tagged w/ Tories
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A WORLDbytes crew followed the TUC March for the Alternative demonstration in London from Temple tube to Hyde Park. The turnout exceeded all expectations yet alternatives to government cuts were hard to find as cutting ‘someone else’s’ income seemed to be the main message. Growth scepticism it seems is rampant.A WORLDbytes crew followed the TUC March for the Alternative demonstration in London... more
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Depending on who you are, where you stand, and where you were on Saturday your account of the "March for the Alternative" demonstration in London will differ significantly.
Here is a report from the conservative Daily Mail.
And here is an account made by someone who was actually at the demonstration.
Depending on who you are, where you stand, and where you were on Saturday your... more
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a brief experience of the anti-cut March for the Alternative which took place in central London on Saturday the 26th of March.a brief experience of the anti-cut March for the Alternative which took place in... more
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a brief experience of the anti-cut March for the Alternative which took place in central London on Saturday the 26th of March.a brief experience of the anti-cut March for the Alternative which took place in... more
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Islamophobia has "passed the dinner-table test" and become widely socially acceptable in Britain, according to Lady Warsi, the co-chairman of the Tory Party.Warsi, who is the first ever Muslim woman in the Cabinet, will in a speech at Leicester University today raise the alarm over the way in which she believes prejudice against Muslims is now seen by many Britons as normal.She will also warn against the tendency in the media to divide Muslims between "moderates" and "extremists", which she argues can fuel misunderstanding and intolerance.Extracts of the speech has been published in the Daily Telegraph. Here are some of the highlights: "It's not a big leap of imagination to predict where the talk of 'moderate' Muslims leads; in the factory, where they've just hired a Muslim worker, the boss says to his employees: 'Not to worry, he's only fairly Muslim'," she will say."In the school, the kids say: 'The family next door are Muslim but they're not too bad'."And in the road, as a woman walks past wearing a burka, the passers-by think: 'That woman's either oppressed or is making a political statement'."Baroness Warsi will also say terror offences committed by a small number of Muslims should not be used to condemn all who follow Islam.But she will also urge Muslim communities to be clearer about their rejection of those who resort to violent acts."Those who commit criminal acts of terrorism in our country need to be dealt with not just by the full force of the law," she will say."They also should face social rejection and alienation across society and their acts must not be used as an opportunity to tar all Muslims."
Islamophobia has "passed the dinner-table test" and become widely socially... more
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Britain has a new Prime Minister and the first coalition government since 1974. David Cameron has put together a new government with an historic mix of Conservative and Lib Dem MPs taking cabinet roles.
The optimism from the new government that we saw in yesterday's joint press conference hasn't faded just yet. The first Cabinet meeting saw ministers hailing the "common purpose" of the Conservatives and Lib Dems.In terms of seating, there's not much to be read into. Nick Clegg sat opposite David Cameron (in the position Gordon Brown used to occupy when Tony Blair was PM) and the Lib Dem / Tory mix seemed to be fairly even around the table.As they left, various ministers sang the praises of the new pact. Iain Duncan Smith proclaimed to press: "It was excellent really, it's like we've been working together for years!" while Michael Gove enthused: "It was great, actually. I think we had a really constructive meeting. I was delighted by the sense of partnership and common purpose there." He then denied there were any hatchets to bury. It's early days and it's good to see things look positive so far but this is all beginning to sound a bit cult-ish isn't it? As soon as Labour have licked their wounds and put a political comeback into play with a new leader, they'll be looking to exploit any past or developing rifts between the Lib Dems and Tories. That's when we're really see if the love can last.Cameron and Clegg appeared together in an unprecedented Ant-and-Dec-alike, jokey press conference in Downing Street's Rose Garden this afternoon. The two seemed very happy to be working with each other, referred to each other throughout by the first names and promised to put aside petty party clashes of the past to work together "for the good of the country".
