It will come as no surprise to anyone that I didn't attend the Liberal Democrat Conference this year (or any previous year come to that) and by pure serendipity have managed to avoid any of its TV coverage. I have however read reports of their conference in the newspapers and in particular, Nick Clegg's closing speech. It appears that Nick Clegg is proud to have said "No!" to a string of Tory policies. So what are the LibDems proud of saying no to?
1) Boundary Change - proposals to make a level playing field with each constituency have virtually the same number of electors. At present Labour can win a large majority in Parliament with 36% of the general election vote. The Conservative with a 36% vote would fall well short of a majority. How unfair is that - an election with an un-level playing field? The boundary changes would also have reduced the number of MPs from 650 to 600 therefore generating a cost saving to the public purse. The LibDems proudly say NO!
2) Human Rights Act and European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) - scrapping this Act brought in by the Labour Government which has put the rights of criminal illegal immigrants (murderers, rapists etc.) above the rights of the general community. Leaving the jurisdiction of the ECHR where judges from dodgy ex Soviet satellites with poor human rights records can over-rule our British courts and free terrorists to roam our streets. The LibDems proudly say NO!
3) Scaling back green energy plans - we are world leaders at putting taxes on energy use - gas, electric, petrol, air travel. Poor pensioners afraid to put on their heating and living in 'fuel poverty'. Family holidays abroad hit by air taxes running into hundreds of pounds. Enormous subsidies for unproven, intermittent and uneconomical green technologies - just powering your freezers and TV during daylight or when the wind blows - whilst other countries invest in modern gas-power stations which power their manufacturing base with a built-in cost advantage. These green energy plans no longer make economic sense but can we scale them back? The LibDems proudly say NO!
4) Inheritance Tax cuts - business owners and farmers can avoid these taxes but other hard working people who live prudently, save rather than spend, or those that invest wisely, have to sacrifice 40% of any estate over £325k (£650k couples) to the state rather than pass it on to their off-spring. The threshold should at a minimum be raised to £1million This would still tax the rich, lottery winners etc but not the hard working middle classes. The LibDems proudly say NO!
5) Scrapping housing benefits for young people - when I started work I lived at home for awhile and then rent-shared a very cheap flat in Bradford's red light district until I'd saved up enough to buy my first modest house (£1,000 of equity in a £16,500 bungalow). The system now is that young people are showered with benefits and incentives not to work. Housing benefits for young people who could remain with their parents should be scrapped. The LibDems proudly say NO!
6) Bringing back O-levels and a two-tier education system - some children are academically orientated others are vocationally orientated. A whole range of skill sets, a whole range of interests, a whole range of abilities - but all expected to shoehorn into one comprehensive system. A system which is failing our children and needs a radical overhaul. The LibDems proudly say NO!
7) Regional public sector pay - in the private sector you will be paid more in say Windsor than Warrington for doing the same job. The cost of living is very different in different parts of the country and private sector wages reflect this. Public sector pay doesn't and the private sector can't compete with it in some regions. Public sector pay should reflect local conditions and markets which would boost local employment levels. The LibDems proudly say NO!
When it comes to voting - be it district, county, unitary or national - you need to know all these popular policies that the LibDems proudly block with a resounding NO!
There are two types of LibDems - (i) remnants of the Liberal party who believe in free markets, fiscal prudence, sound money and individual responsibility and (ii) those who admire the state and collectivism and want the state to impose social and economic conformity. These latter are hostile to individual liberty. If you vote for either of these type of LibDems you actually vote for a party containing both. I'm quite comfortable with many of the ideals of the former yet the reality is that even the most reasonable of them seem to support the "proudly NO!" items above. And what of those who openly say they feel sick to the pit of their stomach at the idea of welfare benefit caps or immigration caps. Those that just want to spend! spend! spend! and tax!, tax!, tax! Hard-core socialists disguised in social democrat clothing.
If you support the sensible main-stream policies outlined above then play safe - and always vote CONSERVATIVE at the ballot box.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
