What unpopular things need to be said by the Tory leadership?

On his personal blog Jeremy Hunt MP reflected on the current anti-politician mood and wrote this:

"One of the reasons we are all considered to have our snouts in the trough is the perception that the government is acting purely from self-interested political motives (e.g. to win elections) and not being driven by a broader sense of mission as to what is right for the country... What will solve this? Only a government that deliberately does something unpopular which it knows will cost it votes but is none the less right for the country. Dealing with Britain's debt crisis perhaps?"

Jeremy is 100% right.  ConHome started a truth-telling award in February and honoured Boris Johnson for his remarks on public pensions but there aren't many other examples of politicians leading public opinion.  Even the Tories' opposition to oppose Labour's fiscal stimulus - certainly lonely and reasonably brave - was supported by a good measure of public opinion.

Here are three things I'd like the Tories to say (and then do) that will be unpopular:

1. Cut public spending. The scale of Brown's debt crisis makes this necessary and public opinion appears to support it but once the axe falls there will be huge resistance from trade unions and other vested interests.
2. Defend capitalism.  By capitalism I don't mean big business necessarily but the small businesses and inventors who will rebuild the British economy.  Defending them means opposing measures that will harm them.  A 45p tax rate, for example.
3. Putting more combat troops into Afghanistan. I suspect most readers agree with the other two of my unpopular measures but I guess not with this one.  For reasons outlined by David Cameron at last year's Party Conference ["If the Taliban come back, the terrorist training camps come back. That would mean more terrorists, more bombs and more slaughter on our streets. That is why we back our troops’ mission in Afghanistan one hundred per cent."] we can't afford to lose this first major battle of the war in terror but we are well on the way to losing it.  We need politicians who will tell a war-weary and inward-looking public that we cannot allow Afghanistan and the border regions of Pakistan to become failed states and havens for terrorists. And telling the public means telling them more than once and in imaginative, reassuring ways.

What are your unpopular things you would like the Tory leadership to say and do?

Tim Montgomerie

Comments

[Emily Sedgefield]

"One of the reasons we are all considered to have our snouts in the trough is the perception that the government is acting purely from self-interested political motives"

Unpopular for politicians but 100% vote winner, GET YOUR SNOUTS OUT OF THE TROUGH!

[London Tory and Thatcherite]

The Conservative leadership should collectively re-read the economic speeches of Margaret Thatcher from 1977-1981. Sir Geoffrey Howe's Budget speech of 1981 should also be mandatory reading.

In a nutshell, a significant number of people in this country have got to stop putting their hands out, and now be made to start standing on their own two feet. The Benevolent Society has become the Piss Taking Society, where too many able bodied citizens who could make a contribution, currently won't. It must be the job of the Conservative Party post 2010 to make them.

As Mrs Thatcher [again] once remarked;

"There are no rights without obligations"

That would not be a bad title for our 2010 Election manifesto.

[Joe De Mocritus]

"We need a referrendum on the EU"

Err no... That would be very popular.

Probably a bit too popular for our wet pro-EU Cameroonians at the top

[Louis Ward]

I agree with all the points put forward by the editor and would also like to hear the Conservatives just be a little clearer on policy. We don't have to be completely precise in every thing we say but a few more concrete proposals on Immigration, Crime and Foreign Policy would go a long way to show we're ready for government.

[ToryBlog.com - Broon and Roon be Goon]

You know what, I think public opinion is clearly turning in the right direction.

This morning on the beeb, they had a woman from Oxfam demanding more money ('just 15 quid per person') for the poorest people in Britain and a guy from the Adam Smith Institute saying that Britain could not afford that and a flat tax with a high threshold to take more people out of taxation completely is the way forward.

And the beeb presenters seemed to agree with him!

I think the roons are still too entrenched behind their Blue Labour spectacles to see that many of the things they consider 'unpopular' may now be the very opposite.

I just fear that Cameron is going all Red Tory at the moment the public is actually not just ready for Blue Tory, but actively wants it.

[Paul D]

Ken Clarke noted on Sunday morning that interest on the national debt will exceed projected spending on education this year

Our number one economic aim must be debt reduction (before tax cuts, spending or anything else)

[RichardJ]

16-18 year olds should not be forced to go to 6th form college/schoool. Actually that's probably popular.

[Viscount Crouchback]

What an amusing piece, Tim. Surely you would do better to ask what unpopular things does David Cameron need to say to you and the rest of the backwoodsmen at Con Home?

I would start with this: "MARGINALISING THE UK IN EUROPE WILL DO NOTHING TO PRESERVE THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP OR MAINTAIN BRITISH INFLUENCE".

[Malcolm Stevas]

Interesting that you cite Jeremy Hunt as saying, "..the perception that the government is acting purely from self-interested political motives (e.g. to win elections) and not being driven by a broader sense of mission as to what is right for the country..." since first, he's right on the button (both the government and the Opposition are doing exactly this), and second, the "win the election then sort out our mission" thing is exactly what a great many solid Tory supporters here and elsewhere swear is both ethical, and tactically sound...
As for what the Conservative Party should tell the nation, it's simply that the State is vastly too big, we're in danger of becoming a police state, our borders are out of control, England needs its own Parliament, taxation & public expenditure have been expanded to a lunatic degree by criminally irresponsible governments and must be reduced by at least half over the next two decades, and the Welfare State has to go, sorry folks...
Oh, and we have to re-negotiate our membership of the EU radically - or leave it altogether.

[rcs]

Undo the failure of Labour in the last 12 years.

1) Reduce Public expenditure. Cut waste. Get our debt under control. Small government is better government.
2) Support enterprise.
3) Restore defense. Prosecute Afghan war with better resources.
4) Cut regulation.
5) Restore basics in education.
6) Change our relationship with the EU which is essential to the above. Get back powers to Westminster and reduce the massive amount of regulation from the EU.
7) Cut tax when affordable with selective cuts to restore business confidence and make the productive sector more profitable.
8) Cut the number of Quangos substantially.
9) Get the Government and EU out of our private lives. 10) Reform the Civil service with much higher level of accountability.

