Howard has been in charge of tories for a considerable amount of time now. Do you think he has improved the Conservative party in any way?

I like that, 'a considerable amount of time', what is it, 4 months now? I suppose in the life of a tory leader that is a long time.

I don't think he has improved the tory party in any way. On the other hand I do think he has improved the Labour Party, and the Lib Dems. He has reminded people why they voted out the tories in 1997. He is the true face of the tory right and as such will drive people back to the centre/centre left parties.

"He has something of the night about him".
Ann Widdecombe May 1997

And for Anne Widdecombe (Doris Karloff) to have said that about him, he really must be the prince of darkness.

Also, the way he says 'peepul' like humans are some kind of cattle gives me the creeps.

I think he has improved the Tories immensely

I am delighted he is their leader

I hope he gets to stay for a very very long time

I was thrilled when he was chosen

Only Maggie herself could have been a better choice

has who improved the what? :lol:

(just my way of illustrating the tories complete irrelevance at the moment)

When I created this thread I would have preferred some opinions from neutral stand points of people who were unsure who they intended on voting for, but I can't help feeling that there are a few biased views from some hardcore new labour supporters.

By 'considerable' time I mean considerable enough to get his feet under the table and stop the bickering. The tories now have something to rally around. Their manifesto should be interesting, but don't expect it to be released early.

However, They still won't get my vote until they fully commit to us withdrawing from Europe.

I think the June local and European elections are going to be quite interesting.

If Labour do badly will Blair go for a snap General Election in October or risk increasingly more bad publicity and drag it on longer?

By the way Max, Lib Dems? Kennedy? Kennedy to government IMO is as water is to fire.

Originally posted by Lickszz
However, They still won't get my vote until they fully commit to us withdrawing from Europe.

That should prove interesting, are they going to drag us further into the North Atlantic? One day, you'll just have to face up to the fact that we are actually part of Europe.

Plus, it was the tories that took us into the EEC, they're not likely to take us out thereby admitting their mistake.

Plus, Labour are the only party to promise a referendum AND the only one to date who have held a referendum on remaining in Europe.

By the way Max, Lib Dems? Kennedy? Kennedy to government IMO is as water is to fire.

Fair cop, I only included them for balance.:D

Originally posted by max

Plus, Labour are the only party to promise a referendum AND the only one to date who have held a referendum on remaining in Europe.



Are you sure?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/16/neuro16.xml


"While Downing Street insisted the Government's policy remained firmly against a referendum, before or after a general election, No 10 officials softened their language saying it was impossible to say "never"."

Originally posted by Lickszz
Howard has been in charge of tories for a considerable amount of time now. Do you think he has improved the Conservative party in any way?

Who is Michael Howard?

I've not really heard much from the Tories since Howard took over. I voted for the Tories in the last election because my local MP David Tredinnick is IMO good at his job. Who I vote for in the next election depends on the policies which I hear nearer the time (which normally turn out to be a pack of lies). I could never bring myself to vote for New Labour though.

Originally posted by Moon Maiden
Who is Michael Howard?

Some guy who quite easily makes Blair look like the cretinous chancer he is. :nod: :hihi: :P

I never vote, cos IMO all Politicians are a lying cheating bunch of arse jockeys who can go shag a sheep.

I couldn't resist sharing this with someone. It's an extract from a report on Ananova showing the results of a poll in The Times:

Since becoming Conservative Party leader in November, Mr Howard's rating has dropped among every social and age group including Tory supporters, The Times revealed.

Voters prefer Mr Blair over Mr Howard as PM by 47% to 31%, while Mr Brown beats him 49% to 29%.

I know this thread was about the tories' improvement but this seemed the obvious place to post this.

Thank you for your time. :D

Originally posted by Lickszz
Lib Dems? Kennedy? Kennedy to government IMO is as water is to fire.

Just as Howard is to government (not to mention popularity and honesty!) what a stake is to a vampire!

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
Also, the way he says 'peepul' like humans are some kind of cattle gives me the creeps.

Thank god somebody else has noticed. I thought it was just me and me iffy hearing. I think it's his Transylvanian accent coming through. Anyway, whoever you put in charge of the tories, they're never going to look out for ordinary people (or peepul). They look after themselves.

Originally posted by Rich
I never vote, cos IMO all Politicians are a lying cheating bunch of arse jockeys who can go shag a sheep.
Such wisdom. Any more bigotry you'd like to share with us?

Chris.

Michael Howard may have improved things for the Tories a bit, but I don't think he's improved them enough to be a major risk of winning the next election and stopping the good things the present government have been doing for the country. :D

They have??? I must have blinked and missed them!

It must have been a long blink lol!

Here are some of the things you have missed...

minimum wage
shorter NHS waiting times
smaller school class sizes
easier access to university for poorer students
reduction in number of people unemployed
cheaper road tax for smaller-engined cars

These things still need a lot of improvements, but just remember what they were like under the tories!

I'm still waiting for them to be brave enough to ban bloodsports though... but then again, there's more hope of labour doing that than the tories doing!

The current government are already on to doing that. Controversial legislation to ban hunting with dogs is to be brought in by Government in the last week before the summer recess.

biting my tongue to avoid some of patchys claims for nu-labour....

tho i'm hardlyy unbiased, howard does do that essential thing for a tory leader, look right. hague and ids were pathetic characters, weak committee men, a tory leader needs to be a 'strong' ideolog or bloody lucky (major, 92). the tories still have to develop a coherent ideology again, but howard is believable as someone who can do that.

it's still blairs to lose tho, rather then the tories to win

Originally posted by Patchy
easier access to university for poorer students
[/B]

WHAT??? How, pray tell, has the introduction of fees and student loans made it easier for poorer people to go to university??????????

Originally posted by evildrneil
WHAT??? How, pray tell, has the introduction of fees and student loans made it easier for poorer people to go to university??????????

It wasn't the present government who replaced the grant system with the loan system. The present government is bringing back grants for poorer students, and the fees don't have to be paid by poorer students until they are earning enough.

Originally posted by Lickszz
The current government are already on to doing that. Controversial legislation to ban hunting with dogs is to be brought in by Government in the last week before the summer recess.

Hmmm.... I will believe that when it happens, they've certainly taken their time!

in my view they picked the wrong bloke for the job, he has about as much charisma as cherie blair - god forbid