Vote Conservative This Thursday

The national picture shows a Labour Party that can find £50 billion to prop up banks, but whacks the low paid for an extra £7 billion by doubling the tax rate for them. A government that tries to deny rights to the families of dead soldiers whilst indulging hardened criminals. A cabale that lectures on democracy, but won’t keep its referendum promise. But when you come to vote on Thursday, it will be for local representation. What Birmingham Conservatives have achieved is a microcosm, but worth repeating.

When Labour was kicked out of Brum in 2003 we had worsening council services, rising council taxes and behaviour from some of their politicians that would disgrace a banana republic.

Under the progressive partnership Birmingham council has risen from the indignity of being a zero star local authority to reach three stars whilst keeping council tax rises below the rate of inflation. We are holders of the ‘Cleanest City’ award beating 65 other cities.

Men and women of integrity, the current City Cabinet have hardly put a foot wrong. A vote against the Progressive Partnership that runs Brum offends common sense.

That Flag Does Not Suit You, Sir

Steve Bedser is one of the last Labour councillors in South Birmingham. In his election leaflet he has wrapped himself in the Union Jack in a desperate bid for re-election. This from the party that has brought us a decade of constitutional vandalism that has left us with a dog's breakfast devolution settlement that could tear the union apart.

April

28 April

On the doorstep.

"If you were a Labour activist I'd have given you a mouthful of abuse"

(pleading) "You have to get rid of them"

"Labour voters should be prosecuted for treason"

"Things have never been so bad. The country is being destroyed"

On the other hand, one woman put our leaflet in the bin as I passed it to her. I got her to retrieve it and give it back to me. lol.

26 April

Did you know that Conservatives are on average happier than Lefties? Makes sense to me. ;-)


21 April

Re the 10p tax rise, it seems I am a year and a month quicker on the uptake than the embryonic Labour rebels. Why does that not surprise me? Hammering the poor is bad enough, what really takes the biscuit is the way that Brown denies that this move made poor people worse off. He'd tell you the day is night if he thought he could get away with it.

19 April

Can't wait 'til the elections are over.

15 April

If I were a Labour activist, (stay with me, chaps) I'd be sick of defending Gordon. Over at Labour Home, after months of brassing it out and/or keeping their heads down, we finally see the first signs of honesty from Labour fans.

14 April

Something's bugging me. Obviously Mr Brown is struggling with popularity of late, but I don't like one particular developing narrative. That narrative goes like this. Labour has been in charge for a long time; now that the 'inevitable' economic downturn comes they will be punished at the polls. This lets them off the hook.

I'd prefer Labour to be seen to have failed and for there to be a general recognition that the trends that they have set in motion (family disintegration, softness on criminals, welfare dependency, bureaucracy, regulation, nannying, intrusion, higher public expenditure, appeasing extremists, cronyism, spinning etc) have been deeply damaging and need to be reversed.

So what the Conservative Party needs to do is more than just make the case that Labour have failed. Whilst emphasising that there is no quick fix we need to describe where we want to get to (cohesive communities, competitive business environment, safe cities, high quality of life) and describe concrete examples of what we propose to do to get there (e.g tax simplification measures, clearly explained welfare reforms, education programme etc).

In sum, not only do we need to make the argument that Labour have failed, but to present the case for change and show that we have the ideas and determination to deliver! That's how we will enthuse the electorate and bring about meaningful political and cultural change.

13 April

Been ill this weekend which has been a respite from work and campaigning - so I had a look round the blogs. Snafu is still churning out good stuff and wins the award for awkward questions.

Thinking about staying in Brum longer term at the mo. Oversupply of city centre apartments has its plus points. You can get something like this right in the centre of Brum for 695 quid a month (and undoubtedly less if I'm negotiating).

12 April

How do you think Einstein would play chess? Here's your answer.

9 April

I'm acting as the election agent for Sam Pearce who will be standing in the South Birmingham ward of Springfield for the Conservatives. Our first leaflet has been prepared. You can see it here. We're getting a team together to deliver our message to ward residents this weekend - which we'll make a sociable occasion. If you want to join us, mail me at praguetory@googlemail.com.

3 April

I watched Question Time in Birmingham with my parents this evening. Sarah Teather was truly risible. Sometimes I do worry about how you combat stupidity in political debate.

1 April

As some of you know, I am not actually in Prague or indeed Czech partly because of the local elections here. This is what I am missing out on. Politics meets chess. If I was there, I'd have paid the £3,000 to play Kasparov in the beautiful castle setting.

On a more serious note, I am watching Zimbabwe. Mirroring the nation, many Zimba blogs have died, but Still Here, Kubatanablogs, Eddie Cross and David Coltart are still going.