Trust the people and say what needs to be done!

[Yogi]

How about,
1. cut the university places by half and down grade the recently set up Universities to Polytechnics. Cut the funding for meaningless courses and instead spend it on Science and Technolog; and
2. Bring back national service for school leavers who are not going to university.

[michael m]

If we not have a Conservative Government next time we will be stuck with Brown for another 5 years- how unpopluar will that be?! In other words Conservatives who think they can waste their vote by going to UKIP or some other fringe party may be just bringing this on!

[Hugh Oxford]

1: We are heading for a demographic disaster. At current birth rates, the indigenous British population will halve in 35 years. Unless we are to lose this country completely and face Islamisation we have to do something about it. People have a personal responsibility to marry and have children. They cannot expect others to do it for them.

2: If we are to repair Britain's broken society, we need to almost completely dismantle the welfare state. The state will be the provider of last resort after the family, the community, charities and churches, all of whom have a right to make judgements about deservedness.

3: If we are to repair Britain's broken society, the state must not recognise any relationships other than marriage, or any children other than legitimate children. Illegitimacy and cohabitation must be stigmatised as far as is possible by the state.

4: We must ban abortion. Abortion not only kills innocent people, it robs us of future generations, and causes a society in which the relations between the sexes is degraded and destructive. It fuels sexual licentiousness and destroys lives and communities.

5: We must withdraw from the EU (this wouldn't be so unpopular).

6: Illegal immigrants must not only be deported, they must be punished to deter them and others from trying again.

7: All immigration decisions from 2nd and 3rd world countries since '97 shall be converted into temporary work permits, all of them subject to renewal and review, with the expectation of refusal.

8: Crime. Capital and corporal punishments will be reintroduced. Prisons will be places primarily of punishment.

[David Belchamber]

Forget personal friendships or animosities and put the very best people at your disposal in the shadow cabinet, focusing especially on the economy.

Promise a referendum on the EU, whether to stay in or come out. Let the people decide.

Seize the initiative on MPs' expenses and do the right thing i.e. something along the lines that were suggested by Angelo Basu yesterday.

Promise to act in the interests of the nation at all times, not the conservative party.

Rebuild our society starting from the bottom upwards. Promise to take all low earners out of tax (and benefit) until they reach the level of subsistence.

Simplify tax and benefits.

Declare war on government waste.

Be bold. Be positive. Be conservative.

[Jane Gould]

just to dumb down the Roghts and Obligations statement for normal people to understand.
"Choices and Consequences"
Maybe still a bit wordy.
The problem is that most poeple simply do not understand just how far their rights have been eroded in the last twelve years.
We need to make an easy-to-read (& remember) list, to be quoted from at all times.

[Scott Milne]

I think the difficulty all the politicians have is with their perception of popular and unpopular. Something unpopular in the Westmister village - returning capital punishment, life to mean life, stopping all new immigration 'til the current mess is sorted out, coming out of europe and it's insane legislation to name but a few examples, are very popular with the general public.

One of the the reasons politicians are so unpopular is that many of them are career politicians who forget that they are elected to represent the views of the the voters, not to impose their own views on us. The current furore over expenses where their self-serving greed and arrogance has been laid bare and their collective excuse is the ambiguity of the rules (which they wrote), sums up the comtempt they have for the voters at large and how superior they feel they are compared to the rest of us. It's worth keeping in mind they've managed to come up with pretty tight rules for how any business or employee had to deal with expenses and the consequences for failing to do so. The conservatives have been very quiet in their condemnation of this pocket filling free for all. I fear because there are as many blue snouts as red ones in this particular trough!

Our time would be better spent saying that if elected, we would do what the people asked of us whether it is popular in Westminster or not

[Jack Stone]

Don`t you think this is pretty negative. Shouldn`t the question be what popular things need to be said.
If the editor thinks this is the way to win support no wonder IDS never got to even fight an election.

[Guppy]

No. It is time to leave Afghanistan. If Al Qaeda or the Taliban rise again we return but we cannot change that huge country by defeating ever shifting tribal alliances.

Make it a protectorate but forget running or rearranging it.

We went in to remove a terror threat. That we have done

[Henry Mayhew - You know what you want]

How about:

"As Conservative backbench MPs we demand the return of Henry Mayhew Ukipper to the Conservative Party Pensions Policy Committee to sort this mess out and bring in compulsory, tax-efficient, long-term savings & pensions, managed by competing, government guaranteed, mutual societies, based on the successful system that existed before Lloyd George brought in an unfunded old age pension provided, disgracefully, by future taxpayers".

[Jonathan]

As for 'cut public spending', we need to be specific. Personally, I would like to see many quangos in MOJ, DCLG, and CabOff disappear. Most spending in DCMS, and DfID are legitimate, but there could be some shavings made on the benefit culture to the tune of a few billion. I think spending could be cut by around £15bn without anyone feeling discomfort. A further £10bn, and things would begin to sting. But, tax rises need to come with this as well. I know this sounds like socialism, but its only fair.

As for the troops in Afghanistan, I agree. I would like to see a British surge of around 4,000 troops. However, this should not be done whilst we are so overstretched, and the military needs a huge recruitment drive now to get the numbers up at least 10,000. To be honest, MoD spending needs to go up by about £5bn a year for the next three years if we are going to pull this country back from the brink.

Thoughts?

[Phyllis Crash]

Britain is crying out for a conviction politician. For a truth teller. For someone with the guts to make us great again.

[Emily Sedgefield]

Reverse the smoking ban. Unpopular with the righteous, very popular with the electorate and great for business.

[Derek Smith]

I agree that we should concentrate on reinforcing popular beliefs and wishes.

Foremost is the abolition of wind energy as a viable renewable source because it is intermittent, requires conventional power-station back-up and destroys swathes of our most beautiful countryside and the diversity of wild life which it supports.

If you need a green cause, go for biofuels from waste, nuclear and tidal.

