Conservaties breaking their manifesto pledges already?

[sleep envy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_20...

BBC said:

But Ms Greening said: "We've always said that we think it's an important project and actually the reason this is important is we want to be responsible, so we can't pretend that we can write an entire budget outside of government.
"We've said we'll do one within 50 days of getting into government if we get elected and we will then provide some clarity and certainty."
Tessa Jowell, Labour Minister for the Olympics in the previous Parliament, said: "The Conservatives are offering weasel words on Crossrail.
"We are offering an unequivocal guarantee to go ahead with construction."
And Lib Dem candidate David Laws said he was "shocked" at the Conservative Party's stance.
He added: "They are looking at cutting a really vital project for London."
The Tory spokesman said the only two departments whose budgets they would guarantee not to cut were health and the Department for International Development.

leaving aside any BBC slant, I really hope this isn't the case

[Somewhatfoolish]

Stuff em.

Vote UKIP and be sure ste like that is cancelled

[MX7]

"But MP candidate Justine Greening told LBC radio that, although they supported it, they could offer no guarantee."

Seems fair enough. Seeing that the manifesto said nothing more than they support it, how are they breaking a plegde? They didn't make a pledge!

[sleep envy]

misses the point

[Parrot of Doom]

Difficult for a possibly incoming government to support a massively expensive project the real costs of which they will have absolutely no idea of until they enter office.

Its better for them to say "probably" rather than "definitely". Its more responsible.

[peterpeter]

Somewhatfoolish said:

Stuff em.

Vote UKIP and be sure ste like that is cancelled

bks.

[Somewhatfoolish]

peterpeter said:

Somewhatfoolish said:

Stuff em.

Vote UKIP and be sure ste like that is cancelled

bks.

PP old boy, I figured you'd say that :lol:

[tank slapper]

How can they break a manifesto pledge before they are in power?

[EDLT]

Can you even break a pledge, I thought it was just politico-speak for "wouldn't it be nice if." This is why they don't say "promise" any more.

[Disco_Dale]

tank slapper said:

How can they break a manifesto pledge before they are in power?

Exactly.

They're just practicing.

[Guybrush]

Parrot of Doom said:

Difficult for a possibly incoming government to support a massively expensive project the real costs of which they will have absolutely no idea of until they enter office.

Its better for them to say "probably" rather than "definitely". Its more responsible.

More responsible and also just plain honest. I sometimes wonder if the public (peasants) actually want to be lied to as if to be fooled makes them feel comfortable. Would people rather be given absolute promises and then have them broken?

[HiRich]

Tessa Jowell (minister for the Olympics, which are set to go over budget by the way, and not minister for transport) may be giving a cast-iron guarantee, but CrossRail isn't fully funded under Labour plans either. I appreciate that CrossRail is important, but until Osbourne sees the books, it would be dishonest to make promises you may not be able to fulfill.

If you want to go down that route, you should also start asking about Lord Adonis' HST2, which is in the "ain't gonna happen' group. Certainly not before 2020 or 25. And as for that aircraft carrier due to be built in the North East Labour heartland? Well I wouldn't book holiday time for the launch, because everyone but the workers knows it will be canned (sorry "deferred") before Christmas.