Conservative manifesto 1979, gosh how things have changed
Discussion
http://www.conservativemanifesto.com/1979/1979-con...
1979 Conservative Party General Election Manifesto said:
THIS ELECTION is about the future of Britain - a great country which seems to have lost its way. It is a country rich in natural resources, in coal, oil, gas and fertile farmlands. It is rich, too, in human resources, with professional and managerial skills of the highest calibre, with great industries and firms whose workers can be the equal of any in the world. We are the inheritors of a long tradition of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.
Yet today, this country is faced with its most serious problems since the Second World War. What has happened to our country, to the values we used to share, to the success and prosperity we once took for granted?
During the industrial strife of last winter, confidence, self-respect, common sense, and even our sense of common humanity were shaken. At times this society seemed on the brink of disintegration.
Some of the reasons for our difficulties today are complex and go back many years. Others are more simple and more recent. We do not lay all the blame on the Labour Party: but Labour have been in power for most of the last fifteen years and cannot escape the major responsibility.
They have made things worse in three ways. First, by practising the politics of envy and by actively discouraging the creation of wealth, they have set one group against another in an often bitter struggle to gain a larger share of a weak economy.
Second, by enlarging the role of the State and diminishing the role of the individual, they have crippled the enterprise and effort on which a prosperous country with improving social services depends.
Third, by heaping privilege without responsibility on the trade unions, Labour have given a minority of extremists the power to abuse individual liberties and to thwart Britain's chances of success. One result is that the trade union movement, which sprang from a deep and genuine fellow-feeling for the brotherhood of man, is today more distrusted and feared than ever before.
It is not just that Labour have governed Britain badly. They have reached a dead-end. The very nature of their Party now prevents them from governing successfully in a free society and mixed economy.
Divided against themselves; devoid of any policies except those which have led to and would worsen our present troubles; bound inescapably by ties of history, political dogma and financial dependence to a single powerful interest group, Labour have demonstrated yet again that they cannot speak and dare not act for the nation as a whole.
Our country's relative decline is not inevitable. We in the Conservative Party think we can reverse it, not because we think we have all the answers but because we think we have the one answer that matters most. We want to work with the grain of human nature, helping people to help themselves - and others. This is the way to restore that self-reliance and self-confidence which are the basis of personal responsibility and national success.
Can't see any of that still being relevant today, can you?Yet today, this country is faced with its most serious problems since the Second World War. What has happened to our country, to the values we used to share, to the success and prosperity we once took for granted?
During the industrial strife of last winter, confidence, self-respect, common sense, and even our sense of common humanity were shaken. At times this society seemed on the brink of disintegration.
Some of the reasons for our difficulties today are complex and go back many years. Others are more simple and more recent. We do not lay all the blame on the Labour Party: but Labour have been in power for most of the last fifteen years and cannot escape the major responsibility.
They have made things worse in three ways. First, by practising the politics of envy and by actively discouraging the creation of wealth, they have set one group against another in an often bitter struggle to gain a larger share of a weak economy.
Second, by enlarging the role of the State and diminishing the role of the individual, they have crippled the enterprise and effort on which a prosperous country with improving social services depends.
Third, by heaping privilege without responsibility on the trade unions, Labour have given a minority of extremists the power to abuse individual liberties and to thwart Britain's chances of success. One result is that the trade union movement, which sprang from a deep and genuine fellow-feeling for the brotherhood of man, is today more distrusted and feared than ever before.
It is not just that Labour have governed Britain badly. They have reached a dead-end. The very nature of their Party now prevents them from governing successfully in a free society and mixed economy.
Divided against themselves; devoid of any policies except those which have led to and would worsen our present troubles; bound inescapably by ties of history, political dogma and financial dependence to a single powerful interest group, Labour have demonstrated yet again that they cannot speak and dare not act for the nation as a whole.
Our country's relative decline is not inevitable. We in the Conservative Party think we can reverse it, not because we think we have all the answers but because we think we have the one answer that matters most. We want to work with the grain of human nature, helping people to help themselves - and others. This is the way to restore that self-reliance and self-confidence which are the basis of personal responsibility and national success.
remedy said:
So we've been here before! 
If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
Seeing the old conservative guys against the newer labourites on the TV recently, I was amazed at their statemanship compared to the coarse and inarticulate labourites. True heavyweights compared to the new labour slime who were so patently out of their depth (not to mention their flawed ideology). It's about time the (new) conservatives showed their ideology before their specific and stealable individual plans/policies.If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
I think that ideology is perhaps the most important thing in politics and is something I see sadly lacking in both new labour and the conservatives.