[Richard Balfe]

We need to make clear that the pain is going to be shared equally. Many Trade Unionists and other workers who are in danger of losing their jobs do not feel the Party is really committed to tackling the high bonus and salary culture at the top.
Whether it is highly paid Chief Officers in Local Government or highly paid Bankers the feeling is that we will not be as robust with those at the top of the priviledge tree as those at the bottom.
We are told public sector pensions are no longer affordable but the main spreaders of this meesage are senior Public Servants who retire at 60 and MP's who need to reform their own scheme at the same time as reforming that of other people.

[RichardJ]

"Reverse the smoking ban. Unpopular with the righteous, very popular with the electorate and great for business."

I'm all for that but I think you've mistaken if you believe it would be popular.

[London Tory and Thatcherite]

How about..

'that the police in this country are useless, and a Conservative Govt will reform them root and brach'.

P.S:

We should be making a front bench statement on the Ian Tomlinson outrage ASAP- where is Grayling ?

[Emily Sedgefield]

I think you're wrong Richard. In a democracy we should ensure choice. The choice for a pub landlord to open a "smoking" or "non smoking" establishment is democratic. Why do you think 7 pubs a day are closing? It's not because people don't have the money to go out. This government is still going on about binge drinking... it's the smoking ban. I haven't been to a pub since it started and neither have many of my smoking friends. Those who don't smoke, don't go either because it's not same unless we are all there. Our local has now shut!

[Edward Huxley]

The leadership is unable to grasp that we are paying millions to the profligate and corrupt EU and a priority must be to plug this hole in our finances by leaving. Then, if elected, they could decide on how to manage the economy and restore confidence. And of course we could get back to making our own laws instad of having them forced on us by unelected Commissioners.

Promising a referendum unconditionally on the Lisbon treaty would be a good start.

Unfortunately at the moment the only clear policy on the EU is to rule out any possibility of leaving.

[Emily Sedgefield]

Deport illegal immigrants immediately when caught instead of putting them in detention centres at taxpayers expense. Appeals must be done from their country of origin.

Too many of them are also released back into the community and are expected to report once a week until their cases are heard. They tend to disappear (surprise, surprise).

The official estimate is almost 600,000 illegals in the UK, so its probably realistically nearer a million. Imagine how much money we would save, how many jobs would be available and it would release some of the burden on many essential services like the NHS.

[Iain]

Because the MP's do have their snouts in the trough, in fact they seemed to have jumped head first into the trough. and to attempt to attach this with the need for an 'initiative' sounds like the worst of Labour in trying to bury bad news.

1/ MP's do have their snouts in the trough.

2/MP's have disenfranchised us by signing away much of our sovereignty, so any 'initiative' is likely to fall foul of Brussels policy.

3/And today we are told that MP's can't even be bothered to turn up to Select Committee meetings, Select Committee meeting they use as an excuse for not attending debates in Parliament.

[Beagle]

If you reform public sector pensions for those currently in the schemes, particularly the Teachers' Pension Scheme, watch for the biggest exodus of experienced and skilled staff and an even bigger immediate dent in public funds.

[Emily Sedgefield]

"We need a referrendum on the EU", Deport illegal immigrants immediately, "that the police in this country are useless, and a Conservative Govt will reform them root and brach", reverse the smoking ban, stop immigration from non EU countries, sort out the expenses fiasco, create an English Parliament, return discipline to schools, cut public servants by 50%, lower tax for businesses, punish criminals, kill the nanny state, scrap all the spying databases..

Why talk about doing unpopular things? Politicians are unpopular enough, we are aware of the unpopular things that will happen as a result of the inept labour government. Do POPULAR things, things that you know people want...

... but then again, are you too chicken sh*t to do them?

Yes, I think you are, you'll get into power because Labour are hated and things won't change because you are all the same. It's a shame that you don't remember you work for us... and we are not there to be ruled by you.

[niconoclast]

The Conservative party has to decide whether it is the party of the Big State and Socialism or the party of small state and Capitalism.It fudges this issue and speaks out of both sides of its mouth and then wonders why everyone looks upon it with suspicion and distaste.It is like the Biblical bugler who sounds the uncertain cry.I have followed and been an observer of politics for over 25 years but I cannot understand or would even begin to be able to explain to anybody what the modern tory party actually beleives in other than a lust for power for power's sake.No wonder the average voter who is busy trying just to get by is lukewarm or indifferent to the tories.All the while it remains mixed up in confusion with its mixed economy approach it is going to provoke yawns rather than passion.

[Dave]

We stay in the E.U. come what may so tough titty!

[Cleethorpes Rock]

Unpopular:

We will back the construction of 20 new Nuclear Power Plants.

The NHS and State Pension in their current forms are not sustainable with an ageing population, and will have to be fundamentally reformed.

Final Salary public sector pensions will be abolished for new entrants.

Tax credits are complex and costly- we will abolish them and instead raise the tax threshold.

Popular:

There will be no more troops for Afghanistan until European countries start to pull their weight.

Corporation tax will be cut to 10% for all businesses to improve cash availability and stimulate the economy.

Rip up HRA on day one and replace it with absolutely nothing.

[Tim Montgomerie]

@Cleethorpes Rock,

Completely agree with you on nuclear power.

(Sorry my reply to you is late on Brown £1 campaign. Will reply later today).

[RichardJ]

"I think you're wrong Richard. In a democracy we should ensure choice. The choice for a pub landlord to open a "smoking" or "non smoking" establishment is democratic."

If you were to have a referendum on the smoking ban I suspect most people would vote to keep it. What you're talking about isn't democracy but liberty - the right of private property owners to allow smoking on their property. As I value liberty more highly than democracy I'm all for repealing the smoking ban but I wouldn't make it a priority issue when we have an economic crisis to deal with.

[David]

"Cut public spending."

