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David's Diary |
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Backstage at today's press conference
23/10/2007
I think it's good to make yourself available to the Press, give them an update on what we're doing in terms of policy, Party developments, some of the meetings I'm having - and then open up for questions. I'm going to try and do it, if not every month, then every six weeks or so.
Posted by Votedave 23/10/2007 18:11:27
Subject: Let's see lots of press conferences!
"I think it's good to make yourself available to the Press, give them an update on what we're doing in terms of policy."
Absolutely - the Conservative Party should have lots and lots of press conferences on these hugely important matters. It would also be an opportunity to raise the profile of the Shadow Cabinet. Bring George Osborne to a press conference on economic policy, bring Andrew Lansley to a press conference on health policy and so on.
It will help to convey the message that the Conservatives are a party of great teamwork.
Posted by tonymakara 24/10/2007 11:18:38
Subject: Empowering our people
Very good to see so much attention given to empowering people and the shift of emphasis away from government paternalism.
I'm very much looking forward to seeing the reforms that are to be made in the welfare system. We cannot continue with the revolving-door culture.
Mass lumpen-unemployment must be tackled and I'm pleased that the Conservative party is going to take a proactive role in dealing with this problem. Mass unemployment has only ever been managed by governments in the past, so its encouraging to see that the party is serious about actually tackling this problem.
Posted by Triarius 24/10/2007 11:59:52
Subject: Europe
Well, the messages were fine. But there is a looming problem you need to get to grips with over Europe. Already we are starting to struggle in the press over the referendum issue. While there is wide support in the country for our position on the manifeto commitments, the questions of where do we go after Labour has forced this through are bound to arise. Why are we not committed to a referendum to repudiate the treaty if it's so bad? It's a natural question.
What we need is a positive policy on how we are going to get from the arrangement to where we WANT to be.
For ten years the Labour lot have totally ducked the issue. The Blair (pro) and Brown (anti) double act enabled them to let sleeping dogs lie and every time the issue was raised by us, the Major-Redwood debacle is raised by the opposition so the focus is taken off their complete failure to address the issues. Hiding behind us has been very convenient until now when the British "drift along" policy has seen us just being swept along in the current to a point where Brown is having to defend an impossible position. In the treaty, he is trying to sell us an interim solution that he does not really think will work. It is political dishonesty of the worst order.
Except for the few smaller nations who have benefitted from grants, the bulk of the European popultation, and its governments are not content with our current arrangements. This is a point missed in our popular press who tend to portray the thing as "those Europeans trying to nick the liberties of we gallant island folk". Well we need to point out that there are sizeable majorities who feel the same way in every European country so we have a common cause with our fellow European citizens in not liking the monster that the EU has become.
You need, very rapidy, to develop a "roadmap" to reform the EU that will be the Conservative Party policy after the next election. It needs to tie together two vital threads
- That we want to develop and maintain a formal "special relationship" between at least the major countries of Western Europe - probably beyond mere multi-lateral trading to stand up to the rising international powers of China, Russia and the Muslim world
- The need to completely dismantle the dysfunctional structures and anti-democratic institutions that the EU has grown into.
Walking out of treaties is not a good move - whatever the reason. So the people who are going to get us out of the political bind we are now in are your fellow European leaders and the common cause you can build with them in getting rid of the hobbled and ineffective Brussels bureaucracy and replacing it with something we really want.
Posted by webcameronator 25/10/2007 00:31:19
Subject: Where is the Q and A
Was there a Question and Answer section?
If so why does neither this site or the Conservatives site (where a video of speech itself is available) have them available?
When Brown gives his monthly press conferences we see him being quizzed by journalists.
Why is the conservative web presence so disjointed that this item on webcameron doesn't link to the full video at:
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=conservatives.tv.page
And click speeches.
Or get the video file itself at
http://www.conservatives.com/UploadedFiles/VIDEOFLV/3543/video-cameronpolicy-2007.flv
Posted by karic31 25/10/2007 23:59:25
Subject: Europe
I'd agree with Triaruis on that one. Europe is a difficult issue for the party and a resolute line should be established quickly.
Surely a policy of agressive engagement is neccessary to try and bring about reform from within. Despite what the polls seem to suggest I cringe when I see tory mp's talking about backing out of the EU or opting out of many of its fundamental agreements. This sends out the wrong message for a modern and progressive conservative party.
Having said that it sometimes seems that the only thing 'Cameron's Conservatives' and the Murdoch media have in common is a distrust of Brussels.
Anyway - in order to fight a successful campaign against the government on the issue of an EU referundum it is essential that the Tory's devise a good answer to the question of 'what will you do about it when you come to power?'. And quickly.
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