Plus ca change plus c'est le meme chose.
And yes, the level of political debate in this country has decended to the gutter with the likes of Harman making quips about George Osbourne and lap-dancing clubs, and Miliband accusing conservatives MPs of sympathising with the Waffen SS (his speech today).
It is a breath of fresh air to hear someone like John Major speak on things today. He is clear, concise and can get his point across without resorting to cheap jibes, and the same can be said for many of the previous generation of politicians from both sides. Tony Benn, someone whose politics I most definitely do not agree with, always said "attack the idea, not the man", and he was completely right.
And yes, the level of political debate in this country has decended to the gutter with the likes of Harman making quips about George Osbourne and lap-dancing clubs, and Miliband accusing conservatives MPs of sympathising with the Waffen SS (his speech today).
It is a breath of fresh air to hear someone like John Major speak on things today. He is clear, concise and can get his point across without resorting to cheap jibes, and the same can be said for many of the previous generation of politicians from both sides. Tony Benn, someone whose politics I most definitely do not agree with, always said "attack the idea, not the man", and he was completely right.
hahithestevieboy said:
remedy said:
So we've been here before!
If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
Seeing the old conservative guys against the newer labourites on the TV recently, I was amazed at their statemanship compared to the coarse and inarticulate labourites. True heavyweights compared to the new labour slime who were so patently out of their depth (not to mention their flawed ideology). It's about time the (new) conservatives showed their ideology before their specific and stealable individual plans/policies.If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
I think that ideology is perhaps the most important thing in politics and is something I see sadly lacking in both new labour and the conservatives.
Randy Winkman said:
hahithestevieboy said:
remedy said:
So we've been here before!
If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
Seeing the old conservative guys against the newer labourites on the TV recently, I was amazed at their statemanship compared to the coarse and inarticulate labourites. True heavyweights compared to the new labour slime who were so patently out of their depth (not to mention their flawed ideology). It's about time the (new) conservatives showed their ideology before their specific and stealable individual plans/policies.If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
I think that ideology is perhaps the most important thing in politics and is something I see sadly lacking in both new labour and the conservatives.
Why on earth should he announce one single policy when labour refuse to call an election? When they call a date, I expect the Tories will start campaigning their policies.
As for PR or lack of substance, does anybody remember Tony Blair, the great puppet of Alistair Campbell?
The irony is (johnfm) after reading the Labour myths on here early today about lack of policies, I posted later on about the results of a brief search which unearthed more than ten Policy Green Papers which the Tories have grouped in three categories. I suspect there are more still, but as you say policy theft (and the lack of full disclosure on the economic mess we're in) precludes a full house until the manifesto is published nearer the election. There's plenty to agree or disagree with if folk are bothered enough to spend time looking for it, but this nonsense about a large-scale lack of policy or substance is just that, nonsense.
johnfm said:
Why on earth should he announce one single policy when labour refuse to call an election?
Well why on earth not? I can't think of one single reason to not be clear about policy. Do they stand for what they stand for or are they going to make it up on the spot?Not that it makes a scrap of difference mind you. In the UK a political party is free to say whatever it wants to get elected, absolutely anything at all, with absolutely no compunction to do what they promised once elected.
We have two main political parties, both dead in the water imo, totally free to promise whatever they like with no need to worry about their promises once they get into power.
heebeegeetee said:
johnfm said:
Why on earth should he announce one single policy when labour refuse to call an election?
Well why on earth not? I can't think of one single reason not to allow Gordon and the Morons to steal any good idea the Tories are stupid enough to give too much info about, after all Labour are clueless and need all the help they can getWhat I found interesting about that site I posted a link to is, if you take a look at some of the other election manifestos, you can see how they changed from being clear, concise and focused during the Thatcher years, to being rather wishy washy from the Major years on. You can see why the Tories have been losing to Labour since 97, it's as if they had forgotten what they stood for. If Cameron wants to be sure of winning he could do worse than to go back to the manifestos from 79, 83 and 87 and see what it was that inspired people to vote for them then.
Edited for speling.
Edited for speling.
Edited by king arthur on Thursday 1st October 19:46
turbobloke said:
heebeegeetee said:
johnfm said:
Why on earth should he announce one single policy when labour refuse to call an election?
