Conservative double standards.

[C C]

The Tories were fighting tooth and nail to prevent the Hunting ban and claim to reinstate hunting if they ever get elected.

But yesterday they done their utmost to restrict offloading in England.

[quote=Conservatives]
Following considerable pressure from the Conservative Party, the Green Lanes Protection Group and many others, the Government last night announced that it would act "aggressively" to deal with the large number of outstanding claims to record rights of way in the countryside as open to mechanically propelled vehicles.

Speaking after the debate, Oliver Letwin, Shadow DEFRA Secretary, congratulated the Minister for listening to the evidence about a surge in applications, and for promising to deal with it.

Mr Letwin said: "This is a victory for walkers, horse riders and everyone who wants to enjoy the peace of the countryside without more byways being chewed up by vehicles they cannot cope with."

Shadow Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister James Paice introduced a series of amendments, describing the damage which 4 wheel drive vehicles and motorbikes can do to rural byways, making them impassable for walkers and riders. He welcomed the Government's intention in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill to end the ability to claim byways for mechanically propelled vehicles on the basis that they were once used "by a chariot".

Mr Paice said: "However, whenever commencement takes place there will remain the issue of the large number of outstanding claims, some 2000 of them. If all those cases, or even a significant proportion of them, are recorded as 'byways open to all traffic' the whole purpose of the new law would be useless."

He went on to propose that the Secretary of State should be required to review all of them and to issue Traffic Regulation Orders prohibiting motorised vehicles if there was evidence of damage to the natural environment, or they restricted use of the byway by other users.

Rural Affairs Minister Jim Knight, in reply, accepted the arguments put forward and promised to make a clear and explicit announcement when the Bill reaches the House of Lords about how he will deal with these outstanding applications and promised "as aggressive a stance as I possibly can…" Pressed by Shadow DEFRA Secretary Oliver Letwin as to whether this meant "amendments in the House of Lords which will have the force of law" he confirmed his intention to clarify the matter in law.[/quote]

[nonegreen]

This can't be right Jaglover is a party member and reckons we should all vote conservative cos they are the party of the motorist.

So who do you vote for

Green Labour? Hate cars love chavs

Green Consirvative Hate Cars too but love people who tear up the countryside on horeseback chasing foxes

Green LibDem Hate Cars more than murderers want speeders in jail and murderers on holiday all paid for by the taxman

Green? Hate Cars and want to increase taxes and kill business with enviroshite

BNP? Hate cars and want ethnic cleansing

Not much of a choice is it? Four lots of nutters and some people who want to commit crimes against humanity. We have to vote for tts or the wrong tt will get in.

[dilbert]

All I can say is that I hope that "Coke Head Cameron" doesn't get in.

Whilst I do feel that there is a countryside argument against the use of "off roaders" on ancient rights of way, I also think that much of the Hitle..., I mean Labour youth are also "Coke Heads".

Sod it, there aint no winning! We're f****d.

[peterpeter]

dilbert said:

All I can say is that I hope that "Coke Head Cameron" doesn't get in. Whilst I do feel that there is a countryside argument against the use of "off roaders" on ancient rights of way, I also think that much of the Hitle..., I mean Labour youth are also "Coke Heads". Sod it, there aint no winning! We're f****d.

so who do you think should get in??

[Mon Ami Mate]

The use of vehicles on roads and the use of vehicles off road are separate matters and differing legislative approaches in no way infer hypocracy.

The Conservative Party would openly review speed cameras on roads and would remove any found to be cash cows. I have complete faith in this. They (we) will reinvest in traffic Police and are committed to introducing higher speed limits on motorways.

Many Conservative supporters live outside cities and the Party still has very strong support in the countryside. Many people in the countryside complain about city people in four wheel drive cars descending on them at the weekend and churning up the byways that farmers use to reach their fields and which tourists enjoy, bringing prosperity to the countryside. There is a world of difference between somebody responsibly using a four wheel drive car or an off-road bike, and ignorant people treating the couintryside and the people who live in it with contempt.

Sadly, in legislating against the latter, the former will suffer. Don't blame the Conservative Party, blame the irresponsiblemorons who ruin everything for everybody else.

[JagLover]

nonegreen said:

This can't be right Jaglover is a party member and reckons we should all vote conservative cos they are the party of the motorist.

What has the everyday experience of motoring got to do with travelling down unmade roads, exploiting rights of way that were never designed for motorised transportation?.

The countryside should be preserved, used for its intended purpose, for walkers and riders.

I certainly do not want to see tracks turned into mud baths by the occasional off roader.

[dilbert]

peterpeter said:

dilbert said: All I can say is that I hope that "Coke Head Cameron" doesn't get in. Whilst I do feel that there is a countryside argument against the use of "off roaders" on ancient rights of way, I also think that much of the Hitle..., I mean Labour youth are also "Coke Heads". Sod it, there aint no winning! We're f****d. so who do you think should get in??

