Thursday 7 October 2010

Are The Coalition Eclipsing Even Labour's Electoral Deceit?

Cast your mind back to that May press conference in the garden of number 10. Cameron and Clegg, the shiny new boys offering us a 'new politics', spoke of how their respective election promises shouldn't be taken too literally since they were now expected to work together.

Cameron, particularly, was clear about that.

"If it means swallowing some humble pie, and it means eating some of your words, I can't think of a more excellent diet."
Since then, we've had Lib Dems pretty pissed off with coalition policies and berating their party in Liverpool as a result. Likewise, Tory rank and file have been frustrated at Lib Dem ideology bleeding into what they see as a predominantly Tory government.

To be expected, really. Some pre-election promises are always going to fall by the wayside when faced with working in coalition. But surely it should be different if both parties were advancing exactly the same reservations before May 6th?

Perhaps not, despite the wise words in opposition.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said [the tobacco display ban] was "the nanny state going too far."
One presumes he was briefed by his party before saying that.

Fortunately, their coalition partners agreed.

Mike Penning, the shadow health minister, told the National Federation of Retail Newsagents: "I am not a lawyer but I have always been concerned whether the Government's legislation on this is legal. Therefore a challenge by way of a Judicial Review seems a sensible thing to do."

Mr Pelling said the Conservatives, if elected, would bring the matter back before Parliament.
Well, that's the end of that nonsense, then. Lumpen-headed, evidence-free, fake charity-led, dictatorial insult to personal responsibility and freedom that it was.

But hold on, what's this?

The government is planning to reverse its decision to ditch a ban on the display of tobacco in shops, the Mail understands.

The previous Labour government passed legislation in 2009 to ban retailers from having cigarettes on display from 2011, with the Coalition parties voting overwhelmingly against the proposals.

A Department of health spokesman said the government was considering all options.
Err, what is there to consider?

Both parties now in government were united in condemnation a few short months ago, and quite rightly, too. It's a no-brainer, isn't it?

Especially since there was no call for the measure by voters, it wasn't in any party's manifesto, the 'public' consultation was rigged, one of the most prominent Scottish pro-ban advocates has admitted there isn't any concrete evidence, research shows its effect to be possibly ruinous to corner shops, and the act was only passed in the first place after a clever misleading of parliament by a coalition of fake charities, civil servants and quangocrats.

Add into the mix that we're supposed to be in an age of austerity, with unnecessary expenditure being cut (it's incontrovertible that this law will cost the country in both private profits and public sector enforcement) and the notion becomes quite inconceivable.

As I mentioned last month, though, this administration are giving off signals that they are actually considering letting this crap through.

Funny that. I didn't think for a minute that when they talked of the 'new politics' that it involved raising the bar on deceit.

Watch this space, 'cos if this isn't scrapped there are some serious questions which require answering (and a stubborn Lib Dem Minister who deserves a public spanking).

H/T The excellent Belinda at F2C Scotland


15 comments:

John Demetriou said...

Good stuff
We need more of this sort of thing.

Half of the libertarian blogosphere has given up and old Holborn has become a wet tory fart.

Keep going.

Pat Nurse MA said...

Yes. Too many good bloggers are not angry anymore or just sick of shouting and their voices are sore. I hope you don't get that way Dick.

This is what I expected from the Tories. I expected much less from the ilLiberal Demotwats.

I hope free thinkers and libertarians, smokers, fatties, drinkers, and goths say fuck to all of them at the next election.

They can only keep doing this to us if we let them. ASH is now moving onto the next phase which is to restrict the sale of tobacco. These political fart sniffers won't stop them.

The next move after that will be criminalisation of smokers which will be a lovely treasury earner in fines -much more than they get from us for one pack of fags of baccy.

This battle has never been so important. We are an inch away from losing our right to live without fear and prejudice and in peace.

This bunch of weirdos have either been scared off or bought off.

Anonymous said...

Is anyone really bothered about a display ban ?

