"Free Country Party" from The Telegraph (long!)
Discussion
Some of you may have read this, I just got it through email . . . would you vote for them?
Introducing the new party that can really oppose Labour
By Stephen Robinson (Filed: 13/11/2002)
If you are reading this page, the chances are that you are, or used to be, a Conservative voter. But do you regard yourself as a moderniser, a libertarian, a Portillista, or a Clarkite? Are you a "social liberal", and is that the same thing as a moderniser? (I'm sorry, I cannot help here, for I don't understand the distinction.) Do you regard yourself as nasty (like Lord Tebbit) or nice (like Theresa May); are you eurosceptic on the single currency, or homosceptic on gay marriage?
As the Queen opens Parliament today, do you agree with the majority of Conservative voters that IDS is not up to the job; or are you simply confused, and sick to death of the Tory party, like most of the country?
The crucial point is not that the Conservatives need a new leader, but that Britain needs a new political party. Our current de facto one-party state is breaking the national spirit, and now is the time for plucky, independent-minded patriots to stand up to all the controlling, centralising and ultimately ruinous instincts of New Labour before we find ourselves right back circa 1977, bankrupt and demoralised.
Fortunately, an obvious solution is at hand. Since we launched it last summer, The Daily Telegraph's Free Country campaign has landed telling blows on those who would control us. We have highlighted the plight of individuals persecuted by overbearing police, and sounded the alarm about the proliferation of spy cameras on high streets and motorways. We have chronicled the abuses of Customs and Excise in persecuting cross-Channel shoppers.
Now is obviously the time, in the parlance of marketing men, to leverage the brand and establish the Free Country Party. The FCP will be founded on the assumption that we are born free and have a solemn duty to resist the controlling instincts of the state. The new party will betray an unabashed bias in favour of individual freedom and low taxes, and against bossiness and regulation, whether it comes from Brussels or New Labour's think tanks setting "targets" to micro-manage schools, hospitals or police forces around the country. The party will support local democracy and bolster it by devolving vast areas of authority beyond the grasping instincts of Millbank and Whitehall.
It will reject noisily the sort of twisted thinking evident in David Blunkett's article in this space yesterday, whereby you flaunt your "tough on crime" credentials by ridiculing our historic liberties. The FCP will not be hostile to the EU in principle, but will be much readier to reject or simply ignore the more pointless edicts from Brussels. When it takes power, there will be no fridges rusting on London pavements because the Government is daft enough to obey an EU directive that says they cannot be scrapped for environmental reasons.
Gordon Brown's economic tests for euro membership will be ditched in favour of binding liberty tests, and unless Brussels forswears its illiberal, dirigiste instincts, withdrawal from the EU might eventually have to be considered.
We will make our first shameless pitch for popular support by pledging to remove 90 per cent of speed cameras and road bumps and all the other obsessive "traffic calming" measures that have been foisted on us without consultation by hysterical municipal safety officers.
The party will impose a "freedom test" on all new legislation, so no Bill will be debated unless it satisfies strict liberty criteria. The FCP will always tolerate behaviour that does not harm others - such as foxhunting or smoking cannabis - but on the whole will decline to extend legalistic approval to the behaviour of every minority.
Not only will it keep the government out of your lives wherever possible, the FCP will keep the Tories out of your bedroom, because even if it is true that married couples are best equipped to bring up children, we do not want to hear it from Theresa May.
The Conservatives congratulate themselves on refocusing the party on public services, but they have merely locked themselves into a futile public-spending auction with New Labour. Because they hate each other so much, they will at the first opportunity stray back into the areas that are no business of any political party.One can almost hear the knives being sharpened on the Tory benches in preparation for the forthcoming debate on Section 28.
Introducing the new party that can really oppose Labour
By Stephen Robinson (Filed: 13/11/2002)
If you are reading this page, the chances are that you are, or used to be, a Conservative voter. But do you regard yourself as a moderniser, a libertarian, a Portillista, or a Clarkite? Are you a "social liberal", and is that the same thing as a moderniser? (I'm sorry, I cannot help here, for I don't understand the distinction.) Do you regard yourself as nasty (like Lord Tebbit) or nice (like Theresa May); are you eurosceptic on the single currency, or homosceptic on gay marriage?
As the Queen opens Parliament today, do you agree with the majority of Conservative voters that IDS is not up to the job; or are you simply confused, and sick to death of the Tory party, like most of the country?
The crucial point is not that the Conservatives need a new leader, but that Britain needs a new political party. Our current de facto one-party state is breaking the national spirit, and now is the time for plucky, independent-minded patriots to stand up to all the controlling, centralising and ultimately ruinous instincts of New Labour before we find ourselves right back circa 1977, bankrupt and demoralised.
