Yes, I am glad a few people in the Conservative party have the backbone to stand against Michael Howard and refuse to back the imposition of mandatory ID cards. Yet the truth is than they are outnumbered both by those in the party’s authoritarian faction and in the others who say they opposed ID cards, such as possible future leader David Davies, but place their political careers above both their principles and what they presumably think would be best for the nation. Still, I suppose we should thank Michael Howard for making it clear to all but the most blinkered that they offer no alternative to Labour in any substantive way over an issue that offers much downside and no clearly explained upside.
If you ever want to see an effective opposition in this country, vote for the one party who can deliver that by destroying the Conservative party once and for all by making it permanently unelectable, thereby showing the true cost of Conservative ‘moderation’ on the EU and civil liberties. Only once the last bitter hope that the Tories might ever form a new government has been removed by 10 to 15% of their vote defecting for the foreseeable future can something better emerge from their ashes. Vote UKIP.
If nothing else, a big enough vote for UKIP will remind the Tories that they are in the Opposition, and the job of the Opposition is to oppose. Why would anyone vote Conservative when you can vote Labor and get the same thing? The Tories either offer an alternative to the erosion of civil liberties demanded by the constant expansion of the nanny state or they are irrelevant.
They were offered the biggest opportunity in years and blew it.
Whilst many people seem to support id cards in principle, in practise majority of the population will get very pissed off indeed. In addition, those against are vehemently against. I have seen many fire spitting denounciations of the scheme, but no real passionate support.
Here was a sure fire winner, very few votes for, very many against. What more did Mr Howard want?
Please only consider voting UKIP if the present anti-democratic leadership cabal in that party, which is now busy using every means possible to avoid a widely supported leadership contest, is first removed.
Details of the latest twists and turns may, as always, be found on my blog Ukip Uncovered.
Martin Cole
No Martin, for many the whole point of voting UKIP is not because of the UKIP but to screw the Tory party… and anyway, Roger Knapman actually gives a damn about civil liberties, so who the hell cares about ‘democracy’ within the UKIP? I want to see a pro-liberty cadre develop, to hell with democracy. We have so much democracy we are drowning in it. What we need is not more democracy but LIBERTY!
Anyone who actually thinks the inner-macinations of political parties are ever democratic is rather naive. It just does not happen nor can any political party be internally democratic and effective at the same time.
Bournemouth UKIP meeting
Just a thought, after seeing Roger Knapman make a curious gesture (masonic penal sign) after the meeting last night at the bar I wonder whether this surveyor, farmer, military aide, minister, Monday Club member and who knows what else is happy to reveal his membership, if any, of the worthy but sometimes controversial freemasons.
I did not have the necessary cheek to go up to him and ask if he was, or whether it was any of my business. I do not know from a cursory glance if you are likely to consider that relevant, or newsworthy in his or anyone else’s case. It can be a difficult subject to broach.
But there you are, he must consider it of some importance or he would not have bothered with the gesture?
Any view?
TB
I saw it too, no doubt in my mind. I feel sorry for the poor photojournalist it may have been intended to finger.
He did not deal with the Bilderberg question either, but then why should he?
derek