Britain Election 2005 part 2 - the Conservative manifesto
Published April 07, 2005
Last, but by no means least, is education. I'm intrigued already by one of the ideas in this document - a Club2School scheme, offering 2 hours after-school time in which children can, if they want, get involved in a sport. This will be funded by the National Lottery. There's more of this "right to choose" crap. Filler, really. I'm also not sure how sound an idea it is to give everyone such choices - you may well end up with some schools, for example, being inundated whilst others have to close. Then you get overcrowding. Their skills suggestions, they have a point there, but it's beginning to sound a little too much like Labour's own suggestions for "education tailored to each individual child." I agree that there needs to be more allowances for the less academically-skilled pupils though. The ideas for university fees (well, the scrapping thereof) and a different system of student loans are certainly promising. They ought to have tight laws in place to protect the students though, to ensure that loan providers, if they are private companies, can't suddenly fleece all the students and leave them deep in debt.
And that's about it. There's a document each on capital gains tax and inheritance tax, but these hold little interest to me, and I suspect they'll basically explain how the Conservatives aim to cut both. There's also an introduction to the manifesto, and a section on housing. Again, that is an area that is unlikely to affect me in my current position, and for awhile at that, so I'm leaving it be. It's also getting late now.
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- Britain Election 2005 part 2 - the Conservative manifesto
- Published: April 07, 2005
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- Section: Politics
- Writer: Jon Downs
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You spelled labor wrong
:-)
Most Americans, er .. many .. think the Labour Party, because of Tony Blair, is very much like The Republican Party. Ooh, they're so wrong and it's why Blair is going to lose, I believe (good or bad). If they stopped and even thought a moment they'd realize that Margaret Thatcher was a member of the Conservative Party. While overseas she is most remembered for working with Ronald Reagan, in Blighty I think her reign is most remembered for the miner's strike, the Brighton bombing and the Falkland War, in no particular order.
Thanks for the dual posts. Are you going to try and define the Lib-Dems? Good luck on that. :-)
yes, hopefully later today. Even labour (that's the blighty version =+) had alot of stuff to go through despite "only" have a few documents. This is by no means a full analysis but hopefully in simply picking out the bits that catch my attention, i'll be able to, in turn, catch the attention of some other people.
Of course, there's also a liberal smattering of my own opinions on things in these. But then, in politics, i believe it's impossible to be 100% neutral.
And yes, next up are the lib dems...
Yeah I know. Twas a joke.
er so jon are you also jadester? I'm confused.
Where's David Steele and the other David when you need them.
yes, i comment as jadester but write as jon. It's a bad habit, but still a habit
I know it was a joke. Usually when I use the
=+)
smiley it's cos i'm not being serious
is there a case for returning to a Poll Tax
I did not see it mentioned in their manifesto.
As for my own opinion on poll tax, all I really know about what happened before was that it triggered riots. Hence, I cannot really decide either way as I don't have any details to deicde on.
very good read, look forward to the blogcritic of labour.
i already did
sorry for the confusing title.
I may do updates in a few days' time. Also might look at some of the smaller parties such as the Green Party or whatever its official name is
thanks JD, very cool stuff, nice to hear about other countries for a change - and they even speak English there!
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excellent post Jon. much to muse upon. not that i'd be voting for these sons a bitches.