Fortunately, an obvious solution is at hand. Since we launched it last summer, The Daily Telegraph's Free Country campaign has landed telling blows on those who would control us. We have highlighted the plight of individuals persecuted by overbearing police, and sounded the alarm about the proliferation of spy cameras on high streets and motorways. We have chronicled the abuses of Customs and Excise in persecuting cross-Channel shoppers.
Now is obviously the time, in the parlance of marketing men, to leverage the brand and establish the Free Country Party. The FCP will be founded on the assumption that we are born free and have a solemn duty to resist the controlling instincts of the state. The new party will betray an unabashed bias in favour of individual freedom and low taxes, and against bossiness and regulation, whether it comes from Brussels or New Labour's think tanks setting "targets" to micro-manage schools, hospitals or police forces around the country. The party will support local democracy and bolster it by devolving vast areas of authority beyond the grasping instincts of Millbank and Whitehall.
It will reject noisily the sort of twisted thinking evident in David Blunkett's article in this space yesterday, whereby you flaunt your "tough on crime" credentials by ridiculing our historic liberties. The FCP will not be hostile to the EU in principle, but will be much readier to reject or simply ignore the more pointless edicts from Brussels. When it takes power, there will be no fridges rusting on London pavements because the Government is daft enough to obey an EU directive that says they cannot be scrapped for environmental reasons.
Gordon Brown's economic tests for euro membership will be ditched in favour of binding liberty tests, and unless Brussels forswears its illiberal, dirigiste instincts, withdrawal from the EU might eventually have to be considered.
We will make our first shameless pitch for popular support by pledging to remove 90 per cent of speed cameras and road bumps and all the other obsessive "traffic calming" measures that have been foisted on us without consultation by hysterical municipal safety officers.
The party will impose a "freedom test" on all new legislation, so no Bill will be debated unless it satisfies strict liberty criteria. The FCP will always tolerate behaviour that does not harm others - such as foxhunting or smoking cannabis - but on the whole will decline to extend legalistic approval to the behaviour of every minority.
Not only will it keep the government out of your lives wherever possible, the FCP will keep the Tories out of your bedroom, because even if it is true that married couples are best equipped to bring up children, we do not want to hear it from Theresa May.
The Conservatives congratulate themselves on refocusing the party on public services, but they have merely locked themselves into a futile public-spending auction with New Labour. Because they hate each other so much, they will at the first opportunity stray back into the areas that are no business of any political party.One can almost hear the knives being sharpened on the Tory benches in preparation for the forthcoming debate on Section 28.
DrSeuss said: Hmmm...sounds promising, but why no mention of what they'd do about the whole shambolic asylum issue, which concerns a hell of a lot of people?
Although some of the important issues concerning fundamental aspects that impact upon our ability to exist as a viable independent nation state are beginning to get an airing in the media - this IS a good illustration of such - others, like migrancy - are, in realistic political terms, possibly still 'too hot potatoes,' as it were.
I.e. The media frenzy against any heralding a closed door policy would be such as to thoroughly discolour other, equally significant topics.
Yes, this is an admission of the effect of curtailment of real debate but an acknowledgement of the fine line any in politics must tread. At the end of the day, once nicely ensconsed in No.10, the top geezer within an FCP administration could just crack on regardless and frankly, Murdoch & Co would be back on board and populist opinion would follow...
Yes, the constraints felt by those on the right are indeed weighty in UK2002 but, I am beginning to sense a shift in the country at large towards elements of what many of us and this FCP business are saying.
One thing that intrigued me was how their admirably libertarian outlook would be transposed to dealing with issues like "petty" crime and immigration . . . their manifesto as stated above seems designed to appeal to the average PH reader; but it seems we would all happily see scrotes have their goolies cut off for a first offence which is pretty illiberal really . . .
I suppose you could put that under the banner of "citizens being free to live their life without fear of crime" or some such . . .
I suppose you could put that under the banner of "citizens being free to live their life without fear of crime" or some such . . .
I like what this "party" have to say. I would of course want to see more, but it looks promising enough to a largley disillusioned (sp?) Tory like myself.
I think I agree with what Deristrictor is saying - but I can't be too sure!! I think my head is a bit messed up with too much work...hmmm, time for a tea I think...
I think I agree with what Deristrictor is saying - but I can't be too sure!! I think my head is a bit messed up with too much work...hmmm, time for a tea I think...
The usual Libertarian view of immigration is too have open borders and then it's every man for himself.
Perhaps people might find the following interesting: World's Smallest Political Quiz
Perhaps people might find the following interesting: World's Smallest Political Quiz
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff