Matt
09-11-2003 02:25:42
It was only a matter of time before I commented on this. A new leader of the Conservative party. Here are my thoughts:
The Conservatives have actually got some good policy. Primarily, they intend on scrapping tuition fees and making education fair. What do I mean by fair? Well, since 1979, the percent of working class students has hardly changed, going from 23% in 1979 to 26% in 2001. 3% isn't a massive increase and since that time the definition of a university/degree has changed, with the renaming of polytechnics and the upgrading of a number of colleges to university status. Labour said in 1997 that they had no plans to introduce tuition fees (both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown claimed this), however, within a month of being elected, they introduced them. Again, in their 2001 manifesto, they claimed they would not introduce top-up fees, yet are about to do so.
This kind of thing happens with the Labour government across the field - in education, transport, health, services and many other aspects of public life, people are being let down by a Labour government obsessed with tax and spend. Instead of delivering on their promises, they fool the public by telling them what they won't do, instead of what they are doing. It turns out that they usually do it anyway.
However, the government has gotten away with this due a disunited Opposition and a weakened media. With Michael Howard in charge of the Conservatives and making remarks such as "I will lead the party from the centre" and "Our party will be internationalist in outlook", Labour no longer are in the comfort zone of being unexposed. If it's policy, the Conservatives have some now, if it's presentation, only time will tell.
One thing is for sure though, we are no longer under an unchecked and unchallenged dark regime that is damaging every area of our modern lives.
All in all, I'm very confident in him and think he will make a massive impact on showing the transgressions of our inequitous government.
--Matt
- He was seen as probably the nations second political biggest enemy between 1990-1997, with the biggest being Michael Portillo.
- His parents are immigrants
- He is trying to reform the Conservative Party.
The Conservatives have actually got some good policy. Primarily, they intend on scrapping tuition fees and making education fair. What do I mean by fair? Well, since 1979, the percent of working class students has hardly changed, going from 23% in 1979 to 26% in 2001. 3% isn't a massive increase and since that time the definition of a university/degree has changed, with the renaming of polytechnics and the upgrading of a number of colleges to university status. Labour said in 1997 that they had no plans to introduce tuition fees (both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown claimed this), however, within a month of being elected, they introduced them. Again, in their 2001 manifesto, they claimed they would not introduce top-up fees, yet are about to do so.
This kind of thing happens with the Labour government across the field - in education, transport, health, services and many other aspects of public life, people are being let down by a Labour government obsessed with tax and spend. Instead of delivering on their promises, they fool the public by telling them what they won't do, instead of what they are doing. It turns out that they usually do it anyway.
However, the government has gotten away with this due a disunited Opposition and a weakened media. With Michael Howard in charge of the Conservatives and making remarks such as "I will lead the party from the centre" and "Our party will be internationalist in outlook", Labour no longer are in the comfort zone of being unexposed. If it's policy, the Conservatives have some now, if it's presentation, only time will tell.
One thing is for sure though, we are no longer under an unchecked and unchallenged dark regime that is damaging every area of our modern lives.
All in all, I'm very confident in him and think he will make a massive impact on showing the transgressions of our inequitous government.
--Matt