Details are still emerging about who'll take on what roles in the new coalition government but some have been confirmed. Nick Clegg (Lib Dem) is Deputy PM, George Osborne (Conservative) takes the role of Chancellor, William Hague (C) is Foreign Secretary, Liam Fox (C) is Defence Secretary, Andrew Lansley (C) is Health Secretary, Vince Cable (LD) is Business / Banking Minister, Chris Huhne (LD) is Energy and Climate Change Minister. Some new developments: Theresa May (C) is Home Secretary (not Michael Gove, as rumoured) and Minister for Women and Equality; Ken Clarke (C) is Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor. Michael Gove (C) is Education Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith (C) is Works and Pensions, David Laws (LD) is Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander (C)is Scottish Minister. Full details here.
Full negotiation agreement details: here.Liberal Democrat wins:
• Referendum to bring in an alternative vote system. Coalition members will be subject to three-line whip to force legislation for referendum through, but will be free to campaign against reforms before referendum.
• New five-year fixed term parliaments, an entirely or mainly elected second chamber and a commission to review party funding. According to this plan, the next general election will be held on the first Thursday of May 2015.
• Reduce tax burden on low earners. A substantial increase to personal tax allowance from April 2011 with a "long- term goal" of a £10,000 personal tax allowance. Tory plans to reduce inheritance tax that would have benefited the richest people most have been scrapped.
• New pupil premium to be introduced, steering more funding to schools for every child they take from poor homes to help close class gap in school results.Tory wins:
• £6bn cuts this financial year and a reversal of some planned rises in national insurance contributions.
• A cap on immigration with Lib Dem plans for an amnesty on illegal immigration dumped.
• School reforms to introduce more Swedish-style "free" schools.
• A commitment to maintaining Britain's nuclear deterrent .
• No proposals to join the euro and a referendum lock will ensure that any proposal to transfer new powers must by law be put to a referendum.
• The Conservatives have kept their plan for a £150 marriage tax break. Lib Dems will abstain but not oppose this.
As the new Prime Minister, Cameron leads the Conservatives back into power after 13 years.
After paying tribute to Brown for his lengthy public service, Cameron said he planned to form a "proper and full coalition" with the Lib Dems to form a "strong and stable government".
He added that he and Nick Clegg would "put aside party differences and work hard for the common good and for the national interest" [Full speech here].
Earlier, in a statement outside Downing St, Brown said he had "loved the job" and it had been "a privilege to serve". He added:
"I loved the job for its potential to make this country I love fairer, more tolerant, more green, more democratic, more proserous and more just - truly a greater Britain.
"In the face of many years, challenges up to and including the global financial meltdown, I have always tried to serve, to do my best in the interests of Britain, its values and its people."His final hours in Downing Street were captured in this series of fascinating photos.
Here's the full speech:
As you know, the general election left no party able to command a majority in the House of Commons.
I said I would do all that I could to ensure a strong, stable and principled government was formed, able to tackle Britain's economic and political challenges effectively.
My constitutional duty is to make sure that a government can be formed following last Thursday's general election.
I have informed the Queen's private secretary that it's my intention to tender my resignation to the Queen. In the event that the Queen accepts, I shall advise her to invite the leader of the opposition to form a government. I wish the next prime minister well as he makes the important choices for the future.
Only those who have held the office of prime minister can understand the full weight of its responsibilities and its great capacity for good. I have been privileged to learn much about the very best in human nature, and a fair amount too about its frailties, including my own. Above all, it was a privilege to serve. And, yes, I loved the job, not for its prestige, its title and its ceremony, which I do not love at all. No, I loved this job for its potential, to make this country I love fairer, more tolerant, more green, more democratic, more prosperous and more just – truly a greater Britain.
In the face of many challenges in a few short years, challenges up to and including the global financial meltdown, I have always strived to serve, to do my best in the interests of Britain, its values and its people. And let me add one thing also. I will always admire the courage I have seen in our armed forces. And now that the political season is over, let me stress that having shaken their hands and looked into their eyes, our troops represent all that is best in our country and I will never forget all those who have died in honour and whose families today live in grief.
My resignation as leader of the Labour party will take effect immediately. In this hour I want to thank all my colleagues, ministers, members of parliament. And I want to thank above all my staff who have been friends as well as brilliant servants of the country. Above all, I want to thank Sarah for her unwavering support, as well as her love, and for her own service to our country. I thank my sons John and Fraser for the love and joy they bring to our lives. And as I leave the second most important job I could ever hold I cherish even more the first, as a husband and father. Thank you and goodbye.