Completely wrong thing to do in a recession. Yes, we will have a problem with debt, but that's just our tough luck at having an idiot of a chancellor for the last 10 years.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Cleethorpes Rock has it about right I think although I disagree with him on Afghanistan.
I would also signal the end of the Child Trust Fund and no child benefit for those who have more than 2 children. I suspect the last will provoke howls of outrage but we currently have unstuainable population growth.

[Nicholas Bennett]

Reform the Police.

We bottled out in 1992-7. They are an unreformed nationalised industry, particularly the Met, where officers spend only a fifth of their time on patrol and the rest of the time in police stations etc. Much of the back office work after an arrest - processing arrestees, witness statement taking etc could be done by civilians.

The attack on Mr Tomlinson highlighted what happens when police officers get hyped up. It is not only the Left who are concerned that the police are being to overreach themselves controlling demos. Holding people for hours in cordons, although held to be lawful by the courts, has now been extended to photographing each individual as they leave and threatening them with arrest and 'DNAing' if they don't co-operate.

[Richard North]

What would be extremely popular would be the idea of a government/opposition with a clear policy on a range of issues.

In respect of Afghanistan, that might extend to the idea of having ONE strategy (instead of the half a dozen different ones we have at the moment).

That would also include resisting the Army bleatings for "more resources" until Gen Richards has had time enough to look at what is going on, and get things organised.

More (British) troops is possibly the last thing we need. US forces are flooding into Helmand and carrying out most of the current ops while, on the other hand, there are only 2,000 ANA tasked in the entire province.

[Steve Crowther]

"We stay in the E.U. come what may so tough titty!"

No change to the policy there, then – nor, indeed, to its public presentation. Nice tribute to democratic accountability.

"Choices and Consequences" - you're right, still too wordy. How about this, as the Tory slogan: "Live your own life."

And surprisingly, from a Ukipper, the number one priority for the next Conservative government must be total, immediate, root-and-branch reform of the police.

The politicisation, militarisation and immunisation of the police is the greatest of the litany of crimes the Blair/Brown junta has perpetrated. A greater problem even than the EU – because if the police are not the servants of the people, the people are powerless to change anything, ever.

For evidence, see the repressive, and unlawful treatment of British people (not including me) exercising their lawful rights in London last week.

Okay, come and get me.

[Steve Crowther]

I've just seen the Ian Tomlinson video. I feel sick. If the police do not produce that officer and charge him with manslaughter today, the commander of the operation should be arrested.

[RichardJ]

"Completely wrong thing to do in a recession."

Only if you follow the economic crankery advocated by Keynes (who simple re-hashed old inflationist fallacies with respectable sounding language). Recessions are the mechanism by which bad investments made during the unsustainable boom are purged. They must be allowed to cleanse the system. Spraying more money into the system simply delays this. Instead we should encourage voluntary saving which results in long-term economic growth.

[London Tory and Thatcherite]

Nicholas Bennett- excellent post.

I repeat- the Libs are making the running on this today, where is Grayling ?

[John Moss]

Sound Money - a real terms cash freeze for all spending departments, excluding the "automatic stabilisers" driven by rising unemployment. Offset this with freedom to spend the frozen total how the departments and their providers see fit.

Not increasing spending amounts to a saving of over £20bn in Y1, rising to over £100bn after five years. £300bn in total over five years. Share this between debt repayment and tax cuts.

Welfare to work - pay welfare for no more than three months before requiring claimants to "work" three days a week for their local Council providing additional services in return for their benefits. If claimants refuse, then benefits fall by 5% every month until they are half the original rate.

Sell assets - the Local Authority housing estate is worth £200bn, aim to "sell" 25% over ten years in part shares, full shares, etc (as announced yesterday), with higher incentives for tenants to buy. Use the proceeds to re-build many of the worst estates, then sell these in the same way.

Change defence procurement to what we need in the future, not what we needed in the past. Scrap the aircraft carriers, delay Trident replacement. Pull out of Eurofighter. Buy armoured personnel carriers, body armour and small theatre weapons. Sack half the civil servants at MoD and recruit more soldiers with the savings.

Refuse to contribute any more money to the EU until the CAP is scrapped and all import tariffs dropped on food from Africa. (Allow imports from the US tariff free only if they do the same). Pay farmers 150% of their last years CAP grants as a one off to cover the move to a proper free market. If the EU won't budge, have a referrendum on leaving.

Make MPs "self employed". Pay them £150,000pa plus the equivalent of the annual rent on a 2 bed flat in their constituencies and nothing else. End the final salary scheme at the end of this parliament.

End all public sector final salary schemes at the end of this parliament, start new "money purchase" schemes for all employees with maximum 5% contribution from their employer - ie us!

[Rare Breed]

Unpopular things to say:

"We will empire build no more. We will withdraw troops from every country other than our own, especially all muslim countries(including Germany, Saudi Arabia, south Korea, Iraq and Afganistan) - how would we feel if there was an occupying force of the iranian army on our shores? We will build a navy capable of protecting our trade routes. We defend and secure our borders against our foes and against illegal immigration. We will secure and defend our distant territories and protect them from potential enemies regardless of the political repercussions. We will rebuild our national sovereignty and with it our national pride by withdrawing from the EU. Through unrestrictive economic policy we will be self reliant and build a nation that will continue to be the economic hub of the world providing jobs for all who seek them. We will be Great Britain once again.

Hang on, that actually sounds quite popular, once you just say it.

[Hugh Oxford]

The politicisation, militarisation and immunisation of the police is the greatest of the litany of crimes the Blair/Brown junta has perpetrated.

It's definitely up there. I think most coppers are fine, and if the blogs are to be believed, it's the appointed top brass that are the cancer.

The problem was that the police were a soft target for the left wing ideologues. These people cannot enforce or communicate their values through society or through the family, so they have to hijack organs of the state.

Multiculturalism, gay rights, diversity, hate crimes and all that garbage isn't self sustaining and can't be spread organically, so it needs a delivery mechanism to force itself on us. Plod has traditionally been obedient, neutral, placid and reputedly not that much of a free thinker. Who better to indoctrinate?

