Monday, June 15, 2009
Harman Letters Equates Tories to the BNP
Iain Dale 8:18 PM
I am a Conservative Party member who reads your blog several times per day, but I was briefly a member of the Labour Party. I have just received this email from Labour trying to entice me back in. Aside from showing how desperate they are that they keep bombarding me with letters, emails etc. asking me to rejoin because I don't want the nasty old Tories to get back in power, they have now reached a new low with the sentence "You can't ride the fence when the Tories and BNP are gaining power". You may have seen it already, but I thought it was such a sick statement that I felt I had to draw your attention to it.
Kind regardsHJ
And here's the email from Harriet Harman
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:40:53 +0100
To: @hotmail.co.uk
From: info@email-new.labour.org.uk
Subject: Something special is starting to happenDear Mr XXXXX,
We were all dismayed by the recent election results but because of the dismal backdrop something special is starting to happen. Since the election results came out, there has been an exceptional increase in the number of people joining the party. Hundreds are joining for the first time but many are, like you, former members. I wanted to share with you their reasons – and ask you to rejoin today.
Brendan from Durham said he joined because:
“You can’t ride the fence when the Tories and BNP are gaining power.”
Please rejoin us in this fight - https://secure2.labour.org.uk/join/join/xxxx
Silke from Guildford said:
“I have re-joined because the Tories will ruin this country.”
Please rejoin us in this fight - https://secure2.labour.org.uk/join/xxx
Kevin from London said:
“As a former member about a decade ago I wish to rejoin to help fight the next General Election and beyond.”
We have now seen how the Tories plan to cut our public services. David Cameron’s health spokesman Andrew Lansley stated that the Tories would make 10 per cent spending cuts in the vast majority of government departments.
Gordon Brown has said:
"We have a proud record of targeted investment and prioritising the interests of hard working families across the country. And while our party will stand by people through this downturn, David Cameron's Conservatives would walk on by. And in contrast to our strong record of investment in public services, David Cameron is committed to cuts of 10 per cent."
Please rejoin us in this fight - https://secure2.labour.org.uk/xxx
Best wishes,
Harriet
Note that people are being asked to rejoin three times. If the BNP line doesn't get them, then maybe the threat of cuts will. And note that there's not a single positive reason to rejoin - it's all attacking the Tories.But it's the BNP line that will enrage right minded people.
And if, after reading this, you are so angry that you'd like to put your money where your vote is and join the Conservatives, click HERE.People Don't Trust Labour on the Economy
Iain Dale 8:13 PM
Even Labour's once impregnable lead as the party most likely to protect public services is now narrow. While 48% of voters think Labour will protect services, 46% also think the Tories will do the same.
Labour still has a positive score on the issue of 1 point, meaning slightly more people think the party will protect services than harm them. But the Tory deficit is only 3 points, suggesting Labour warnings about the impact of Tory rule are no longer hitting home.
That is also the only issue where Labour still has the edge. On the battleground issue of controlling public debt, the Conservatives lead strongly. Only 23% think Labour is likely to cut borrowing, and 72% think it will not – a negative score of -49 points. For the Tories, 51% think the party will cut borrowing and only 43% think it will not – a positive lead of 8 points.
Other findings suggest public confidence in Labour has collapsed since similar questions were asked in October 2002. Asked whether they think the Conservatives will take the right decisions in government, 48% think they will and 45% say not – a net positive score of 3 points. For Labour, 33% think it will take the right decisions, and 62% say not – a net deficit of -29 points. The political picture has reversed since 2002, when the Tory deficit on this measure was -25 and Labour's was only -1.
The failed cabinet rebellion against Brown has hit perceptions of party unity hard. While more people think the Tories are united than think they are not – a net positive score of 21 points – Labour's negative score is a huge -61. That means only 18% of all voters think Labour is united, against 79% who say it is not. In 2002, people were far more likely to see the Tories than Labour as a split party.
Asked whether they think the three main parties are likely to clean up the political system, 46% think the Conservatives will, 47% think the Liberal Democrats will, but only 31% say this of Labour.
The prime minister's recent announcement of constitutional reform plans has not won public backing. Labour's deficit on the issue is -33, against just -3 for the Tories.
Asked whether they think the Conservatives are in tune with ordinary voters, 46% say yes. Only 32% say the same thing about Labour.
The headline figures are better for Labour though. Labour 28% (+6), Cons 39% (-1) and LibDems 18% (-7).Brown: Can't Change, Won't Change
Iain Dale 4:42 PM
Further proof, if it were needed, that we have a Prime Minister who "Can't Change, Won't Change".Iraq Inquiry: That's the Way (Not) To Do It
Iain Dale 3:41 PM
I am also slightly mystified as to why its remit is only to cover events from July 2001. Surely events prior to that are relevant too?
Monday, 15 June 2009
I just got this email from a blog reader...
The Guardian has a new ICM poll out tonight showing some positive signs for the Conservatives on public attitudes to their economic policy, especially public spending.
When Gordon Brown announced at the PLP meeting last week that he would change his ways, I emitted a hollow laugh. Like most Labour MPs I don't believe the man is capable of changing the habits of a lifetime. And so it has proved over the last seven days. We had the announcement on electoral reform and the House of Lords - a short termist announcement with little forethought which was designed to put create problems for the Tories. No change there then. We then had all the rubbish over the weekend about spending cuts. No change there then, although it is good to see elements of the media seeing through this. And today we had the Prime Minister announcing the Iraq Inqury, which will sit in private, not report until after the election and looks like a complete establishment stitch up. No change there then.
So the Iraq inquiry will be held in private and not report until after the next general election. Way to go, Prime Minister! Just what the country was demanding. Not.
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