Potential Conservative Candidate for Parliament

[Eric]

Originally Posted by garinda

...and you find being a member of New Labour satisfys this belief?

It's as near to socialism as the North Pole is to the South.

I don't consider myself all that well informed about "New Labour"; but it does seem as if it was a necessary mutation. That is, if one accepts the argument that the working class that existed when I was young (imagine a Bush tv, with a black and white 12" screen, and the whole thing bigger than my Cadillac, and you will get an idea of how long ago that it) is no longer there. Perhaps there is an argument that this "progress" was necessary; or that Thatcher deliberately set out to destroy the working class. But in the absence of a true socialist party, where do people who believe in the right of the little guy to have a fair share of the wealth go?

Apart from the fact that they are not given to kissing American ass, our Liberal Party seems a lot like new Labour. It is a party which sits in the centre, but which also favours programs which benefit "average" Canadians. Canadian voters got real po'd at the Libs over a few scandals, but not enough to trust the tories with a majority government.

Still think, tho' it's none of my business, that a Conservative minority would be a good result for Britain in a General Election ... as long as the BNP don't hold the balance of power, which I think is unlikely this time.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Eric

I don't consider myself all that well informed about "New Labour"; but it does seem as if it was a necessary mutation. That is, if one accepts the argument that the working class that existed when I was young (imagine a Bush tv, with a black and white 12" screen, and the whole thing bigger than my Cadillac, and you will get an idea of how long ago that it) is no longer there. Perhaps there is an argument that this "progress" was necessary; or that Thatcher deliberately set out to destroy the working class. But in the absence of a true socialist party, where do people who believe in the right of the little guy to have a fair share of the wealth go?

Apart from the fact that they are not given to kissing American ass, our Liberal Party seems a lot like new Labour. It is a party which sits in the centre, but which also favours programs which benefit "average" Canadians. Canadian voters got real po'd at the Libs over a few scandals, but not enough to trust the tories with a majority government.

Still think, tho' it's none of my business, that a Conservative minority would be a good result for Britain in a General Election ... as long as the BNP don't hold the balance of power, which I think is unlikely this time.

You are of course right.

Old Labour were unelectable, and reformed under Blair, and became a centralist party. A fact which is illustrated by the number of international squillionaires who've relocated to Britain in the last twelve years. The super rich didn't leave Britain, which they did when Labour governments still held socialist principles, instead they came here in their droves.

The 'hug a hoodie' Conservatives have similarly reformed, in order to appeal to the electorate.

Both major parties have come so far to the centre there's really very little difference between them, other than one party seems jaded, and full of the arrogance that comes from having formed the last four governments, whilst the other seems fresh and untested, just as New Labour did in 1997.

You can't imagine Eden or Macmillan's wife having a tattooed ankle, unlike the present Conservative Lite leader's.

How times have changed.

An inked up Tory leader's wife, and a 'socialist' former Prime Minister who's made a £13 million pound fortune since leaving office two years ago.

[Gayle]

I think you've hit the main point there Garinda about the next general election.

Conservatives and Labour are very similar in many ways, they spout the same platitudes and have similar policies. Yes, there are differences if you're interested enough to look at things in detail but the majority of the voting electorate don't look at it that closely. All most people will see is a tired and old Labour party, tainted with the war argument, and a fresh and young Conservative party, who, even though they also voted for the war, seem to be escaping that brick.

David Cameron seems to me to be an identikit of Tony Blair when he came to power. I'm not saying that the only reason they picked him was because he was young, charming and was relatively easy on the eye, but they must have considered all the factors that got Blair into power.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I think you've hit the main point there Garinda about the next general election.

Conservatives and Labour are very similar in many ways, they spout the same platitudes and have similar policies. Yes, there are differences if you're interested enough to look at things in detail but the majority of the voting electorate don't look at it that closely. All most people will see is a tired and old Labour party, tainted with the war argument, and a fresh and young Conservative party, who, even though they also voted for the war, seem to be escaping that brick.

