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The 1952 Committee The Tory Party in Britain has been beyond a joke for a while now, but having now come out in support of ID cards, the Conservatives have well and truly screwed the pooch. Apart from the Democrats in the United States, never has a political party been so clueless and thoroughly unfit to govern. Let’s get this bursting at the seams.
Link via Patrick Crozier
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Erm…Labour, the political party actually implementing the policy, under Blair’s ‘law and order’ campaign.
ID cards are a Blairite solution. What is the problem?
The difference is that the Tories should know better, and I believe they do. Unfortunately, policy by opinion poll is their preference.
Remind me to find out what is the UKIP position on ID cards.
From now on, Howard can FOAD as far as I’m concerned.
I notice David Davis was against it most strenuously, there were some rumours of his resignation according to the Torygraph at one point over it.
I can’t wait for him to have his shot at the Big Chair, I was rooting for Davis way back when Hague got elected leader. After the next election, when Howard is summarily atomised, maybe Davis will have a go.
I am genuinely mystified by this. Given that the Lib Dems are opposed to ID cards, and there are probably a fair few Labour rebels, it’s not difficult to imagine the government losing a vote on this issue, or at least having to scrape through with a narrow majority. I’m not sure how many more narrow votes this government can realistically survive.
Also, since this government is making a point of taking various authoritarian measures, there’s a good case for some kind of “liberty coalition” amongst pro-liberty Tories and Lib Dems, which, allied to some Labour malcontents, could seriously threaten the government’s legislative programme as laid out in the Queen’s Speech – especially once Labour’s majority is slashed at the next election.
By caving in to government policy, the Tories are not only abandoning what could be a successful political platform, they are effectively abdicating their duty as the main opposition party, as they have done over several issues over the last few years. And they wonder why they aren’t gaining in the polls!
GCooper,
FYI –
The current positions of opposition parties (that can be ascertained) are:
UKIP – absolutely opposed in principle
Scots Nats – absolutely opposed in principle
Welsh Nats – absolutely opposed in principle
Sinn Fein – absolutely opposed in principle
SDLP – absolutely opposed in principle
Scots Socialists – absolutely opposed in principle
LibDems – absolutely opposed in principle (tho’ playing up cost and competence problems)
Liberals – absolutely opposed in principle
Greens – absolutely opposed in principle
Trots (SWP, WRP, etc) – – absolutely opposed in principle
Wombles and anti globalisers – opposed in principle (to everything)
In the major parties,
Tories – most members really against in principle, but Mr Howard in favour and strategically insane
Old Labour – generally against
…which leaves New Labour, shacked-up with the BNP and the New Party, and the Ulster Unionists (unclear)
To clarify slightly: the Ulster Unionists’ positions are unclear — they aren’t currently in the dubious company that New Labour keeps.
Rob is right. The Tory position is incomprehensible. The only available explanations are that (1) it is an outcome of Michael Howard’s own conviction, and/or (2) the micropolitical analysis of the swing voters say it is a seat-winner. Either makes it more difficult to answer the long term question of what the Tories are for.
My thanks to Guy Herbert for that thorough demonstration of how far from reality the Tories now are.
As to why Michael Howard taken this stance, my suggestion would be (as it would be with most political opinions) that its root lies in the man’s personality. He is an authoritarian.
Not to mention a few other things…
GCooper: from what I hear, UKIP will probably soon affiliate with No2ID. UKIP Bournemouth West is already an official supporter.
I’m thoroughly fed up with the Tory party pussyfooting around with the pseudos in Blair’s freak show, if only, if only a principle would emerge periodically, especially on the issue of ID cards. But….. I have to say, that all tory voters I speak to are in favour of them, every last person I speak to is in favour of them. They just don’t see what is happening. Bit like Europe.
“Apart from the Democrats in the United States, never has a political party been so clueless and thoroughly unfit to govern”
The Progressive Conservatives of Canada went from a governing majority to just 2 seats in 1 election.
The US Democrats have a strategic vision,it’s simply that the public have rejected that vision.
The Tories and the PC have/had no strategic vision ,merely a series of tactical moves that eventually led nowhere.
Actually I may have been a bit unfair to the BNP in my earlier rundown of political parties’ positions. I’ve just come across a piece from them condemining Charles Clarke as another fascist monster (sic) replacing Blunkett, and even Nick Griffin appears to be indicating skepticism about ID cards. (Tho’ it is hard to tell to what extent or why–perhaps he thinks they aren’t tough enough on foreigners.)
Has Blair now outflanked the BNP on the right? He certainly gets their support on ignoring the House of Lords over detention without trial.
There are a lot of rather peeved Tories I can you. Quite a few of them have vented at me about it. There feelings range from absolute shock to total unadulterated anger. At least one I know actively considered resigning the seat he is set to run for next year.
Now, of course, if Labour were really clever they could drop the idea now that Blunketts gone (until after the next election).
“May I see your papers?” Maybe Blair is looking to be the next Hitler?
Once they have national ID system, they have total contol and an authoritarian government is easy to install.