatcher down. A lot of the Tories' natural base of support in the city and industry have just dumped them for Blair because they want to do business in Europe, make money and just have no time for this xenophobic Little Englander crap.

The Tories will never be elected again until big business trusts them again on Europe, that means the Tories abandoning an ideological opposition to the single currency.

That's not going to happen anytime soon, so New Labour stays the natural party of government, with big business trusting Brown's pragmatism on the issue.

 

[The Large One]

It's because they've indulged in all this anti-Europe bolix that they have been out of power for 7 years and will probably be for another two elections. Europe brought Thatcher down. A lot of the Tories' natural base of support in the city and industry have just dumped them for Blair because they want to do business in Europe, make money and just have no time for this xenophobic Little Englander crap.

The Tories will never be elected again until big business trusts them again on Europe, that means the Tories abandoning an ideological opposition to the single currency.

That's not going to happen anytime soon, so New Labour stays the natural party of government, with big business trusting Brown's pragmatism on the issue.

Once Blair goes in - what? - 4-5 years time, a new broom will be swept through the Labour Cabinet, and Brown may not be the new PM. He may not even be the Chancellor. It is down to the Labour Party now to prepare for Blair's successor. It may also need to lay the ground for Brown's successor - depending on who the new leader would be.

 

[SussexHoop]

It's because they've indulged in all this anti-Europe bolix that they have been out of power for 7 years and will probably be for another two elections.

I don't think you're giving the whole picture. You're forgetting about the sleaze, corruption and sheer arrogance of far too many Conservative MPs, which alienated a lot of people.

Yes Europe was an issue although I'm very much of the view that the problems with Europe were caused by them winning in 1992, which if we're honest was an election they should never have won and imho we've got Neil Kinnock and his presidential rally in Sheffield to thank for that!

The real problem with winning in 1992 was that the majority was very small and was always going to be a problem. We ended up with Major having to rely on the right wing element of his party for support and they wanted something in return, hence the shift to the right and Labour moved in and claimed the middle ground.

Had they lost in 1992, I think they would have been returned to power in 1997 with a stronger majority and Major would have had more control of his party and I think we would have seen a more centre right Conservative party.

Well that's what I think anyway...

 

[supaseagull]

the tories will win back power when Rupert Murdoch decides to back them again!

 

[bigc]

what exactly did Kinnock say in 1992 in sheffield. my parents cringe whenever I mention it, saying it gave us 5 more years of the tories.