Any questions for you?

Please use the thread below to suggest any questions for the September survey of Tory members and ConHome readers.  The questions will go into the field tomorrow and the results will be published on the eve of the Conservative conference.  The results will appear in The Independent but are unlikely to be as interesting as those LabourHome produced!

Comments

[passing leftie]

Do you think the UK should leave the EU?

Do you think it will be possible for a Cameron government to repatriate powers from the EU?

Do you think Cameron should stick by his promise to leave the EPP?

Do you think that the next manifesto should include specific tax cutting promises?

Do you think that the financial institutions need more or less regulation?

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Does the on-going 'debate' on Europe bore you?

[James Burdett]

Should the Conservatives be more outspoken in defending the positive virtues of capitalism and free markets in light of recent events and announcements?

[GB£.com]

Not for you guys, but one I would someone to put to Gordon Brown:

If, as you have repeated, you believe that experience is the key, vital leadership quality during these turbulent times, does the Prime Minister therefore believe that John McCain can be the only choice for US President?

[Londoner]

If you had a vote, who would you vote for in the US Presidential election?

With "definitely", "leaning towards" and "dont't know'not yet decided" options (i.e. 5 options)

[Opinicus]

Do you think that George Osborne should pull his finger out and suggest that he would rather chop his leg off than have Gordon's "experience"?

or less demoticly

Which member of the CCHQ rapid response unit would you fire first? - giving pick list of the useless jobsworths in question.

[Rocher]

Ask members some true or false questions and see how "in touch" they are.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Do you believe that the national curriculum, Sats, GCSEs , A levels in their current guise should continue?

[Austin Spreadbury]

1. Should the Conservative Party prioritize energy security over cutting greenhouse gas emissions?

2. What is your view on wind power?
- it must be a priority to generate as large a proportion of our electricity needs from wind as possible, no matter how much this pushes up energy bills (some estimates say 37%)
- wind has a role to play, but is unsuited to being base-load because it is intermittent and requires 100% back-up in case the wind is too strong or not strong enough
- wind is a niche player at best, and is viable at present only because the market is rigged by the huge subsidies it gets

3. Thinking about climate change, which of the following comes closest to your views?
- the recent warming of the earth is entirely or mostly down to natural variations, and there is no need to act
- at least some of the warming is due to human activity, but it is unlikely to present real difficulties
- at least some of the warming is due to human activity, and may cause real problems in a few decades' time, but our best policy is to plan to mitigate these effects since it is futile for the UK (or EU) to try to stop them given our share of world emissions
- the warming is dominantly caused by human activity, and it is essential for the UK to act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even if this is very costly and puts economic growth at risk.

[Norm Brainer]

Ask if people think now is the time to start announcing policies to build up a solid manefesto, running the risk that they might get nicked and implemented wrong, or just keep giving out vaugue generalisations with the risk that policies may look the same as labour's made up on the spot legislation when they are finally announced.

um, maybe that question could be shortened somewhat.

[GB£.com]

Is Britain's reliance on nuclear power currently;

a) Too much.
b) About right.
c) Too little.

[Mark Fulford]

1. Tortoise or hare?

Tax cuts. Pick all that apply:

2. Tax cuts fund themselves and can therefore be safely funded in the short-term by borrowing.

3. Tax cuts can only be funded when savings are realized.

4. Public spending can be reduced.

5. Public spending relentlessly increases.

6. Conservatives have a track record of better fiscal management.

7. Conservative policy will see savings in one government department matched by increased spending in others.

8. Conservatives would have better managed the current economic conditions.

[Dorian Englandism]

The architects (Gordon et al) of the £12 billion rescue of HBOS were accused yesterday of playing politics with jobs after a clause was inserted into the deal that appears to protect jobs in Scotland, despite no equivalent reassurance for workers south of the Border.

>the management focus is to keep jobs in Scotland>.

But not in Halifax or Leeds, Newport, Bristol, Chester, London and Speke.

ConHome survey:

Should David Cameron's forthcoming cabinet contain a Secretary of State for England?

[johnC]

If you were asked the following questions would you know the answer:

a) What is the weekly basic state pension ?
b) What is the weekly basic jobseeker's allowance ?
c) What is the basic rate of income tax ?
d) What is the basic rate of corporation tax ?
e) What is the standard rate of VAT ?
f) What is the government's budget defecit this year ?

and (g) if you are a Conservative candidate and answered 'no' to any of the above, why not ?

[Comstock]

"If you lived in Richmond Park, would you vote Goldsmith, LibDem, UKIP or ANother?"

[Norm Brainer]

Here's another question
"Do you think there will be a question in this survey which will be biased to give a certain answer for a future ToryDiary post to try and show that everyone agrees with Tim all along?" ;)

[Cleethorpes Rock]

Who do you want to lead Labour into the next election?

a) Gordon Brown
b), c) etc. other named Labour figures.

I also agree with Londoner on it being nice to include a question on the US election, though if you could, Tim, please could you add Bob Barr (Libertarian), a write-in for Ron Paul and a "both the main candidates are just as bad" option, as I'm sure it would throw up som intersting results.

[Ulster Tory]

Should academic selection and the Grammar School system be encouraged to grow?

Should MPs have to give an oath to the monarch?

Should we have a written British constitution?

Will immigration be more controlled under a Cameron government?

Should Guido shave off his ridiculous facial hair?

[Yogi]

1. Do you think that it is better to downgrade or close down some of the new Universities and spend the savings on Science and Engineering degree programmes at some of the elite Universities and in setting up proper apprenticeship schemes?
2. Given that the economic slow down will push the budget deficit to the highest level as a percentage of GDP in the Western World, should the incoming Government give the highest priority towards repairing the balance sheet?
3. If tehre is going to be a tax cut , which of the following should get the first bite of the cherry:
a)raise the basic rate tax threshold to £14400.00
b) ACT credit to pension funds;
c) raise IHT threshold;
d) cut corporation tax; or
e) re-introduce NI cap;

[Felicity Mountjoy]

Following last week's ToryDiary ask if people want Clarke, Howard and Rifkind back in Cabinet.

[Patsy Sergeant]

There are some interesting questions here, but a set of questions I really WOULD like to answer are in Austin Spreadbury's comment @ 13.37. As I absolutely do NOT approve of wind turbines, for various reasons I would like to answer that question, and explain why.

I would find Mark Fulford's questions @ 14.20 somewhat difficult to answer, because I don't know enough about the intricacies of taxes.

I can't think of any questions myself!

[RichardJ]

Which issues do you think the Conservatives you concentrate on following the conference?

Economy, health, education, immigration, Europe, environment etc

[Tim Montgomerie]

Thanks one and all. I've used the comments (in whole or in part) from passing leftie, Londoner, Norm Brainer, Mark Fulford, Cleethorpes Rock and Felicity.