I've spoken extensively to the most senior coppers in my force about things like "hate crimes", and to tell you the truth, it's like they've been reprogrammed. I kid you not, they speak a language you or I would hardly understand. Everything's BME, BLT, the seven strands of diversity, community this, community that. The impartial enforcement of law has long been buried under Orwellian newspeak and newthink, the products of cultural Marxism. It was, genuinely, a frightening experience, and if my faith in the police was questioned before then, it was dashed at that point.

It's not so much that they're political with a capital P, but political with a small p. There's an insidious enforcement of a cultural, ideological and social engineering agenda, which uses as one of its weapons the suppression of free speech and expression, through nebulous laws such as "incitement to hatred" and "breach of the peace".

There has been either a loss, or a deliberate destruction of the police's proper place in British society. Like a lot of things that have happened under new Labour, it's something I never thought would happen. As an old lady recently remarked to me on a bus - "It took a thousand years to build this country, and New Labour ten years to destroy it".

[Toby]

Implement the plan.

You didn't say unpopular for who.

this would be unpopular for the political class, lefties and genrally vast swathes of our public sector employees who have been recruited by clause 4 by the back door.

the plan is awesome in its scope and pretty much the only thing that gives me hope at the moment. That some some MPs do actually get it.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

Nicholas Bennett- excellent post.

I repeat- the Libs are making the running on this today, where is Grayling ?

Posted by: London Tory and Thatcherite | April 08, 2009 at 11:09

Probably having his DNA taken - we live in a police state, don’t we?

Having said that it is distressing that a death occurred as a result of violence associated with the demonstration. I expect that the usual epithets of Gestapo, Stasi and bastards were hurled at police (possibly by anti-capitalist Guardian readers) whilst they were trying to protect property.

Out of respect for the deceased my psuedonym as no relevance in this comment.

[Jules in London]

1. Welfare is not for life. Max 5 years. Abolish child benefit, if you cannot afford to have a child you shouldn't breed and the tax payer shouldn't have to support these irresponsible women.

2. Stop lying about the unemployment numbers: there are 3m on the sick and 2m on the dole so the real number is 5m.

3. Deport all illegals immediately. Rescind British citizenship from any foreign immigrant who commits a crime and deport them back to their home country and their families if they are not working and contributing to our country.

4. Charge anyone going to see their GP min £10 to stop the sick note brigade and the hypercondriacs. Same charge at A&E. All foreigners must pay for health care!!!

5. No foreigner can receive benefits unless they have a 5 year tax record i.e. they have contributed to our country before they can take from it.

6. Cull at least 100 MPs, why do we have 650 MPs and the US only has 500 Congressmen? Make consituencies equal and across county bountries, not just inner city borough boundries, this is the reason Labour has an inbuilt majority and a democratic country MUST have a fair voting system.

7. Vote for House of Lords, we must be able to get rid of useless peers and they should lose their peerages if they commit a crime e.g. Jeffery Archer should lose his peerage and fingers crossed we can get rid of Mandy too!

8. Expose Gordy's non-green credentials: he put up the tax on diesel higher than unleaded (this tax was the reverse when Ken was at #11) and diesel is supposed to be the green fuel. Also the 3rd runway is not exactly green! Change our clocks to European time i.e. +1hr as this will save energy and if Scotland don't want it, they can stay on GMT.

9. Tax credits are a farse and expensive, simplify the tax system and look after pensioners, remind the electorate that Gordy gave them 10p rise - they go out and vote! Also protect savers as they are not profligate, the spend thrifts (including Gordy) have caused the debt problems in our country.

10. Make Danniel Hannan a Cabinet Minister, he can be in the Lords and an MEP!

[The Rifle]

Cut unemployment benefit.

Drastically reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit.

Bring back national service for young people not in education, employment or training.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

Posted by: Hugh Oxford | April 08, 2009 at 09:32

Excellent Hugh, but what you suggest would be very popular, but very unpopular with the vision (blinkered) of the Tories.

This theme has been turned on its head and has gone from stating what politicians should be proposing as being unpopular (politicians are already unpopular) into what would be popular. Politicians are a hopeless case, I'm afraid; cloned sheep, Baa! Baa! Baa!

[James Cullis]

1 must be a review of the welfare state especially benefit payments
2 end comprehensive education
2 reverse the 1992 education act polys are polys
4 reintroduce compulsory selection based on ability thoughout the education sector

[Paul D]

4. Charge anyone going to see their GP min £10 to stop the sick note brigade and the hypercondriacs. Same charge at A&E.

-------------

I can't agree with that one - we've already seen people stop going to the dentist because of the implementation of charges (along with the exodus from the NHS!). Charging folk to see their GP will mean a lot of the worse off people in society (who are statistically more likely to get sick and thus NEED a doctor) stop going and plunge into a cycle of ever-worsening health

[Iain]

"the seven strands of diversity, community this, community that."

It looks like we have some more 'diversity' to celebrate in light of the High Court ruling barring us deporting some Rwandans accused of war crimes.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

"The politicisation, militarisation and immunisation of the police is the greatest of the litany of crimes the Blair/Brown junta has perpetrated.

It's definitely up there. I think most coppers are fine, and if the blogs are to be believed, it's the appointed top brass that are the cancer......."
Posted by: Hugh Oxford | April 08, 2009 at 11:29

Great stuff again, Hugh. I am definitley one of your fans.

It is the top brass that has been infected with the ideology of Labour, but the Tories have done their bit also when in power; increasing paper work, appointing custody officers, shackling the invesigatatory powers of police and then producing PACE.

I am sure that the rank and file officers view the "awareness" courses and political indoctrination as a joke and laugh (behind their hands).

It was much better in Michael Foot's era, and that is not meant to be a joke.

[Robert Eve]

Certainly get Hannan into the cabinet - as PM.

[Peter Bailey]

) Promise to divide HM Revenue and Customs back into two separate bodies - Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise.

2) Repeal the Consolidated Fund Act 2005, stripping the Treasury of the power to issue funds out of the Consolidated Fund.

