The British Political Parties – The Conservative/Tory Party – What they stand for and where they came from.

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Disclaimer – I would consider myself a left-wing moderate and pragmatist. While I will try to be objective and impartial one must always bear that in mind when reading further. My bias may subconsciously select words for me.

 

It is quite apparent to me, from my years in education, that the majority of people do not have a clue as to what the political parties stand for. Their philosophy has become shrouded in obfuscation. All the politicians are interested in is power and that means votes. In order to get elected they have to compromise and disguise their intent. That is politics.

 

I am attempting to state clearly, simply and objectively what the main parties stand for and where they came from.

 

The Conservative/Tory Party.

 

The Tory party is a centre-right party when had its origins in the 18th Century.

 

Back in the 18th Century hardly anyone had the vote. You had to own land in order to vote. Politics was dominated by the establishment of landowners/businessmen who organised the country for their own interests.

 

The Tories started out as a faction in the Whig party. They were supporters of William Pitt the Younger who became known as Tories (a derogatory term they adopted for themselves) circa 1812.

 

The Conservative term arose circa 1843 and is associated with Sir Robert Peel.

 

The Tory ethos is to maintain the establishment. It can be summed up as ‘God, King and Country’. As such they are opposed to radical liberalism and reform and are in favour of the Free Market Economy. They do not believe in intervention.

 

Tories believe in the paternal obligation of the Upper Classes to look after the interests of the Lower Classes.

 

They believe in giving tax cuts and restraining government spending.

 

They believe the money going to the wealthy will ‘trickle down’ to the poor.

 

They believe that if there are big profits there will be big investments which will create a thriving economy and ultimately everyone will benefit. The country will prosper.

 

Their premise is to support business through deregulation, privatisation and a flexible labour market.

 

Nb. No doubt my political friends of a right-wing bias will put me right on a few of my assertions!

Poetry – God, King, Country but above all me – Seemed appropriate in the new Tory Britain.

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I dug this one out of the archives from twenty years back. It seemed just as appropriate now.

I am a socialist idealist. That means I believe in a fair society  with justice for all. I do not believe that workers should be exploited by bosses or that there should be a huge differential of wages and wealth. I am not opposed to there being a differential – it is when salaries and bonuses become obscene that I object. Some people are greedy, selfish and uncaring. They take from the poor to enhance themselves beyond all reasonable levels.

I do not believe people should have benefits and hand-outs unless they really deserve them. They should work for a living and receive a fair days pay for a fair days work. I believe we should stimulate the economy to provide skilled, well-paid jobs for working people. I believe we should do away with zero hours (except for the few who are in circumstances where it suits their needs) and low-paid work.

I do not believe in patriotism – I want a global community where all people are valued equally. No race is superior to another. We are all one species.

I do not believe in monarchy. The robber barons of old stole the land and riches through force, violence and callous brutality. The monarchy and aristocracy have blood on their hands.

I believe the Tory party represents business, banks and the wealthy. They were set up by the wealthy to look after the interests of the wealthy. They are a disaster for public services and ordinary people. They give working people as little as they can in order to ensure re-election and avoid riots. They always give tax breaks and concessions to the rich who they represent.

I wrote this poem in 1995. I had Thatcher’s duplicity and viciousness ringing in my ears. I saw the decimation of industry, destruction of well-paid jobs for working people, deliberate wrecking of working communities, breaking of the unions and policies that favoured the bosses.

I fear we are in for another dose of the same – The proposed anti-union laws, cuts to public services and policies that put power in the hands of the people.

I predict riots and social unrest.

God,  King, Country but above all me

 

Beneath the veneer of morality

God, Queen and country

The Tory party

They’d sell their children

For a cup of tea

A thimble full of prosperity.

 

If it gets them on

They’d claw out your eyes

Ravage your genes

Fog out the skies

Stuff all your children

Full of their lies

 

Bring back the birch on prime time TV

Hang all the scum in the land of the free

Forget the homeless in deserved poverty

We’ve got the philosophy

Of the terminal greedy

 

This is the land

Where the rich hold the cards

Make the decisions

Run hunts through your yard

Posture and sneer

If you protest – you’re fired.

 

Opher 8.4.95

Britain today – the reality – the inequality – the lies and deceit.

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What has happened in Britain over the last five years is shrouded in the fog of lies, obfuscations, misrepresentations and secrecy.

The Tories have supported the wealthy and business and villainised the public sector and poor. They have been able to do this because the media is owned by the wealthy and the trade union movement is totally ineffective.

Under the mantra of ‘we’re all in this together’ and ‘austerity’ the poor have been scapegoated while the bankers who created the problem are unscathed.

In way of illustration:

Public sector pay freezes, cuts, worsening conditions and pension cuts – the top 1000 wealthiest receive 30% pay rises.

Tax cuts for the wealthiest – clampdown on benefits for the poorest in society.

reduction of corporation tax to 24% (gives to businesses) – increase of VAT to 20% (hits workers)

Loss of working skilled jobs in manufacturing (cars, mining, ship-building, fishing) – increase of low pay, temporary, zero hours, shelf-stacking and service industry.

