Not so sure about the Ball, Matt
I guess I'm out on something of a limb here, and I rarely disagree with Matt, but I'm not sure how a swell party for the Tory beautiful people helps. Surely it reinforces the image of the Conservative Party as the party of the better off.
Hmmm. Much as I loathe Gordon, I've yet to be convinced by Mr C and his merry crew. The only area of Conservative policy yet enunciated which I find appealing is Michael Gove's voucher scheme. And yes, I might well vote for them just for that. But their health policy is - so far - much, much worse than Labour's, and will retrench producer capture rather than maintain, let alone extend, the consumer focussed reforms - albeit far too limited - of the government.
But there's something about the images from last night's ball which reignites everything I have always loathed about the Conservative Party - that self-satisfied, smug, born-to-rule, superiority which needs to be fought against, not embraced.
(It's an issue writ small in the London Mayoral vote. Much as I loathe Ken Livingstone - for whom I voted last time, because I idiotically put all concerns other than the congestion charge out of my mind - I can't bring myself to vote for a buffoon as Mayor. Boris Johnson is a very funny writer, but I'm not even sure he's of sufficient calibre to be a front bencher, let alone Mayor of London. So I'm sort of stuck.)
UPDATE: This has been (slightly) edited.
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Mike Wood
February 7th, 2008 12:00pmCome on Stephen. Is it really any different to the Capitalist Ball?
THX1138
February 7th, 2008 12:21pmI struggle with this as I now hate New Labour & I know we are all supposed to be bigger than this but smug Tory Toff's at play make me want to puke.
Tiberius
February 7th, 2008 12:39pmI just do not understand this antipathy and loathing. These birds flock together just like C2s at a barbeque in a small suburban back garden, drinking unchilled lager, smoking filter cigarettes, and eating undercooked chicken drumsticks, while frequently talking about sexual occurrences that thankfully put you off eating the chicken. Should anyone judge either set of partygoers? Why would anyone want to?
Max Kaye
February 7th, 2008 7:41pmYou actually voted for Ken? And, in support of the congestion charge madness? What next, Sharia Law? I've lost all respect for you!