Britain has a new Prime Minister and the first coalition government since 1974. David... more
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richjm
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When a right-wing British tabloid has to invoke an American left-liberal politician to get people voting for their candidate of choice, you know this is definitely an election that hasn't quite gone to plan for them.
The Sun, faced with an unexpected boost of interest and support for Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats and their encapsulation of political change, has pulled out all the stops for today's frontpage. If, that is, pulling out all the stops means lazily ripping off Shepard Fairey's "Obama Hope" poster from the US elections.
It's either a brilliant parody of Britain's self-deprecating view of our own election and politicians compared to America's bombastic Presidential battle or it's a cringe-worthy effort that's crying out for parody. Step forward, the internet:
You can make your own poster using this template. Typeface: this one is very similar to the original font Shepard Fairey used (and it's free) or if you're lazy just use Gill sans bold.When a right-wing British tabloid has to invoke an American left-liberal politician to... more
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Voters are deeply pessimistic about the state of Britain today, believing that society is broken and heading in the wrong direction, a Populus poll for The Times has found.
Nearly three fifths of voters say that they hardly recognise the country they are living in, while 42 per cent say they would emigrate if they could.
But worries over the pace of social change and dislocation are balanced by the belief that life will get better, according to the survey undertaken at the weekend.
It suggests that 70 per cent believe that society is now broken, echoing a Conservative campaign theme of the past two years, while 68 per cent say people who play by the rules get a raw deal and 82 per cent think it is time for a change.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7020009.eceVoters are deeply pessimistic about the state of Britain today, believing that society... more
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Conservative leader David Cameron has called for an end to the "inappropriate sexualisation" of children.
Parents should be able to complain via a specially set-up website about offensive marketing tactics used by companies, he said.
Mr Cameron also told the BBC that firms which flout the rules should not be allowed to bid for government contracts for three years.
Such moves were needed to stop children being "bombarded", he added.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8521403.stmConservative leader David Cameron has called for an end to the "inappropriate... more
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David Cameron, the man the polls say is expected to be our next Prime Minister, is expecting a baby with his wife Samantha.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: "The baby is due in September and David and Samantha are completely thrilled."
Tony Blair was the first prime minister in 150 years to father a child in office when his son Leo was born in 2000. If the Tories make it into office, it'll be the second newborn baby in Downing St in 10 years.
David Cameron, the man the polls say is expected to be our next Prime... more
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richjm
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Allegations that Gordon Brown won't be winning any Boss Of The Year awards don't seem to have damaged Labour's chances of a recovery, according to latest opinion poll results.
In recent days the Tories' lead has tightened, making a hung parliament look fairly likely, two opinion polls showed.
// What is a hung parliament? When no single political party has a majority of MPs in the House of Commons. If this hapens, the Tories and Labour will seek to form a coalition with the Lib Dems, something which Nick Clegg has said he's not keen on. / /
A Guardian/ICM poll published today has support for the Tories down by 3 points, at 37%. Labour is up 1 point from last month to 30% and the Lib Dems fell 1 point to 20%.
A separate YouGov poll published by the Sun puts the Tories on 39%, Labour on 33% and the Lib Dems on 17%.
Does any of this mean Labour still have a chance of winning the election? The Conservatives are still the bookies favourite to win, by far, but after a crippling recession, hugely unpopular walls, bank bailouts and bonuses and a media backlash against Labour, the fact the Tories face a hung parliament suggests to me that the British public may have lost a lot of faith in politics in general. After all, does anybody really think the Conservative party would have acted any differently when it came to going to war or bailing the banks out? It can feel like a vote for one party is a vote for all in this country so perhaps the deciding factor for many voters will simply be how much they crave change, and whether change from a different party in government will be better than giving the present bunch another chance.
Allegations that Gordon Brown won't be winning any Boss Of The Year... more
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richjm
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Very few issues excite radical campaigners more than the production of food. Whether it’s free-trade fruit, organic vegetables or the plight of local farmers, food-production issues now define the ethically concerned liberal. Barely a weekend goes by without a broadsheet newspaper offering advice on ‘growing your own veg’ or where to find the best organic food outlets or why you should boycott Tesco. Now the pro-farmer, anti-supermarket lobby has a new ally in the war against cheaply priced food for the masses: David Cameron.
