19 December 2006

Odds & Sods

I'm returning to Prague tomorrow after a short break here in the UK.

Blogging will be light until Christmas for a few reasons. Firstly, I have decided to try to review all the communication I have had with people I have come into contact with as a result of blogging and drop them a personal note/make good on any favours. Another reason is that I think that the loans for peerages scandal is culminating in something big. Iain Dale and Guido both have blood in their nostrils and this is one big story that I'm leaving to the experts.

I sense a few changes in my political priorities. Most importantly, I think that there is more than an outside chance of an early election under Brown. Therefore, I want to step up my activities in the area of getting overseas Tories signed up for voting. The blog medium is not particularly effective method for this, so I will be going out and meeting people more.

More generally blogging is a means to an end not an end in itself. If, for example I could felt like I could achieve more for the Conservative cause by spending the whole of April campaigning in Oscott (the most marginal Labour seat on Birmingham council) than by blogging I probably would.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too think there is more than an outside chance of an early election under Brown. One reason for thinking this is the boundary changes, that if implemented before the next election, will give us a good head start. Brown does not want that.

I know what you mean about campaigning. During the election, I will be devoting all my free time to getting Andy Percy elected as that will be of much more use than blogging.

Newmania said...

Good for you P quite right Bloging is pointless without some commitment to act on your beliefs. I suppose the dreaded email will remain a mystery and I can’t say I blame you .The problem is that while you could hardly be in the wrong (merely to quote someone) it might take up your time and cost a certain amount just to establish that . C has told me that I had better be very careful not to offend you as you are a talented boxer .(Not that I would want to anyway of course)…but I did smile at the thought.

I am in a state of self loathing at the moment that I dare not support Peter Hitchens in the Jail House Lawyer issue for fear that as a professional litigant he may take my time and loose change I can ill afford with a malicious action of some sort.

What are your views.?

All the best BTW , pressures of work and as much campaigning as I can manage will be keeping me pretty quiet next year but I will try to look in .!!

Anonymous said...

Disagree. Young people/voters (between the ages of 20-40)use the internet as their first port of call for news, information etc. This is why you have "Dave" on Webcameron. Knocking on doors to persuade people in voting Conservative maybe something for the history books.

Praguetory said...

I agree with all of you in some ways. However, Oscott has a Labour majority of 18 and where Andrew lives Brigg & Goole appears winnable so I think we have more chance of making an impact by campaigning locally than by just blogging. Rest of the year I'll be blogging.

Re JHL, he is a free man and is entitled to his views. If it wasn't him taking the case for prisoner voting rights to Europe someone else would. The answer is to attack our relationship with Europe not him. I won't be joining PHitch.

Anonymous said...

If there was an early election, how would this affect new constituencies. I hear that the election would have to be fought under existing boundaries. Where would that leave candidates in new seats like Prit Patel in Witham????

Newmania said...

Re JHL, he is a free man and is entitled to his views

Yes and no IMHO. Correct on (part of) the reasons for the failing of the judicial system , but the fact someone is free does not mean they are good admirable or not deserving of disgust and loathing .

Are you not confusing right and wrong with the state . A danagerous president P.

Harumph harumph

Praguetory said...

Hi Paul, selecting under the new boundaries seems to be causing many problems for Labour. Balls, Blears and L Jones are just some of the incumbents having problems. It shouldn't be a factor in Brown's thinking, but it probably is.

N - I can't metaphorically throw fruit at every T,D & H. Logical argument outwits JHL every time.