As Nick Clegg found out a fortnight ago, the debates can indeed change everything - and David Cameron's masterful, statesmanlike, passionate and dominant performance last night has put a spring in the step of Tory activists and voters - and a real reason for undecided voetrs to lend us their votes. My feeling is that Cameron's performance was so strong because he both talked in terms of values (We are on the side of people who do the right thing) and then in specific policies (we will remove benefits from those who can work but who do not). Clegg looked and sounded nervous, and it showed. He was battered on the Euro and immigration; and for benefit of LibDems out there, "old politics" is when you have a promise in your manifesto that you dump live on TV when you realise its unpopular and unworkable. However Clegg did better on domestic policies, such as education. Brown was again better, but he started from a low base; he needs to lose the stats rolling off like a soviet propaganda film and shouldn't ever smile when it isn't appropriate to do so! My favourite bit was actually Cameron's credo about education - the central role of the child and the importance of choice, standards, discipline and funding. That was, according to Mrs Little (who is a teacher herself), the moment he may just have won the election.
This morning we have been bombarded with calls and visits at the Campaign HQ from pleased Tories and also voters coming across to us for the first time. I have just got back from a session with out Mancroft team and the peopel I met whilst leafleting were very positive. The news from the other groups around the seat is very similar.
Mr Cameron - you have given us what we wanted. For the sake of our country we need to win this election. The Hung Parliament is Mr Brown's lifeline, with Mr Clegg throwing the lifejacket to him, so we must get an overall Tory majority. Conservatives, we've got 5 days to make this a reality - let's get to it!
5 comments:
I thought it was interesting that Inheritance Tax issue came up again and again, and Cameron side stepped the issue.
This is an issue I am very passionate about, and I do believe that it is unfair to reward the richest estates in the Country with a tax break costing us over £1.6billion in lost revenue. I would rather we spent that money on hospitals and schools rather than rewarding the highest income earners. Especially during these turbulent economic times. It is as silly as the £3 a week married couples tax break (which would just pay for a Daily Mail subscription for a year).
You cannot get away from the issue that is is rewarding rich people in society for the expense of the many.
I have to agree that Brown's debating style is poor and at times he does have a Brezhnev era apparatchik style about him... (how he projects himself and not his fashion). However at other times I do find more of a favourable comparison between Brown and Callaghan.
I am one of the few who looks forward to a hung parliament, remember the so called 'Elected Dictatorship concept' of the Westminster system
Done my postal vote today. Good luck Antony.
I wonder what your thoughts are Antony on the 'Elected Dictatorship' concept that a political party relies on a large majority in Parliament to push anything it likes through with only limited computability and sovereignty from Parliament in terms of checks and balances.
(1) Could this be the case in a future Conservative or Labour governments?
(2) Would a coalition of 2 parties have a positive impact as this would dilute the elected dictatorship based on one large parliamentary party?
I personally would like to see a more proportional based election system as I believe it is an instrument which would potentially solve this problem.
Excellent debate - I disagree about inheritance tax- whilst I would like to see form filling (aside from a signature stating that there is nothing to declare plus spotchecks) scrapped for those below the threshold I think is send all the "rich" abroad we would be in big big trouble. There is a balance to be had. In fact we have long said one small part of the answer to the economy problems is to create a few more millionaires (i.e. 6 a week not one with the national lottery - that would be 6 houses, 6 cars etc bought each week and all the knock on effects of that).
Anyway - I have to agree about children - for me the winning statements are about Big society and giving power back to the people, especially to parents. We feel like the state owns our children and the thought of the children's bill being re-instated with Ed Balls back in the saddle literally terrified me. I would vote on that alone.
I am profoundly disappointed at how the Conservatives (and all of the major parties) have proven themselves incapable of selling how important it is to cut the deficit by cutting spending.
Brown's argument that cutting the deficit by cutting spending takes money out of the economy is fatuous, when he apparently can say it is ok for HIM to take money out of the economy by increasing taxes.
I would be more inclined to vote Conservative if there was a pledge to NOT increase national insurance at all, and not increase any taxes. However, I can't give my moral authority to a party that wants to increase my taxes, but also wont confront the abject failure of the NHS to efficiently allocate resources. It is time to charge people for no-shows at NHS appointments and to freeze NHS salaries. It is also time to make winter fuel payments for pensioners only apply to those on low incomes.
Britain's national debt is now only beaten by Greece and Italy in Europe as a % of GDP. The politician that promises not to increase ANY spending while the deficit is so high will get my vote
sadly that person does not seem to exist.
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