Yesterday the UK Conservative Party pledged, if it gets into power, to introduce an ombudsman to lend farmers a hand against supermarkets. Shadow environment minister Nick Herbert accused the government of ‘dithering’ on the issue of hammering supermarkets and said a Tory government would create an ombudsman to ‘curb abuses of power which undermine our farmers’ (1). I can think of other sectional groups in society that are deserving of our support and solidarity, such as Tube drivers and postmen, but for me UK farmers would be a long way down the list. Far from being a sector suffering in the current recession, no other industry in Europe is as heavily subsidised as agriculture.
In the European Union’s budget of €141billion, an eye-watering €43billion is given over to subsidise farmers. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) combines a direct subsidy payment for crops and land which may be cultivated with price support mechanisms, including guaranteed minimum prices, import tariffs and quotas on certain goods from outside the EU. Not only do these measures keep food prices artificially high - the OECD has estimated the cost at €50billion per year for consumers (2) - but UK farmers are also subsidised to prevent developers building new properties on unused land. It is frankly ludicrous to suggest, as one eco-journalist does, that farmers’ ‘unfair’ dealing with supermarkets is like ‘the kind of predatory relationship you would expect between an Indian landlord and his tenants: total exploitation unimpeded by government’ (3). Unimpeded by government? To the tune of €43billion a year? Many industries would love to be in this kind of ‘exploitative’ relationship.
And is it really the case that supermarkets are the aggressive bullies of the high street? In 2008, the Competition Commission found that supermarkets were actually acting in the ‘public interests’ by providing good quality food at low prices – even if they’re making millions in profits while doing so. If a future Conservative government implements Herbert’s proposals, the many benefits that supermarkets bring to the masses could be seriously undermined. As Stephen Robertson, director general of the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘This will harm customers. The last thing they need is a new multi-million pound bureaucracy, unnecessarily piling on costs and pushing up shop prices. Where’s the evidence to support claims that retailers are unfairly putting the squeeze on their suppliers?’ (4)
It’s a strange state of affairs whereby a major political party, hoping to win a forthcoming General Election, promises to facilitate a rise in food prices. Of course, the Tories have always looked after the interests of the squire belt and farmers, albeit in a discreet and less headline-grabbing way. But today, when radicalism has been reduced to championing rural life, organic food and being able to ‘till the soil’, the Conservative Party can appear credible and fashionable without having to mention iPods or The Wire. Herbert’s other proposal, to provide more allotment spaces for self-sufficient types, is also likely to get a wider hearing outside of the Tory shires. No doubt some eco-radicals will complain that the Conservatives are jumping on the green bandwagon, but in truth liberal green radicalism has its origins in traditional conservatism.
Traditional or aristocratic conservatism was always concerned with protecting the green belt and ‘the environment’ (that is, the landed gentry). As with today’s green campaigners, traditional conservatives argued that the wider world is shaped by forces way beyond human control. Therefore any attempt to impose man’s will on this delicate natural fabric is fraught with dangers – an argument updated today by environmentalists, and by anti-globalisationist campaigner Naomi Klein in her book The Shock Doctrine (5).
In this sense, the Conservative Party’s change of logo in 2006 – from a flaming torch to a green tree (6) – is entirely consistent with its long established ideas. It is ironic that a party which for a century tried to shake off its aristocratic connections is now using precisely that baggage to rehabilitate itself in the eyes of the middle classes and ethical radicals. Indeed, the Thatcher years are considered deeply embarrassing by old Etonians like Cameron because they are now associated with gaudy moneymaking, Essex Man and White Van Man, the Sun and Jim Davidson. In other words, Thatcher’s Tory image was a bit too trashy for the old guard and the old aristocracy. Now the posh green radicals have enabled such Etonians to air, once again, their long-held prejudices against supermarkets, cheap flights abroad and takeaway food and still be seen as somehow edgy. At this rate, the Conservatives will soon be as lionised alongside that other unlikely revolutionary, Prince Charles.Very few issues excite radical campaigners more than the production of food. Whether... more
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Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey has said immigrants to the UK should have an understanding the country's Christian heritage.
