5 Oct 2008

Vote Conservative!

Everyone likes to moan about politcians, but not many people have the resolve to do much about it or translate it into something positive.
For the first time in my life I went to a political conference. Almost everyone I met and everything I heard confirmed to me one thing - this country cannot have a change of government soon enough. David Cameron gave a very thoughtful, considered speech - listen to it for yourself in its entirety (with an open mind if need be) and it makes an enormous amount of good sense.
As anyone and everyone on the left seems obsessed by, yes indeed he did go to Eton. But frankly, so what? Apart from a few bitter, immature, outdated politics-of-envy class warriors, who honestly cares? How long will it take before these people get over their complex about the hard reality of some people having more money than others. Labour is afterall the party which has embraced obscenely wealthy people like no other and prostituted our honours system to them.
And if all these people think that Britain today is such a divided and unequal country, where only rich and privileged people can progress and prosper, well, if so, isnt that a pretty damning inditement of three Labour governments? They have nothing positive whatsoever to say about anything Labour has done, so they resort to cheap, nasty smears.
Just because I am in favour of a Conservative government does not necessarily mean I wholeheartedly agree with or embrace all of what they say or do. Some of the remnants on the fringes cling to some strangely outdated opinions. Yet, by and large, the people in the key positions of power are becoming better informed and smarter about the wider world.
With my particular emphasis on foreign affairs and international development, I was pleasantly encouraged by the sensible and well-thought out policies being developed. William Hague in particular will make an excellent foreign secretary. What a pity we will have to wait another two years.
What impressed me most, amongst everyone I spoke to, was the willingness to listen and be open-minded about parts of the world that no one truly or comprehensively understands.
If you care about Britain having an effective, well informed and sensible foreign policy, then you have to vote Conservative. The Conservatives may not have a flawless track record, but by and large they are the natural party of international affairs.
Britains interest's, and the world's interests, are best served with them in power.

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