Increase of unpaid internships in politics and media ensuring that only the rich can have access. – Increase in low paid mickey-mouse apprenticeships where young people are exploited stacking shelves for a fraction of the pay.

Hue and cry over the terrible £1 Billion benefit fraud – hardly a sound about the £70 Billion tax evasion

Creeping privatising with outsourcing in the NHS (money to the boys) – hugely wasteful top down reorganisations of education, health, police that cost huge money, create chaos and demoralise staff so they cannot oppose

Austerity has resulted in people getting paid less so that the tax income for the government has gone down – result the National debt has almost doubled in just 5 years – from £.76 Billion to £1.36 Billion.

The divide between the rich and poor has never been greater. The media blame the poor for being lazy, feckless scroungers while the rich are creaming off the top like never before and laughing all the way to their private yachts and pent-house suites.

I would suggest that it is time to put an end to the selfishness and greed that is responsible for this inequality. For all people to contribute equally to this society. To address housing and poverty, fund the Schools, NHS, Police, Councils, Social Services and other Public Services properly so that ordinary people are properly catered for. To encourage manufacturing so that our young working class have proper jobs which pay well and they can take pride in and aspire to.

I want to live in a fair society where there is not this level of inequality. Where all people are valued and have pride in what they do and their country. Where everyone has a future.

This means that the wealthy should contribute much more.

I want to see a Labour Party that is proud of its Trade Union affiliations and stands up for the rights of working people.

I want to see a Green World and would suggest that this is the technology and industry that could be the future of the country. We need to invest in Green Technology and become world leaders.

We need to get our workforce involved in infrastructure projects that require skills, are well paid, create a more efficient economy for the future and create more well paid jobs that bring in more taxes and pay off our debt that is presently increasing by £2 Billion each and every week.

I want my grandchildren properly educated, healthy, safe on the streets, with plenty of amenities to use, and having a future to look forward to with a career that has worth.

 

Economic facts to consider – I believe there is an election looming! Why I vote Labour.

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I am presently reading Owen Jones fascinating book – Chavs. I was immediately taken by a few facts from the preface which I believe are relevant.

  • In 2011 living standards for the average Briton declined at the fastest rate since the 1920s.
  • In the same 2011 boardroom pay for Britain’s top one hundred companies soared by 49% (The previous year it had soared by a staggering 55%).
  • The wealth of Britain’s richest 1000 increased by 20% after leaping up by 30% the previous year.
  • The claim by Cameron and Osborn that we are ‘All in this together’ is both ludicrous and offensive.
  • The poor suffer a triple whammy of benefit, services and support cuts
  • The result is food banks, zero hours exploitation and return of childhood illnesses associated with severe poverty
  • The record of this coalition government is the worst poverty record of any government for a generation.

The mantra of austerity is has been an excuse to bring in huge swathes of Tory dogma driven ideology that favour the rich and greatly reduce public services.

It is obvious to me that if you wish to reduce debt you cut the excess bureaucracy and glitz and leave the essentials. You do not bring in great change because all change costs money.

This government, despite having no mandate, has brought in huge dogma driven change that is immensely disruptive and costly. Under the guise of improving and austerity they have cut to the bone and created demoralisation and disarray thus reducing effective opposition.

Their cuts and low pay exploitation have resulted in tax reductions so we are still borrowing at an even greater rate and the debt is not paid off.

The alternative is to trim with realistic cuts. Not bring in huge changes and to stimulate growth. Growth pays off the debt! It is not rocket science.

Who has benefitted? – the rich

who have been shafted? The poor and public services

That’s the nasty party.

And you tell me your vote does not count – they’re all as bad as each other?

I trust none of them. They are politicians. Labour has done some stupid things – but the nasty party are cynical, clinical and ruthless.

It’s the lesser of two evils for me! I believe in fairness and justice

Another scurrilous Cameron video – hilarious

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Election – I do not know if you have noticed that it is looming! Some thoughts.

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Why is all this election business so artificial?

Politicians are simply not interested in doing what really needs doing. For them it is all about power and votes.

For most of the time they treat us with disdain and contempt.

The short term patterns of our election prevents any long-term planning. When it comes to infra-structure or painful decisions they duck the issues – they think ‘what is the point of doing something that a future government will pick up the credit for? Where’s the votes in that?

What I want is passion and idealism. I want someone who will stand up and put their views out because it is what they believe. I do not want to hear politicians blathering on about what they think might get them votes so that they can wield power and be the big I-Am. I want honesty.

I want politicians to do what is right and not what is popular.

I want integrity, real issues, caring and some common sense.

Why is it that we always have to choose which is the less nasty, less greedy, less crooked, less uncaring?

I want a real choice! I want an alternative to the selfish greed of the Tories with their uncaring disregard for ordinary people. I don’t want to have to settle for a watered down version.

Pension funds – Short-term gain – long-term misery – a bribe? A temporary fix?

Posted on by Opher

George Osborne's budget box

What a stupid policy.