Yes, jobs will be lost and businesses will go broke, but that happened with the smoking ban and the Government aren't concerned.

Smokers are not concerned as they know what they want to buy without having to see it.

White van man always has a good selection and the EU countries have decent displays.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Pat: Nice one. But goths? Aren't they a bit nihilistic? From what I've seen, they're more into big shoes than politics.

I'm happy to be proven wrong, of course. :)

Woodsy42 said...

This is the coalition that failed to undo Labour's internet surveilance/copyright bill so now we have law firms using rogue clamper extortion tactics against internet users.
This same bunch of wan*ers have also just let Labour's idiotic discrimination legislation through.
What on earth makes you think they give a damn about smokers' rights or small shopkeepers liquidity, or have any intention of undoing that process?

Dick Puddlecote said...

Anon: You're talking to someone who hasn't been remotely inconvenienced by the smoking ban, either. It's still wrong, though.

Woodsy: I don't. The Equality Bill (especially) being allowed through is a quite stunning signal of how cunty these people are prepared to be.

I write on subjects of which I have comprehensive knowledge. The display ban is one of those.

That's not to say that I haven't noticed that other legislation also hasn't been brought back to parliament - it's just that other bloggers will do that better.

Pat Nurse MA said...

Goths - coz each to his her own. I'll defend 'em all. The battle is between those who want to tell us what to do and those who want to be left alone.

The display ban is an inconvenience to some. There are baccy men but they aren't always around. I'd rather fight for lower tax. The baccy man, great as he is, hands the ammo to ASH for the criminalisation of the product and the users.

We have few friends and those that love us do so because we pay so much tax. Once they see that tax go to the baccy man and less to the Treasury, the state will start prosecuting us and it will ultimately get more.

I'm all for buying abroad or the baccy man and not paying for more of my own persecution but frankly, in this current climate, I fear it will do us more harm than good.

That said, I do support it as the only way to say Fuck 'EM!

Mark Wadsworth said...

And you are surprised because..?

Trooper Thompson said...

CONTINUITY OF AGENDA

That's what this post illustrates.

Bill said...

Dick LibLabConBNPUKIPSNPPLAID and the oirish are all cut from exactly the same cloth.

The political CLASS is the problem not what colour is in power and lying through their teeth to people who are told 'your vote count'.

Sadly it counts for sweet FA.
Until there is a 'none of the above' box on a voting form the political class will continue to turn this country into EU region number 5 RIGHT in front of everybody.

Anonymous said...

All this shite is coming from the UN traight down the pipe to the EU then being rubber stamped by the traitors in parliament .
It's a global cabal of limited size dictating to the whole world.
That's why even the third world are taking on these lies.
UN EU Parliament when it comes to policy ,not a fag paper between them.

Michael Fowke said...

Give them time. This new lot will turn out to be just as disgusting and useless as the last Labour government.

Can't understand why Libertarian bloggers have given up, like John Demetriou said. I suppose they were all closet Tories.

BTS said...

If it helps any, I think I might have an old Sisters of Mercy t-shirt somewhere..?

Anonymous said...

Mentioning GOTHS, this old buzzard
was out in the hell holes of East Manchester last night with a fist full of anti ban propoganda,
converting slowly but surely the
angry shivering misfits .
Into the mits of the web profane
info on who to shake and who to give grief to.Letting the other 95%
know that someone somewhere is
trying to get things back to normal.
Unfortunately most campaigns for
freedom are mere digital ghosts
unseen and unknown to so many.
As for the so called "libertarian"
and "right of centre" blogging
supremos,in comes a sky blue and
pink coalition and the cry for
liberty becomes a whimper.

Oh,Mr Demetriou
Old Holborn "wet tory fart"
If you really want a Ritz class wet fart try Mrs Dale's mutterings.


Varangian(Ret)

Angry Exile said...

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss? Meet the new boss, still being run round in circles by the same Civil Service as the old boss? A bit of both? Whatever it is they won't be satisfied until a majority of tobacco sales are black market. Fucking idiots.