He is among a group of MPs and peers warning that the population should not be allowed to go beyond 70 million.
Lord Carey said immigration angered many people and could lead to violence, and that the system had to focus more on maintaining "values".
Labour says the system works, but the Tories want caps on incoming workers.
All the main parties are sceptical about setting population targets which they believe is unrealistic and counter-productive.
Last year the Office for National Statistics said, if current trends continued, the UK population would rise by 10 million to more than 71.6 million by 2033 - the fastest rise in a century.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8442662.stmFormer Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey has said immigrants to the UK should have... more
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A new survey commissioned by The Guardian shows the Conservatives lead over Labour has slipped to single figures, increasing the pressure on Gordon Brown to call a general election for March instead of May 2010.
The latest figures show the Tories on 40%, down two, Labour on 31%, up two, and the Liberal Democrats on 18%.
The Guardian writes: "Labour's vote share has risen for the fourth consecutive month, improving significantly on the 25% share it had in August. The gap between the parties is a sharp reduction from the 17 points recorded two months ago."
Do you see Brown learning from mistakes made in the past and calling an early election or do you think we'll be going to the polls in May?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/dec/14/tory-lead-nine-points-guardian-icm-pollA new survey commissioned by The Guardian shows the Conservatives lead over Labour has... more
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richjm
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2 years ago
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Ah, the best laid plans ... Despite David Cameron saying his new plans re: Europe would not result in a "bust-up" between the Conservatives and Euro allies, the Tory leader has been publicly slammed by French Euro minister Pierre Lellouche.
Lellouche one of the more pro-Anglo bods in Sarkozy's cabinet has called Cameron's new European policies "pathetic" and has suggested they'll amount to the UK being amputated from the European body politic.
Cameron *had* promised that should the Tories get elected, we'd vote on whether Britain signs up to the Lisbon Treaty or not, but has had to back track now that the Treaty is due to become law regardless. Laying out his slightly altered Conservative vision, Cameron now says his government would fight for various powers to be returned to Britain, inflaming Pierre's rage.
In a Guardian interview, Lellouche gave an insight into how meetings between himself and the Tories have gone in the past. He says; "They have one line and they just repeat one line. It is a very bizarre sense of autism." I love the idea of William Hague, complete with sad baseball cap, just repeating the phrase: "Europe bad. Pound good."
Should Dave give up on the steamroller that is our future in Europe? Or is he right to continue to defend the UK's sovereignty?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/04/france-autistic-tories-castrated-uk
Image:
http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/oct2009/7/5/david-cameron-at-the-209-tory-conference-pic-dm-andy-stenning-980125052.jpgAh, the best laid plans ... Despite David Cameron saying his new plans re: Europe... more
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richjm
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"The British Conservative party did something astounding at its national conference last week: It spoke to its members like grown-ups. American conservatives would do well to follow suit."
More at the link. But I thought this passage was especially noteworthy:
"Note that this message of fiscal conservatism is exactly the same one that animates many conservatives in the land of the free and the home of brave, most notably in the newly fashionable Tea Party movement. Except that British conservatives are able to promote this message without calling their country's leader a socialist . . . or yelling 'You Lie!'. . . or questioning his citizenship."
Joe Wilson's outburst would be just another day at British Parliament, though."The British Conservative party did something astounding at its national... more
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David Cameron sparked Tory fury by announcing he will impose all-women shortlists on constituencies selecting General Election candidates.
In a major U-turn, the Tory leader said he will force some local parties to choose a woman candidate if their MP stands down in the next few months.
The initiative was seen by some at Westminster as a cynical attempt by Mr. Cameron to burnish his image as a reformer, following weeks in which he has embraced a more traditional Tory message.
But he insisted the policy change was needed to increase the number of female Tory MPs, currently just 19 out of 195.
He said the lack of women and ethnic minority MPs was damaging for Parliament, adding: 'It's been an even greater problem for my party and one I desperately want to address and have tried to address.'
The move provoked an immediate backlash. Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe described all-women shortlists as 'an insult to women'.
She said: 'It will do women no good at all. Every woman in parliament should be able to look every man in the eye and know she got there on exactly the same basis.
We couldn't agree more.David Cameron sparked Tory fury by announcing he will impose all-women shortlists on... more
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