Gove lays out the Tory first-term agenda
James Forsyth 12:19pm
Yesterday, we asked what the Conservatives would promise to do in their first term. Today, Michael Gove goes a long way to answering that question in a typically smart column in the Telegraph.
Acknowledging that, realistically, governments have to choose an area to prioritise, Gove sets out what the Conservatives will seek to achieve: "the areas where a Conservative government will act first, and fast, to make a difference are improving education, reforming our welfare system and providing practical support to families.”
The theme—unblocking opportunity—that Gove is proposing for the Conservatives is politically potent and the most effective way to defuse the class issue that Labour, in its desperation, is so keen to play up. It, crucially, has the benefit of demonstrating that the Conservative party stands not for powerful but for empowerment.
One other thing worth noting is how Gove showers praise on various Blarities. This is not only mischief making but clever political positioning as it is hard to depict the Conservatives as dangerous right-wing extremists when they present themselves as the heirs to Blairism.
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Comments
cityboozer
May 16th, 2008 12:31pmHe is a pretty unattractive fellow but I'm sure you could find a better photo than that!
Alf Tupper
May 16th, 2008 12:52pm"Typically smart" indeed.
Smart because it sounds to have some vitality about it and yet never mentions the one issue which is at the base of so much widespread discontent.
Until I hear someone who wants my vote, start to tell me in blunt terms, what his or her party is going to do about stemming immigration, then sorry but it is all so much twittering.
David
May 16th, 2008 12:57pmI hope the party support this, and appreciate that spending cuts may therefore not be possible at first, since it may take extra investment to get the systems right.
David
May 16th, 2008 1:05pmAlso, if the comments are representative of the Telegraph readership, the paper is clearly now the preserve of utter loonies. Shame.
Kevyn Bodman
May 16th, 2008 3:08pmAlf Tupper: a typically 'tough' comment.Thank you.
Immigration is not the only important issue, but is nevertheless extremely important.
As well as that
cut taxes,raise allowances and eliminate the unwieldy and inefficient working tax credit system, cut the public sector payroll and, I'm afraid, cut benefits.
The benefit system does not now do what it was intended to do.
Spending cuts are always possible, it's just a matter of how strong/ruthless you want to be.
Raise the minimum wage and make work more attractive.
Get the government out of education and exams, allow competing authorities to offer more rigourous exams and demand higher standards of achievement.
Abandon the ID card and database state. Restore visible police patrols to prevent/deter crime.(Read Peter Hitchens on this subject.) Accept that CCTV footage is almost useless as a crime fighting tool, good for surveillance though, isn;t it?
Get out of the EU.
And have a complete moratorium on immigration.
Culturally, no concessions at all to any non-European cultures.
Incomers can adopt our ways and be welcome, or they can go.
And the time for discussion of these ideas is NOW.
Win the battle of ideas now, put these ideas clearly in an election manifesto, discuss them, win the election and then implement them. No post-election touchy-feely consensus building on the issues that are a clear part of the election campaign.
Fight the election, we win, they lose. We get on with it.
But no politician has the 'cojones' (thank you Brian Moore from the 6 Nations commentaries) to say it.
Hysteria
May 16th, 2008 3:42pmI must have been reading the wrong article. I see no "plans" but some interesting ideas. A plan has deliverables, milestones, responsible people identified etc etc - not just a list of intentions.
Also - the claim that "this might ned more 'investment'" is risible. (btw I think this is a euphamism for increased tax and spend that we shoudl expose for what it is at every turn - another reason to dislike Mr Brown)
They need to declare which programs they are going to cut - roll back the state Mr Cameron - and you will get the landslide; more of the same statist approach will not.
rant over...................
David Lindsay
May 16th, 2008 4:05pm“One other thing worth noting is how Gove showers praise on various Blarities. This is not only mischief making but clever political positioning as it is hard to depict the Conservatives as dangerous right-wing extremists when they present themselves as the heirs to Blairism.”
They ARE “the heirs to Blairism”, which itself was, and is, baby-boomer undergraduate Marxism gone middle-aged and rich. That, and that alone, is what the Cameroons offer, only even richer, and harking back to the culture-wide moral chaos of the Eighties rather than to the relatively restricted moral chaos of the Sixties.
Meanwhile, outside Durham bus station last night, I saw a group of mid-teenagers making a nuisance of themselves while passing round a bottle. Of champagne. It looks like the Cameron Era really might be on the way after all.
Pete
May 16th, 2008 6:27pmCan I vote for you Kevyn B?
bertie
May 16th, 2008 7:42pmDavid Lindsay, did they knock a policeman's helmet off?
Judge Elvis
May 16th, 2008 10:28pmHow can the Conservatives make any firm promises when they haven't seen the books? At this time I would imagine, given the reported £1.4 trillion debt, it would be impossible/suicidal for the Conservatives to make firm promises on tax cuts until they have actually have an idea of what they have to deal with. Unfortunately, I think Gordon Brown is going to leave the country with very little room to manouver if he Tories get into power and I would imagine there are some, like myself, who actually look at gaining power in the election as being something of a poisoned chalice.
Frank Pulley
May 17th, 2008 12:32amJudge Elvis
"I think Gordon Brown is going to leave the country with very little room to manouver if he Tories get into power and I would imagine there are some, like myself, who actually look at gaining power in the election as being something of a poisoned chalice."
Yes, but just because he has crapped in the cauldron, we can't leave him to stew in it, because we're in there with him. Someone needs to turn it over, rub his nose in it and rustle up a new and tastier brew that we can stomach.
David Lindsay
May 17th, 2008 12:14pmBertie, a policeman? Where? As if!
Alf Tupper
May 17th, 2008 3:12pmLike Pete, I'm voting Kevyn Bodman.
BTW: how come Frank Pulley can post text which makes reference to indelicate bodily functions, whilst mine are cast to oblivion? It's just not fair.
Frank Pulley
May 18th, 2008 12:49amAlf
It's the way ya tell'em!