3) Scrap plans for a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, restoring its power to the Law Lords.

4) Revoke the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, giving choice back to business.

5) Scrap plans for regional casinos.

6) Replace the rail watchdog group Passenger Focus with a series of geographically separated groups.

7) Revoke all pardons given to soldiers executed for cowardice and other offences during the First World War.

8) Scrap the Consumer Credit Act 2006.

9) Increase the age of candidacy for public elections from 18 to 21.

10) Scrap the Commission on Equality and Human Rights.

[James Cullis]

Peer i agree with your sentiment however i strongly believe that your number 4 is morally wrong disabled ppl need to work
and i cant agree with number 7

[David Belchamber]

Richard Balfe at 09.49:

"We need to make clear that the pain is going to be shared equally. Many Trade Unionists and other workers who are in danger of losing their jobs do not feel the Party is really committed to tackling the high bonus and salary culture at the top".

Yes, even though that implies that public sector final pension schemes should be ceased for new entrants as well.

I agree with Richard's fundamental point: we must try to build a fairer society from the ashes of the present mess.

I suggest a fixed agreed relationship between the basic salary/wage of the lowest FT earner in a company and the top executive; in the latter's case, any top up payments, bonuses or otherwise, have to remain discretionary and not be built into the contract.

Other points:

Government stats must henceforth represent the true situation (e.g. crime figs, unemployment, inflation, proportion of debt to GDP etc).

"Rights carry obligations".

Review all terrorism legislation.

Review all human rights legislation.

Review all EU inspired legislation.

Bring in a simpler and fairer personal tax system.

Above, tell the conservatives, when they get a clear and coherent message, to get out there and fight to be heard.

[Leigh Quilter]

> Pledge to rebuild the constitution by restoring the Hereditary Peers to the House of Lords and reaffirming their commitment to the hereditary principle generally.

> Girls between the age of 11 and 16 to have compulsory cooking and proper home economics lessons to equip them with the skills to prepare wholesome meals for their future family and to understand food better, thus tackling future problems such as obesity.

> Special tax allowances, possibly transferable, to married couples, to ease pressure on marriage and help couples stay together and also allow one parent or spouse to stay at home to run a household.

[Susan Hill]

Abolish the Arts Council and all public subsidy for the arts other than in an educational context

[HYUFD]

Whatever the rights and wrongs of Cameron's support for the 45p rate it will not directly impact on small businesses. According to the IFS executives of reasonably sized small businesses earn an average of around £75,000.

[Edward Huxley]

There have been many intereting postings here,but most require money.

We must stop our contributions to the EU first, then we can decide how to best to use OUR money.

Surely you don`t have to be a UKIP member to see this?

[William Blake's Ghost]

Just looking at the comments here I think there is one main recognition which needs to be faced up to.

Our political system is broken (along with our economy and society).

Our political parties are failing because in the decades long pursuit of power they have lost perspective and are in fact corrupt (in the intellectual sense as opposed to the financial sense) and that the whole system needs to be reformed root and branch if it has any hope of surviving.

In David Cameron's early years I had hoped that he may have the insight to do something about this but as we get closer to the election it seems that all the Conservative Party will offer is more of the same.

The Labour Party are lost and have been since Clause IV, the Libdems are as ever rudderless and the Conservative Party look like they are content with the status quo (whilst occasionally making noises otherwise) because they are just as rudderless as the Libdems.

Day by day the Conservatives are talking themselves out of my vote (they've already lost my membership conscription).

Unless we get a major shift in political thinking our political system will die.

[Tim Montgomerie]

Thanks for all the responses so far. Please keep them coming and I'll compile a list of the best ones later...

[William Blake's Ghost]

Conscription ????? Subscription duh!

[Alex Swanson]

Repeal the 197 handgun bans and allow the ownership of weapons for self-defence.

Jeeramy Hunt is the shadow sports minister. If he's at all competent, he knows the handgun ban was unjust and ineffective. If he wants to put truth before popularity (especially popularity with the chattering classes) this is his topic to do it on.

Bet he doesn't, though.

[The Bishop Swine]

". Bring back national service for school leavers who are not going to university"

And the cost? This is one of those policies that sounds really good until you try to work out how and who is going to pay for it. Of course we could invade Rhodesia and make them pay for the privilege. Somehow I think there would be some opposition from the UN. Also your idea of getting rid of 50% of the new university places, would be extremely unpopular and in the long run very bad for the nation. I do agree that we should be rid of useless courses, and we should be concentrating on turning out a highly skilled workforce. I don't think trying to reverse all of the reforms of the last 50 Years is the way forward. I do believe that we need to re-arm ourselves if Russia is going to do the same, but the Idea of large armies of obedient poor people, forced into regimental compliance, is not a vote winner. Even if such an answer was politically desirable, the bottom line is that as a nation we can no longer afford a very large badly educated army. We should encourage our `young people to continue in some form of training post 18. Those who will not will sadly form an increasingly shrinking unskilled workforce, that will have no choice but to work for minimum wage. Further education is utterly vital if we are going remain a competitive market nation.

[Sally Roberts]

Nicholas Bennett : 10:49 I agree with you 100%. A man lost his life during the G20 demonstrations last week and what has emerged about this shines an extremely ugly light on the Police leadership.

[Sally Roberts]

"> Girls between the age of 11 and 16 to have compulsory cooking and proper home economics lessons to equip them with the skills to prepare wholesome meals for their future family and to understand food better, thus tackling future problems such as obesity."

Excellent idea, Leigh but why only girls?

[niconoclast]

Judging by the comments so far it would seem that the most intelligent tories are not in office but commenting on blogs.Why do we always end up with the dummies and being ruled by inferior beings?Perhaps as soon as they get onto the public payroll they go native and become Socialist. Certainly we can put the blame for the inexorable rise and rise of the BNP over the last few years firmly at the door of the present Tory party with its lurch to the Left and the glassy eyed cult of Camerons.Every seat won by another BNP member is down to the Camorons who have hijacked the conservative party.

