12 days to go - In which we find lies, damned lies and letters from David!

25/04/15

Dear Claire,

Well, we’re only 12 days away from polling day, so I thought it might be appropriate to look at what the Tories promised us before the 2010 election, and compare that with what has been delivered.

This is what was in the document ‘A contract between the Conservative Party and you’, which was conveniently removed from the website quite some time ago. I wonder why? Was it because they thought people might want to remind themselves of what promises were broken?

 

Cameron started this ‘contract’ by saying

“We go into this general election on 6^th May with trust in politics and politicians at an all-time low. And I can understand why: the years of broken promises, the expenses scandal, the feeling that politicians have become too remote from the people – they’ve all taken their toll.

“That’s why I’m writing to you now

“For too long, you’ve been lied to by politicians saying they can sort out all your problems. But it doesn’t work like that. Real change is not just about what the government does. Real change only comes when we understand that we are all in this together; that we all have a responsibility to help make our country better. That’s why I’m sending you this document. It sets out my side of the bargain: the things I want to do to change Britain.

“But it also makes clear that I cannot do it on my own. We will only get our economy moving, mend our broken society and reform our rotten political system if we all get involved, take responsibility and work together.

“So this is the contract with you. I want you to read it and – if we win the election – use it to hold us to account. If we don’t deliver our side of the bargain, vote us out in five years’ time.”

HA! Well, I’m with you on that last sentence: your party hasn’t delivered, and I will not be voting Tory, and I sincerely hope you’re voted out of government. Mind you, I haven’t voted Tory for 33 years.

Anyway, Cameron’s ‘promises’ continue as follows, under three separate headings. We’ll look at the first one tomorrow, the other two in the days after that, and then maybe we’ll sum up nearer May 7^th.

“We will change Politics

“Our political system needs to change. Politicians must be made more accountable, and we must take power away from Westminster and put it in the hands of the people – individuals, families and neighbourhoods

“We will change the economy

“Gordon Brown’s economic incompetence has doubled the national debt, given us record youth unemployment and widened the gap between rich and poor. Unemployment is still rising and this year we will spend more on debt interest than on schools. We need to get our economy moving

“We will change society

“We face big social problems in this country: family breakdown, educational failure, crime and deep poverty. Labour’s big government has failed; we will help build a Big Society where everyone plays their part in mending our broken society”

Oh Claire, it gives me no pleasure at all to see how badly your party have reneged on their promises.  It has resulted in so much social hardship and deprivation. We’ll get into the details tomorrow, but this sets the scene. It is a pack of lies from start to finish, and contradicts virtually everything you wrote in your letter to me in June/July 2014.

The last five years have been a complete and utter disappointment from start to finish.

Best wishes

Polly