Those Tory “Betrayals”.
The Government plan to allow the payroll to vote in the 1922 Committee is a matter of Internal Tory governance. Parties are not in the constitution, they’re a convenience which allows the first Lord of the Treasury to command sufficient support in the House of Commons to pass the Budget and the Queen’s speech. Only Labour, which puts party above country, gets all misty-eyed about its internal affairs.
Nor is the Fixed term parliament a constitutional change. It is an agreement between coalition partners.
So whilst I disagree with the 55% vote needed to secure a dissolution, and the plan to allow ministers to swamp backbenchers in the 1922 Committee disappointing, but not exactly the end of the world. When you consider that the Great repeal bill (a Tory idea, though Nick Clegg seems to be doing all the talking) is still going ahead. This will scrap ID cards, Databases and promises a “bonfire of unnecessary laws which make criminals of ordinary people”. In this will be the free vote on Fox-hunting which may not get passed because of the tight parliamentary arithmetic. This is as promised – not as I keep hearing “a Betrayal”, and the “Tories bending over for the Lib-Dems”.
Fucking get a grip people. We’re in coalition Government, not opposition. Labour, who RUINED THE COUNTRY are out of Government. Hosannah in the Highest. Rejoice! Stop focussing on the petty, small and insignificant things which you don’t like and have a look at the big picture.
So CGT is going to go up. Who Cares? It’s a tax on people too mean to pay for advice and entirely voluntary unless you’re VERY rich, in which case, you have the option of holding on to your assets or going short (unless you’re German). It should be at your marginal rate. Why should capital gains be protected if earned income isn’t? If you start up a business, there are reliefs available so it isn’t a tax on entrepreneurship. Does any Tory SERIOUSLY disagree with the Liberal plan to raise the Income Tax threshold to £10k? I’ve argued in favour of it several times. If this means VAT goes up, then so be it. We’re broke and all that stuff the Labour party bought on the tick has to be paid for. And that means doing what Maggie did in her first term, and for the same reason: raise taxes because Labour left the cupboard bare.
But it is not all bad news: Home investment packs: gone. Every day, some quango or fake-charity has its funding withdrawn. If they keep saving £1m here and there, eventually they’ll start saving real money. Any public-sector employee earning more than the PM will have to justify his salary. This is BEFORE we get to the £6bn of “Tory Cuts” that the election was about, and BEFORE the great repeal bill, which will save more. At the home office, the CPS, a useless, box ticking organisation staffed by incompetent civil servants and failed Lawyers sees some if its powers returned to police Custody sergeants who will have discretion about whether to charge. The devolution of power to local professionals is beginning.
Europe is going to be the bug-bear of every swivel-eyed monomaniac who will squeal “betrayal” every time ‘Europe’ does something they don’t like, such as … exist. If you think Cameron is going to risk Government over a piffling hedge-fund regulation (which will in any case be watered down), you’re a twat. I don’t like the limits on Hedge-fund manager remuneration and limits to their activities, but ways will be found around it, it will affect a tiny number of Very rich people and, like all European financial regulation, will promise a lot, and deliver very little. My guess it will achieve the sum total of fuck-all. Osborne would be crazy to use political capital which he will need for more important battles ahead to fail to stop what was a done deal before he got the keys to No. 11.
This Government is committed to reducing the burden of the state on the average punter, and has quietly, without fuss and efficiently let its actions do the talking. We’ve got so used to endless spin and dissemination, that people who never liked Cameron anyway aren’t focusing on what’s being DONE.
LibCon coalition government: Not perfect, but infinitely better than Labour.
You're right – we're getting exactly what we ex-Conservatives said we'd get from Cameron so no complaints from here. BTW isn't it about time you spelled the Chancellor's name correctly?
Apart from Europe, which I think is a total non-issue, what exactly are you "ex tories" upset about? He's delivering everything he said he would – schools, Great repeal bill, tax rises kept to min, and offset by cuts elsewhere, spending cuts, decentralisation.
Everything except the HRA/BBoR.
Or are you just not sufficiently mature to accept the odd compromise for Government? Angry your favourite emotion?
I'm happy with this Government. I cannot see why everyone wants to see the worst.
And I have a perennial spelling mistake is Osborne. Thanks for pointing it out.
Can you read? I said I had no complaints. I'm not disappointed or surprised by Cameron. But, according to you, because I'm an ex-Tory, I'm still in the wrong.
What is it with you people? We "old" Conservatives have either left the party or been emasculated. You've won (for now anyway). Isn't that enough? Or do you actually want to be loved for dumping us?
Psychobabble it may be, but your aggressive response to my remarks is likely due to your lack of confidence that your hero doesn't have feet of clay. Shouting at us serves to keep your nervousness at bay. Well, keep shouting and maybe you'll convince yourself that Cameron can walk on water: you won't convince me.
You didn't answer the question: What EXACTLY has he done to upset you?
Answer in terms of policy, not personality. I'm no happier about Vince Cable being in Gov't than you are!
As far as I can see, we get the Great Repeal Bill, Deficit reduction, Schools, and Localisation. That will affect day to day life, and over these issues, as far as I can see there's little disagreement between Liberal, Tory, and indeed libertarian positions.
So what has he done that you would have done differently given the parliamentary arithmetic?
He has not had time to do much so far and the civil libities stuff is good indeed. However he remains a Bliar/Bottler style control freak and an EU stooge (and despite your tripe the EU remain a very nasty and dangerous bunch–not a minor matter as you try to frame it) and even worse Mr Plastic Face seems to be a sincere eco-freak. Putting a loon like Huhne in charge of this nations energy supplies is the act of a madmamn. I don't trust him but must wait and see.
Returning minor offences back to the police to deal with will in fact consist of the bulk of the work undertaken currently by the CPS. So it should mean the loss of jobs for a large section of that organisation, however will that happen?
At risk of repeating what Mr Ecks wrote:
EU is the issue, not a non-issue
Au contraire, "Climate Change" is a non-issue but Cameron is happy on the eco-bandwagon – the Climate Change Act (not part of the great repeal) will cost us around £18-20bn per year for the foreseeable future – for what?
As well as:
Cleggie is already implying more state support for political parties
Further entrenchment of the executive/lack of parliamentary control of executive by, for instance, suborning of 1922 Committee
Effective death sentence for remaining grammar schools and AFAIAA ban on academic selection for Gove's new "vouchered" schools
Continuation of aid to third-world kleptocracies
There are more but that's sufficient to be going on with.
Umbongo: I agree broadly with you on these issues (apart from Europe: I would vote to pull out, but I don't really care).
However we've moved from a Government whose every utterance was a calculated insult to the UK to one which, though not perfect, is seeking to sweep away SO MUCH of Labour's shit.
My instinct is to give them a chance.
Jackart writes: "Parties are not in the constitution, …"
And I wonder about our EU elections.
Best regards
CGT is 18% because otherwise you are charging people for inflation! It's technically theft and they could end up in court which would be what we don't want. We need this government to crack on with sensible policies to get the country back on track and that's supply side reforms and slashing big government, not taxing people for owning a second home.
CGT goes up and the economy of Cornwall goes down the khazi. Where are the tourists going to stay then?