Lord Flight a former Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, who is now chairman of Flight & Partners Recovery Fund. He took his seat in January 2011.
The “death throes” of the Euro and the outrageous rioting and looting in London do not have common causes, but both are symptomatic of mistaken and irresponsible political leadership over the past decade. The response of our Government to these issues will determine both their future political fortunes and the success or otherwise of our country for many years to come.
Put in simplistic terms, there has remained a “silent majority” of sensible British citizens who have known all along that the Euro project was a politically motivated economic nonsense, likely to end in the sort of disaster we are now facing. Equally there has been a majority who are robust on “Law and Order” – and supportive of the basic principle that adequate defence of the Realm should have the first call on taxation. The same silent majority has also been sceptical of excess public spending, an economy based on excessive borrowing and of unaffordable welfare spending, well beyond the provision of a “safety net” to look after people when they fall on hard times. The same silent majority is also deeply sceptical of the “global warming agenda” involving massive increases in electricity costs likely to put much of our remaining manufacturing base out of business. We also now see the impact of “the blame culture” which has paralysed on the spot, proactive measures by the Police, waiting for specific orders from their superiors, to ensure their responsibility.
It is not an easy time to be in government. What is required is a “bonfire of the vanities” of the last decade and a reversion to common sense government, targeted both to achieve national prosperity and sensible social order.
This will need the sort of political courage not seen for a long time. Manifestly, we must renegotiate our arrangements with the EU, to be rid of the crackpot regulations, human rights’ law and anti-growth policies, so damaging to our economy. We need adequate defence suspending and provision to protect our interests about the world; effective policing to uphold the law, particularly where this really matters, and the legal framework to support this. Public spending needs to be brought down to a proportion of national income which will free up the productive, private sector to expand and grow; and individuals need both the “carrot,” incentives to work hard and do the best for their children, but also the “stick” deterrents, if they do not do so.
In short much of the ill-conceived, “politically correct”, Westminster agenda of the last decade needs jettisoning. As several important polls have confirmed recently, the majority of the Electorate is solidly behind a Government which has the courage to do both what needs to be done to get this country back on its feet and to restore social discipline As recent events have so clearly shown, “the writing is on the wall”.
Lord Flight a former Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, who is now chairman of Flight & Partners Recovery Fund. He took his seat in January 2011.
The “death throes” of the Euro and the outrageous rioting and looting in London do not have common causes, but both are symptomatic of mistaken and irresponsible political leadership over the past decade. The response of our Government to these issues will determine both their future political fortunes and the success or otherwise of our country for many years to come.
Put in simplistic terms, there has remained a “silent majority” of sensible British citizens who have known all along that the Euro project was a politically motivated economic nonsense, likely to end in the sort of disaster we are now facing. Equally there has been a majority who are robust on “Law and Order” – and supportive of the basic principle that adequate defence of the Realm should have the first call on taxation. The same silent majority has also been sceptical of excess public spending, an economy based on excessive borrowing and of unaffordable welfare spending, well beyond the provision of a “safety net” to look after people when they fall on hard times. The same silent majority is also deeply sceptical of the “global warming agenda” involving massive increases in electricity costs likely to put much of our remaining manufacturing base out of business. We also now see the impact of “the blame culture” which has paralysed on the spot, proactive measures by the Police, waiting for specific orders from their superiors, to ensure their responsibility.
It is not an easy time to be in government. What is required is a “bonfire of the vanities” of the last decade and a reversion to common sense government, targeted both to achieve national prosperity and sensible social order.
This will need the sort of political courage not seen for a long time. Manifestly, we must renegotiate our arrangements with the EU, to be rid of the crackpot regulations, human rights’ law and anti-growth policies, so damaging to our economy. We need adequate defence suspending and provision to protect our interests about the world; effective policing to uphold the law, particularly where this really matters, and the legal framework to support this. Public spending needs to be brought down to a proportion of national income which will free up the productive, private sector to expand and grow; and individuals need both the “carrot,” incentives to work hard and do the best for their children, but also the “stick” deterrents, if they do not do so.
In short much of the ill-conceived, “politically correct”, Westminster agenda of the last decade needs jettisoning. As several important polls have confirmed recently, the majority of the Electorate is solidly behind a Government which has the courage to do both what needs to be done to get this country back on its feet and to restore social discipline As recent events have so clearly shown, “the writing is on the wall”.