[RichardJ]

"Also your idea of getting rid of 50% of the new university places, would be extremely unpopular and in the long run very bad for the nation."

50% of people are not fit for university. Nor for that matter are 40%.

[David Belchamber]

Further Education

Set up elite polytechnics for degree standard courses in vocational subjects, including administration.

Reduce the number of universities and university courses nearer to a level that is driven by suitably qualified students.

Schools

Concentrate on ensuring that something like 80-90% of pupils can read, write and count by 11 (not c70%).

Set up special boarding schools to which persistently disruptive pupils can be sent. These should concentrate on providing a very basic education, inculcating self-discipline and sport.

Give local communities the right to decide the sort of schools to be provided in that community.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

"> Girls between the age of 11 and 16 to have compulsory cooking and proper home economics lessons to equip them with the skills to prepare wholesome meals for their future family and to understand food better, thus tackling future problems such as obesity."

Excellent idea, Leigh but why only girls?

Posted by: Sally Roberts | April 08, 2009 at 15:05

Because God made women with smaller feet.

Ideal for getting closer to the sink.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

Repeal the 197 handgun bans and allow the ownership of weapons for self-defence.

Jeeramy Hunt is the shadow sports minister. If he's at all competent, he knows the handgun ban was unjust and ineffective. If he wants to put truth before popularity (especially popularity with the chattering classes) this is his topic to do it on.

Bet he doesn't, though.

Posted by: Alex Swanson | April 08, 2009 at 13:56

When Britain was a much more homogenous society I would have agreed, but now such a policy would require a lot of thought. Britain is a split and divided country with an element we do not want to have access to firearms. Such a scheme would have to be restricted, but it wouldn't be.

[Sally Roberts]

"Ideal for getting closer to the sink."

You are Godfrey Bloom and I claim my £5!

[Emily Sedgefield]

Are the Conservatives scrapping all the data retention databases?

I do hope that "Big Brother" will be dead and buried for good as I am sick to the back teeth with it. I do nothing wrong and I'm being treated more like a criminal as each day passes.

I want my freedom back.

Richard, yes you're correct.. Liberty is the right word.. freedom of choice.

[graham wood]

This is SUCH an easy question, and so the answer is so easy:

£106,000 per minute cost of EU

It is calculated that membership of the EU is costing Britain £106,117 a minute. In his latest publication for the Bruges Group, Mr Batten says the price of the combined direct and indirect expenses of our EU membership currently stands at £55.775 billion.

"As we enter what looks like the most serious economic crisis since 1929 membership of the European Union is a luxury that the British people simply cannot afford," Mr Batten says.

"It is clear that the EU is holding up economic recovery, to get Britain out of recession, we must get Britain out of the EU.

"If the British Government really believes that membership of the EU is in the interests of the British people they should commission an independent cost/benefit analysis to demonstrate the economic effects of membership."

Mr Batten's analysis, How Much Does the EU Cost Britain? 2008, reveals that by the end of the current EU budget period, Britain will have made estimated total contributions to the budget of £315.4 billion gross and £101.4 billion net.
• By 2007 Britain had an accumulated trade deficit with the other EU member states of £383.7 billion.
• The Common Agricultural Policy costs Britain at least £16.8 billion per annum.
• The Common Fisheries Policy costs Britain at least £3.275 billion per annum.
• Over-regulation on business costs Britain at least £28 billion per annum.
• In 2008 membership of the European Union costs Britain almost £65.675 billion per annum gross or almost £55.775 billion per annum net.
The booklet suggests that because the EU is riddled with corruption, it is likely that the equivalent of Britain's entire net contribution to is going into the pockets of fraudsters.
Mr Batten says: "As politicians of the three main parties are struggling to explain how they will deliver the tax cuts that the British economy needs, they have failed to realise that this money can be found if we stop paying the EU billions of pounds per year of taxpayers' money.

"The 2% boost to economic growth created by leaving the EU and slashing its excessive red tape would also increase tax revenue by £10.73 billion.
"Combine that with the direct savings to the exchequer and it will allow for a 6p in the pound cut in the basic rate of income tax."

Read or download Gerard Batten's booklet How Much Does the EU Cost Britain? 2008

[anthony.scholefield]

I agree with those who point out that the problem is not with the people but with the political class-therefore your question should be 'what unpopular things(with the political class) need to be said by the Tory political leadership?'
Personally I dont think the present leadership are capable of this as they are still in thrall to the Westminster-media way and view of life.They have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the viewpoint the people formed a long time ago.
But some things are regarded as 'commonsense' by the people but are completely off the map as far as the political class is concerned.
These would include
1. Cutting government spending seriously.
2. Cutting seriously the welfare state.
3.Leave the EU.
4. Stop immigration,kick out all illegals and start a repatriation programme of all unemployed and heavy benefit drawing immigrants.
5.Stimulate British industry with jobs for British people especially the lower paid.This can be done by bringing the pound down to its true value away from the la-la land of the last few years where' free trade 'was confused by many economists with trade which led to unbalanced balance of payments-exactly what was not 'free trade' in the writings of the classical economists such as Ricardo and Johns Stuart Mill.
5. As Winston said,trust the people.

[Henry Mayhew - ukipper]

Randolph said it first.

[Malcolm Stevas]

Dontmakemelaugh:
"Girls between the age of 11 and 16 to have compulsory cooking and proper home economics lessons to equip them with the skills to prepare wholesome meals for their future family and to understand food better, thus tackling future problems such as obesity."
....
Because God made women with smaller feet.
Ideal for getting closer to the sink."
Nice to see you used your time in Oz profitably, getting in touch with Ocker culture... Whoever posted that originally is perfectly entitled to his views, but if he was serious he ought to recognise he's contributing to a powerful Tory stereotype. Along with all the usual suspects calling for the reinstatement of National Service.
As for, "Britain is a split and divided country with an element we do not want to have access to firearms," it's in part because of the growth of this element that I wholeheartedly support Alex Swanson's call for the restoration of our traditional right to arm ourselves for self defence. Vicious, criminal types (I include the government and its agents in this category) will always have whatever weapons they want, regardless of the Law, and I just want to even things up.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

I think we're missing the point- we're all proposing things that are popular, not unpopular.