David Cameron seems to me to be an identikit of Tony Blair when he came to power. I'm not saying that the only reason they picked him was because he was young, charming and was relatively easy on the eye, but they must have considered all the factors that got Blair into power.

They voted for the war on duff doctored information Gayle

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by jaysay

They voted for the war on duff doctored information Gayle

All of that, if that's true, will come out in the inquiry.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Gayle

All of that, if that's true, will come out in the inquiry.

I have changed your post for you Gayle, you missed the off the end

[MargaretR]

Blair wanted the EU presidency because that would have exempted him from prosecution.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

Blair wanted the EU presidency because that would have exempted him from prosecution.

Probably so, but most of Europe like britain can't stand him, so was never on the cards.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by cashman

Probably so, but most of Europe like britain can't stand him, so was never on the cards.

That's funny cashy in 1996 our Tony was the finest thing since sliced bread, appeared in all Labour election literature and the likes of messrs Jones and Dawson were queuing up to kiss his feet, ain't life a bitch when the new messiah turns out to be just another plonker

[cashman]

Originally Posted by jaysay

That's funny cashy in 1996 our Tony was the finest thing since sliced bread, appeared in all Labour election literature and the likes of messrs Jones and Dawson were queuing up to kiss his feet, ain't life a bitch when the new messiah turns out to be just another plonker

Not fer cashy he wasn't i never voted fer him in the leadership election n ya had to pick 2.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by jaysay

They voted for the war on duff doctored information Gayle

Mmm .... let's give this one a little thought. You are saying that the tories were dumb enough not to see through that weak, transparent excuse for going over there and kicking some Iraqui ass. Anyone that dumb wouldn't get my vote. None of our politicians were fooled .... well maybe a few tories; the kind that sandpaper their necks before they go out and face the day.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Eric

None of our politicians were fooled .... well maybe a few tories; the kind that sandpaper their necks before they go out and face the day.

So why are your troops out there dying like ours??

Unless yours told the truth and said they are in it for the oil.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Neil

So why are your troops out there dying like ours??

Unless yours told the truth and said they are in it for the oil.

Canada never signed on to Iraq ... no Canadians fought in the second Gulf War. There were a lot of hard feelings over that one; Americans were boycotting Canadian Club whiskey and Canada Dry Ginger Ale, both brands owned by British companies by the way But, you can say "no" to the US ... Afghanistan is different; it is still a crock, but the mission (love that term, makes killing people into a sacred act) is, as far as I understand, a UN one, with NATO doing the actual fighting ... or on vacation like the French and the Germans.

And it does seem like the Americans are following our lead, and citing 2011 as being a good time to say goodbye folks, have a nice time killing one another.

And we got lotsa oil of our own

[g jones]

Originally Posted by jaysay

That's funny cashy in 1996 our Tony was the finest thing since sliced bread, appeared in all Labour election literature and the likes of messrs Jones and Dawson were queuing up to kiss his feet, ain't life a bitch when the new messiah turns out to be just another plonker

John Smith was my favourite leader. I didn't back Blair back in 94. I didn't fancy any of the candidates following Smith.

I was particularly not happy at Mr Blair campaigning when there had been a principled acknowledgement to honour John Smith first.

Whilst I jumped for joy in 97 I also new policies I would like Labour to persue would be sidelined.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by g jones

John Smith was my favourite leader. I didn't back Blair back in 94. I didn't fancy any of the candidates following Smith.

I was particularly not happy at Mr Blair campaigning when there had been a principled acknowledgement to honour John Smith first.

Whilst I jumped for joy in 97 I also new policies I would like Labour to persue would be sidelined.

Socalism was sidelined in 97, thus was the begining of the end, with my love affair with labour. a sad day indeed IMHO. P.S. but still prefer em to the despicable ones.