Let us give everyone access to their pension funds. They’ll love us for it.

Now, while a percentage of the population is able to look ahead and invest their money wisely to ensure their funds cover their needs in old age, and could probably do a better job of it than the pension fund investors, most are either too stupid or lacking in knowledge to do so.

a.

‘Oh look – we can get our hands on thousands of pounds. What shall we do with it?’

‘Shall we invest it wisely or buy a new car?’

‘Oh our car is now old and worthless. Oh. I am old and have no job. Where is the money coming from to keep me now that I’ve spent it all? I know. The taxpayers will have to fork out!’

b.

‘There’s all this money locked up in pension funds. The country is in need. We’ll unlock it. Give it to the masses. They’ll buy lots of new cars and spend it. It’ll stimulate the economy. That’ll help disguise the deficit and make things look good. They’ll love it. They’ll vote for us. Win Win.’

‘What happens when they’ve spent it and have nothing to live off? It’ll cost us a lot more further down the line and all those people who spent their pensions on tat will be buggered.’

‘Some other chancellor will be in office then! Some other government will have to sort out the mess. Who cares.’

 

Politics – always the lesser of two evils!

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Politics for me should be about making the world a fairer, equal, more just, tolerant and happy place.

I want a political party that looks to bring harmony, peace and a more global perspective.

I want an end to war, conflict, poverty, pollution, overpopulation and environmental destruction on a global scale.

I want a party that wants to create a fairer distribution of wealth.

It is my contention that a lot of the world’s problems and the country’s problems are due to great inequality. A tiny elite own far too big a slice of the cake and control the political parties in order to maintain the status quo. People are deliberately kept in poverty and destitution. It does not have to be that way.

In recent times the super-rich have creamed off an even bigger slice and the bottom rung have even less. I do not think it is right that some people are wondering what to invest their next billion in (perhaps a football team? A yacht or a pent-house?) while millions are dying of starvation.

I do not believe we can tackle deforestation, multinationals, tax avoidance, corruption, pollution, crime, war, religious fanaticism or environmental degradation without globally enforced laws and a more equal distribution of wealth.

I want a party that will seek to implement world government and the United Nation charter of Human Rights for all citizens of the world. But that’s pie in the sky.

So what does that make me? A Communist? Socialist? I do not know or care. I am affiliated to no party.

What I do know is that our politicians are all part of the establishment. They have an interest in maintaining the status quo. They think in terms of only our country and how to get re-elected. They think they deserve to be rewarded highly and are better than the people they represent.

I want a bigger vision.

In reality I am presented with two choices. The next Prime Minister will either be Milliband or Cameron.

The Tories represent the Establishment. They are the party of the rich and elite, Public School educated and serving the establishment. Hence we have seen in these times of austerity, with reductions in standard of living for ordinary people, welfare cuts and cuts to public services, the bonuses for bosses increase and the Tories introducing tax cuts for the rich. The top end has got richer while the rest of us have got poorer. It makes a mockery of ‘We’re all in it together’. It also has not paid off the huge national debt as promised. That money has gone into the pockets of the rich.

The Labour Party came out of the Trade Union Movement. Their brief was to represent the working man and ensure that he got fair pay, better conditions and better treated. Hence we saw the Health Service, regulation of factories, health and safety, and a rise in standards for ordinary people. Unfortunately the Labour Party then lost its zeal and became part of the Establishment. It’s MPs wanted the money and privilege. They too started looking to support Big Business. It was seen as pragmatic. If you did not give a good deal to the rich they would take their business elsewhere. Nowadays the Labour Party, with its share of Public School Boys, is almost indistinguishable from the Tories; only marginally better. Blaire adopted a lot of Thatcher’s policies.

As for the Liberals, who don’t know who they are and blow with the wind, and UKIP who would align themselves with the National Front on many issues and don’t have coherent policies on anything, or the Greens who are too small, there is no-one who is worth supporting.

My heart says Green is the best of a bad deal. My head says Labour. At least they are marginally better than the vicious ideologically driven Tories and their uncaring dogma. The nasty party with the arrogant Cameron leer make me cringe.

In reality there is no party that reflect my views. I am disenfranchised.

Perhaps the Tories should only ever be elected if they gain 40% of all the votes of the eligible electorate?

Posted on by Opher

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Following on from the Tory idea to shackle unions by making it illegal to strike without at least 40% of all the available workers in support of the action – when was the last time a government had 40% of the electorate voting in support of them?

A lot of ballots do not even get 40% of the people to vote – let alone for a particular party.

A representative vote is what democracy is about. To win by one vote is sufficient. If they want to change the rules then change it for national elections too. If a party cannot muster 40% of the electorate it should not be allowed to govern. Fair’s fair. This government did not win the last election. They had no mandate from the electorate yet they have forced through their cuts and austerity programme.

Obviously democracy and Tories do not go together!

The Tories are looking at the traditional apathy and distrust of the electoral system in order to force through their huge cuts and further austerity – a programme that has blatantly failed!

There is another way!!