Well why on earth not? I can't think of one single reason not to allow Gordon and the Morons to steal any good idea the Tories are stupid enough to give too much info about, after all Labour are clueless and need all the help they can getBut then if they're good policies does it matter who implements them?
And if the tories make it loud and clear what their policies are, it'll be obvious to the electorate where they came from.
The fact is, the current tory mob don't seem to realise that there isn't a hope in hell of labour winning the next election, so if the tories are that clueless it doesn't bode well for the future.
I'm 51. I wonder if i'm now going to live in a one party state for the rest of my natural.
johnfm said:
Randy Winkman said:
hahithestevieboy said:
remedy said:
So we've been here before!
If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
Seeing the old conservative guys against the newer labourites on the TV recently, I was amazed at their statemanship compared to the coarse and inarticulate labourites. True heavyweights compared to the new labour slime who were so patently out of their depth (not to mention their flawed ideology). It's about time the (new) conservatives showed their ideology before their specific and stealable individual plans/policies.If CMD released that tommorow most people wouldn't blink twice.
I think that ideology is perhaps the most important thing in politics and is something I see sadly lacking in both new labour and the conservatives.
Why on earth should he announce one single policy when labour refuse to call an election? When they call a date, I expect the Tories will start campaigning their policies.
As for PR or lack of substance, does anybody remember Tony Blair, the great puppet of Alistair Campbell?
heebeegeetee said:
turbobloke said:
heebeegeetee said:
johnfm said:
Why on earth should he announce one single policy when labour refuse to call an election?
Well why on earth not? I can't think of one single reason not to allow Gordon and the Morons to steal any good idea the Tories are stupid enough to give too much info about, after all Labour are clueless and need all the help they can getBut then if they're good policies does it matter who implements them?
heebeegeetee said:
And if the tories make it loud and clear what their policies are, it'll be obvious to the electorate where they came from.
OK, loud and clear is another matter, but if you accept the likelihood of policy theft it's not such a problem that you have to look a bit to find CMD's policies. heebeegeetee said:
The fact is, the current tory mob don't seem to realise that there isn't a hope in hell of labour winning the next election, so if the tories are that clueless it doesn't bode well for the future.
Which they're not - as posted now several times, there are a lot of detailed and published policy statements if anybody cares to look. As to tactics, CMD may face critics (mostly Labour, not all) but he's doing an acceptable job so far in terms of the Conservatives' chances of forming the next government.turbobloke said:
OK, loud and clear is another matter, but if you accept the likelihood of policy theft it's not such a problem that you have to look a bit to find CMD's policies.
I've never heard such nonsense as 'policy theft'. Do they *honestly*, *honestly* believe that 'policy theft' is going to keep them out of no.10? And you say these people are competent? It's a done deal ferchrissakes. The only question is who is going to be the opposition party.turbobloke said:
Which they're not - as posted now several times, there are a lot of detailed and published policy statements if anybody cares to look. As to tactics, CMD may face critics (mostly Labour, not all) but he's doing an acceptable job so far in terms of the Conservatives' chances of forming the next government.
Well which is it to be? Are the policies out there or are they afraid of policy theft? All i know is that the tory bod on R4's Today prog during the one morning of the Lib-dem conference wouldn't at all reveal the policy on whatever it was they were talking about. I only remember that because of the way the Lib-dem bint took him to task on air about it. 
There doesn't seem to be much that would keep CMD out of Number 10, but he'd be foolish to take it too much for granted. In that context, making Labour look as silly as possible through their own policy vacuum seems reasonable to me, so anything that might fill the vacuum can be held back for the manifesto while nulabia self destruct.
After all, what did Gordon propose in his speech beyond reversing a lot of his own mistakes? Ah yes a few contradictions were added for good measure, like being the friend of middle class middle england taxpayers, then telling them they can go fish for childcare as he's pandering to his core vote of chavbreeders after all but will get middle englanders to pay for it.
Great policies Winky. No wonder he's not concerned about CMD stealing them
After all, what did Gordon propose in his speech beyond reversing a lot of his own mistakes? Ah yes a few contradictions were added for good measure, like being the friend of middle class middle england taxpayers, then telling them they can go fish for childcare as he's pandering to his core vote of chavbreeders after all but will get middle englanders to pay for it.
Great policies Winky. No wonder he's not concerned about CMD stealing them
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