I'm voting for Al-Qiada.

[JagLover]

There should certainly be adequate provision in the countryside for car parks, in order that people may enjoy our natural countryside, but the presumption should be that access to unmade roads be restricted to farmers only. Unless the use of such a track can be demonstrated to have no adverse effect on the other users of the countryside.

Currently these off road vehicles are claiming ancient rights of way, based on use by horse drawn vehicles, and I regard this as unacceptable, as would anyone who regularly walks in the countryside in winter and sees what vehicles do to a track.

[JagLover]

dilbert said:

All I can say is that I hope that "Coke Head Cameron" doesn't get in.

"Coke Head Cameron", please

It was bound to happen I suppose, he begins to look like a credible leader, who might return the Tories to power so the usual suspects in the media get started on him.

[timmy30]

So some tit of a chav decides to indulge in the latest craze of taking their new 4 by 4 for a spin down the local birdle path ripping to pieces and creating a lethal danger because the tts have no real idea what they're doing, and you think this is a good thing for the countryside?

[Ali_D]

Its a political party - are double standards a suprise?

[john75]

Their is a saying that the people get the politians that they deserve.

Do not get mad get involved.

[off_again]

Mon Ami Mate said:

Many people in the countryside complain about city people in four wheel drive cars descending on them at the weekend and churning up the byways that farmers use to reach their fields and which tourists enjoy

Completely understand where you are coming from on this - I used to live in the country myself (before moving into a town) and know what the impact can be.

But, it is funny though - on one hand you have one pressure group trying to ban 4x4s from cities cos they never go off-road. On the other you have another pressure group trying to ban those 4x4 owners who do actually go off road....

You just cant win can you? Its like people dont want you to have a 4x4....

[dilbert]

JagLover said:

dilbert said: All I can say is that I hope that "Coke Head Cameron" doesn't get in. "Coke Head Cameron", please It was bound to happen I suppose, he begins to look like a credible leader, who might return the Tories to power so the usual suspects in the media get started on him.

I don't know about the truth of the matter, but I do believe that the end should justify the means. This is where I believe that Mr Blair has screwed up.

Particularly in respect of the war.

The funny thing is that I was worried that Cameron wass too like Blair, before Ken Clarke shopped him.

For me it's not the Drugs per-se, it's just that it's the final nail.

So for example;

Had it transpired that Mr Davis had once tried Coke, I'd have believed it as fact. Do you see what I mean?

>> Edited by dilbert on Friday 14th October 09:54

[simpo two]

Hunting and off-roading are two different things. You just got confused because they happen in the roughly the same place.

Ad for David Cameron, I thpught it was Labour that made drugs fashionable, nay essential for cooldom?

If they lose the best hope for Leader over this silly media smear campaign - maybe started by slimeball David Davies - there really is no hope.

[JagLover]

I don't care if Cameron was snorting lines of Coke every night at uni.

What matters is what he is now, and he seems a decent family man.

[off_again]

JagLover said:

I don't care if Cameron was snorting lines of Coke every night at uni. What matters is what he is now, and he seems a decent family man.

Damn right, but the problem is that some people seem to have a bee in their bonnet about lots of things - having taken drugs in your past being one of them. For all I care, we could have a bright pink S&M loving punk called Emily - but as long as they are damn good at the job it doesn't matter.....

At the end of the day, as you say, is not the past but the present. Its just unfortunate that some people cant see this and have to "create" a story. And anyway, who is perfect?

[dilbert]

JagLover said:

I don't care if Cameron was snorting lines of Coke every night at uni. What matters is what he is now, and he seems a decent family man.

Well the impression, which I find plausible, is that his "Notting Hill Set" are all kind of part of the same deal.

Frankly, he's a public schoolie. With the other personal and physical traits, thats enough for me.

I don't much care for this slick brand of media oriented politics. I wan't politicians that think for themselves.

I want a politicians that sometimes, just plain tell me things I don't want to hear. There's too many of them now, that leave me with the fallout, and tell me everything is OK.

[JagLover]

Don't get me wrong Dilbert I am still undecided.

I think there are three strong candidates in the race, Davis, Clarke and Cameron, all with their strengths and weaknesses.

What they got up to at Uni is completely irrelevant to the decision.

[TeamD]

JagLover said:

What has the everyday experience of motoring got to do with travelling down unmade roads, exploiting rights of way that were never designed for motorised transportation?.

It's called rallying.

JagLover said:

The countryside should be preserved, used for its intended purpose, for walkers and riders.

No, you're wrong. The intended purpose of the countryside is for the enjoyment of all persons whom pay council tax to live there. Not for numpty city dwellers to descend at the weekend and tell us how we should live our lives.

JagLover said:

I certainly do not want to see tracks turned into mud baths by the occasional off roader.

It happens, but when such activities are properly regulated, NB "regulated" NOT banned, suitable repair activities are put in place to ensure that any damage is made good.