Conference season is
over, and where do we stand? I attended Conservative Party Conference in
Blackpool this year fearing the worst with the ‘Brown-bounce’ still seemingly
ongoing and Labour boasting a seven point lead in the opinion polls. This
conference was a make or break moment for the Conservative Party; with their
long awaited policy reviews now completed, David Cameron and his Shadow Cabinet
would reveal the agenda they hope will deliver them back into Government.
And it seems, so far, the country is
interested in what they have to say. A decade ago Labour made themselves the
party of the people, pledging to fix the problems with our health and education
systems and stormed to an election victory over a Government that was tired and
had overstayed its welcome. Have the tables turned? With unprecedented levels of
skilled UK citizens migrating, military numbers and morale plummeting,
ineffective government response to MRSA, Foot and Mouth and this summer’s
floods, record numbers on benefits and the shocking reality of children killing
other children on our city streets, many of us are asking “shouldn’t life in
Britain be better?”.
Step up David
Cameron and co. A good amount of strong policies came out of the conference,
with some really standing out: removing stamp-duty for first time buyers,
allowing young people onto the housing ladder; removing the financial penalties
for couples on benefits, ending the phenomenon of people living apart simply
because it makes financial sense to do so; redirecting military spending away
from managers and towards recruitment and improved accommodation and education
for Forces’ families and their children; moving the tax burden from families to
polluters, helping both working people and the environment.
The first
indication I had that things were going well was the complete lack of dissent
from within the Conservative Party’s own delegates. The Conservatives, being a
party whose members make it very plain when they are dissatisfied, the strength
of unity evident in Blackpool was astonishing. Returning home to Keele, the
press seemed to concur, and then came the biggie, the first barrage of polls
since before Conference season.
So, where do we
stand? Well, current polls show the Tories hold a 6% lead in the key marginal
seats and have drawn level nationally. Brown’s honeymoon period is well and
truly over, and he has announced we will not see an election this year. For too
long this country has lacked an effective opposition, but now it seems the
Tories are back up and running, and keen for a fight. Game on.
06.10.2007|
 
 |