I think some unpopular, but necessary things would include:

Lowering the threshold for tax credits (if we can't abolish them) so that only the very poorest get them.

Scrap Education maintenance allowance.

Scrap Child Benefit.

Introduce an opt out of the state pension system.

Allow co-payments in the NHS.

Allow the Scottish Parliament to raise more of the revenue it spends (this will be unpopular with Scots once they realise how much it all costs!)

I think that in order for these "unpopular things" to seem credible, they need to be counter-intuitive, even designed to antagonise what might be seen as traditional Conservative sensibilities- less troops in Afghanistan, scrapping of some universal benefits that the middle classes get, closing of tax loopholes. If we just go in for binning SureStart, chopping pensions and introducing private insurance, Labour, as sure as night follows day, will accuse us of "replacing kidney machines with rockets and guns"

[Edward Huxley]

Just to add to what Graham Wood wrote about Gerald Batten`s exposure of the cost of our EU membership:

"EUROPE SAYS GIVE THE VOTE TO CONVICTS"

Daily Express Headline today. Once again Brussels make the rules and we obey them. As long as we stay in we have no choice.

What are we doing in this madhouse?

[Mary Douglas]

How about:

We acknowledge and celebrate our Christian heritage of many centuries, which underpins the system of government and the values which enable us to call our nation civilised.

We have been systematically destroying this heritage for many years now, and are in very grave danger of losing all in our way of life that we value and cherish.

Christianity is NOT just one of many faiths - it is the basis of all that we value in our society, and is also the religion of the vast majority of people in this country, and we recognise it as such.

[Leigh Quilter]

"> Girls between the age of 11 and 16 to have compulsory cooking and proper home economics lessons to equip them with the skills to prepare wholesome meals for their future family and to understand food better, thus tackling future problems such as obesity."

Excellent idea, Leigh but why only girls?

In reponse to Sally Roberts, I would agree that both boys and girls should have a mixed curriculum of practical home economics skills, including cooking, cleaning, basic gardening and traditionally male subjects such as woodwork, but as the most likely sex to take on the role of homemaker, girls should receive more intensive tuition in those subjects most relevant to homemaking. Boys should, of course, have a thorough grounding in cookery, but spend more time in skills which will equip them for the workplace.

Please understand that this is not some "wimmin should know their place" argument, but one based on an increasing amount of evidence that suggests families where the woman stays at home are more stable and more happy.

[Sally Roberts]

Thanks for clarifying that, Leigh and that is a perfectly fair argument.

I am a little disappointed that "Godfrey" hasn't yet paid me my £5!

[Alex Swanson]

Britain is a split and divided country with an element we do not want to have access to firearms. Such a scheme would have to be restricted, but it wouldn't be.

Nobody is arguing against a sensible licensing system. The problem is that at the moment the UK has the worst of both worlds: ordinary, trustworthy citizens cannot own handguns, whereas the potentially violent actually have no serious obstacle to obtaining one illegally.

[Akilina]

Hi guys. My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of the pessimists.
I am from Iran and also now teach English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Imitrex sumatriptan succinate injection was approved for the treatment of cluster headache by the fda on."

Best regards :D, Akilina.

[Sofia]

Badly need your help. I believe that all government is evil, and that trying to improve it is largely a waste of time. Help me! Need information about: Python car alarm manual. I found only this - 2 way car alarm. Cheap car alarms, practicality at its finest. For this reason, groups are trying to ban the use of car alarms. With respect :-), Sofia from Ecuador.

[Constructionselect]

Volume Rare,respond much date at issue although type factory afterwards establishment exercise whose meeting less farm apparent cat bind advance operate knowledge capital visit youth earn scale though population far pound sleep usual expensive entirely cut sky media available grow investment gate definition vital publish against useful around see trip rather walk solution initial when what laugh perhaps open observation take physical inside proper attach egg representation else refer industrial mistake black revolution rely far performance twice widely not employ something ball name solution league here great

[Tresillian]

I very much agree that resisting compulsory education for 16 to 18 year olds would be, morally, a good move. It would show that the tory party ultimately believes in personal liberty and trusts young people to make the choices which are in their interests (which in 95% of cases is continuing education). At the same time it is pragmatically a good idea as A-level classes with voluntary attendance (even if the actual makeup of the class is unchanged) are a much better learning environment.

In general the tory party should be looking to lower or maintain, not raise or impose new age thresholds (indeed that would make a good manifesto commitment). I am generally a big fan of DC but I do worry that he doesn't really believe in liberty for the young and I also sometimes wonder (tory to tory) whether this attitude can be traced to his own erstwhile youthful antics.

It should be noted that the Tories have done much better than others in bringing forward policies which are right but not popular. Their inheritance tax policy is, presumably, now unpopular as it has formed the mainstay of the recent Labour attacks which have led to a tightening in the polls.

That does not mean that it is a bad policy (and it also does not mean that the public would thank us for dropping it).

They should keep the tax until the third or fourth year of their parliament before abolishing it outright. None of this pushing up the threshold nonsense which costs 90% of what abolition costs and just kicks the issue into the long grass.

The principled reasons for not having "inheritance tax" (e.g. that it amounts to double taxation) are "scale independent" and, as such, there should be no scale associated with it - simple.

[ian Collins]

Scrap the totally unnecessary and costly Institute For Learning Quango that has made working in Further Education less desirable and is another Brown ( or is it a Balls up ) fiasco that we can do without!

Bonfire for Quangos ! low hanging fruit should be cut now

[vakantiehuis]

Leuke site!. Er zijn nog weinig goede sites over dit onderwerp te vinden.
Ben blij met jullie post!
Ik kan helaas geen bookmark aanmaken naar conservativehome.blogs.com in Firefox. :( Weten jullie hoe dit komt?

Groetjes Barbara