[furball]

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

I would hope (perhaps naively) that Gordon Brown's political intentions are not primarily shaped by a desire to score points over the current walking Zombie that is the Tory Party.

Actually, you're probably right about Brown. But Alastair Campbell would have done it

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

If he believes in a fraction of what he is doing (and I think on the whole that politicians do tend to believe their own bullshit) then Gordon Brown would probably believe that his public policy reforms, modest iniatives and familiar prudence would lead to great success in the medium term, which he would assume would be converted into electoral success. Why risk that just so Cameron doesn't get his speech on telly?

The economy's on the brink of a downturn, one that Brown couldn't blame on the Conservatives in the slightest. In fact, given that he's been Chancellor for the last 10 years, it'd mainly be his fault (or at least portrayed that way).

I probably wanked a bit too much over the potential for mucking up the Tory conference - but there is a bona fide question about whether or not to go to the polls now. Labour are haunted by the ghost of James Callaghan, who chose not to go to the polls in 1978, suffered the Winter of Discontent and lost to Thatcher the next year. Brown doesn't want to suffer that fate - but then again, he doesn't want to risk losing this election either. If you ask me, Brown's got a better chance of winning an election now (while the Tories are in disarray) than in six months time or eighteen months time (i.e. May 2008 or 2009).

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

As for Tory policy, while it's possible that they are holding in reserve some genius ideas which will capture the imagination of Britain....well, I remain to be convinced shall we say?

I doubt any modern politician will demonstrate that ability, but I'm certainly willing to wait and see.

(I probably should make clear here that I'm an independent - socially liberal and economically confused - just in case anyone wants to start calling me a Tory, which I'm not)

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

My objection is to political actors who occassionally admit that climate change (again, for example) poses a real threat to our continued affluence (if not our civilisation in it's current form) and then propose more of the same and very little else.

It's infuriating. However, both parties are guilty of it. The problem, in a way, is that without the full co-operation of the USA and some vague actions by China and India, the world is pretty ****ed anyway. Many people don't want to lose the things that they currently take for granted without being certain that they'll get something back in return (such as the world not going to shit).

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

To take a more mundane example. At the CIH housing conference the Tory housing spokesperson apparently said there was a "housing crisis" in Britain. OK, he was in front of a bunch of housing types, but we're all familiar with the history of the word 'crisis' and that it should be used to describe a vaguely serious problem. Fair enough. I happen to agree up to a point. So what are the Tories solutions to the problem?

Without wanting to bang the same drum repeatedly, the Tory Conference should provide answers to the policy questions.

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

Even if you're not a crazed bolshevik leftist it'd be hard to distinguish the above from the recent Green Paper on Housing which promised...more help to people looking to buy....a commitment to decent homes for all....more local authority involvement in strategic planning process....big push towards environmental sustainability in new build standards and a commitment to the green belt. Deja vu anyone?

I agree entirely. Unfortunately for several years now Labour has repeatedly failed to tackle these problems and the solutions to them are always going to be fairly similar when the two parties share many principles. The differences are always in the execution, not the aims

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

I'm not suggesting Tory policy simply isn't very good...I'm suggesting that good or bad it's seems to suffer chronically from lack of imagination (or intellectual rigour). I oppose the consequences of the right-to-buy legislation in the 80's but at least it demonstrated some will to change Britain. At least it was a genuine change (in terms of scope) to existing policy.

There really doesn't seem to be much imagination in British politics today - mainly because political principles seem to have fallen by the wayside