David Cameron: "The tragedy of this Prime Minister is that he’s promised so much and delivered so little."

I didn't hear David Cameron's response to the Queen's Speech as I've been away from my desk all afternoon but here are a few highlights from the text:

Things to welcome in the Speech: "I am delighted the Government is to link the basic state pension with earnings – our proposal at the last election. The Treasury has finally been forced to make the provision of statistics independent. Again, something we called for at the last election.  And then there’s the Climate Change Bill – proposed over and over again by Conservatives, and opposed by the Prime Minister. Can I say how delighted I am to see a Bill in the Gracious Speech? I hope it will be a proper Bill and not a watered down Bill.  Government has to give a lead by setting a proper framework.  That must mean an independent body with annual targets and an annual report from government on its progress."

Iraq: "There are no easy options.  Militarily, we must do all we can to build up the Iraqi army. Diplomatically, we need to involve the regional powers.  While there is merit in contact with Syria and Iran – after all, the point of diplomacy is to talk to countries well beyond our traditional friends – it is on the moderate Arab governments that our efforts should concentrate.  Their support for stability in Iraq is what we most need.  And the key to securing that support is a fresh and unremitting push to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict.  I hope the Prime Minister will press President Bush to use America’s influence to the full to achieve this, as well as enlisting the support of Europe. Taking these steps and maximising stability is the right background to bringing our troops home. But we should not set an artificial timetable."

Northern Ireland: "Turning to Northern Ireland, we back the efforts to restore power-sharing devolution in Northern Ireland. We are clear that if it is going to succeed then Sinn Fein must support the police, the courts and the rule of law. They could start by telling their supporters to co-operate with the police investigation into the brutal and callous murder of Robert McCartney.  When people look back at the Prime Minister’s time in office, they will give him enormous credit for his unstinting efforts to bring peace to Northern Ireland."

The Blair years: "After three massive majorities, almost a decade in power, 10 Gracious Speeches, and 370 pieces of legislation, the question they have to answer is why has so little been achieved?  It’s because they have put headlines above delivery.  They believe in centralised power, not social responsibility.  And, all too often, they’ve passed laws to score political points, rather than to achieve real change.  And Mr Speaker this Queen’s Speech is no different.  It’s so repetitive and so hollow that people know they’ve heard it all before."

No action on the causes of crime: "At the beginning of his time, the Prime Minister offered the nation hope that he would tackle the causes of crime.  As we look at the measures placed before the House today, all we see is the betrayal and debasement of that vital agenda.  Nothing about family breakdown.  And nothing about tackling addiction and dependency.  The Prime Minister’s simply given up on the causes of crime.  All we get is a series of eye-catching initiatives, which last about as long as a news bulletin."

Download PDF of full text of David Cameron's response.

Comments

[malcolm]

The last sentence really sums it all up. I hope and pray that should we win the next election we can do (much) better. We really must or public cynicism of politicians and politics in general will become ever more apparent.

[Michael McGowan]

How very very true, Malcolm.

[Tory Loyalist]

I hope and pray that should we win the next election we can do (much) better.
_____________________________________________________

I wouldn't count on it, Malcolm.

Since our head honcho claims to be the "Heir to Blair" I would anticipate more of the same socialist incompetence, with an extra dollop of "hug a hoodie" PC thrown on top.

Not much choice, really.

[William Norton]

O/T: this link takes you to a Downing St petition for Blair to resign:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Resign/

[Mark Fulford]

Also OT... Wonderful irony to use the Number 10 website against its occupant. Here’s a challenge to the blogosphere: crash the server with the volume of traffic.

[matt wright]

The fact is that Blair & Brown pretended to be conservative to get in, Blair couldn't focus on practical progress, Brown used the treasury to expand the state and ditch much of what we had set in place, then Blair began to realise throwing money at problems wasn't working. Low and behold he tried to reintroduce some of our ideas but neither he nor Brown understood them. Now they realise they are in a deep mess with money running out. All their announcements are about now is a form of scorched earth policy in which they make announcements that sound tough, that will never be introduced properly and are anyway only cynically devised to try and trip the opposition up. Blair and Brown have pretty much wrecked the standing of Govt and politics in Britain,

Matt

[TomTom]

ACtually Matt, Blair-Brown was very clever...........it knew that so long as the top personal tax rates were not touched (stable since 1988) the Media elite and Business elite would be on-board................that it was really personal tax rates not corporate rates, or any other single issue that had made opposition to Labour strong in the past.

Just so long as The City could make money - and once the supply of private-sector companies to sell to foreigners dried up, then public assets could be securitized through PFI............it was golden.

The simple reason why Labour has won 3 terms is that the 40% tax band has been stable since 1988 and is now almost a flat-tax for most earners above £33.000 and in reality below once Tax+NIC = 38% or so.

They knew their market and were able to expand Labour's pet themes of Control and Public Spending to build their New Estabishment - what Djilas called The New Class to entrench their people in the system.................just review the career path of Sue Slipman if you want to see it in action