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Tories sign up Geldof
Herald Sun ^
| 28 December 2005
Posted on 12/27/2005 7:43:10 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
BOB Geldof, the rock singer behind the Make Poverty History campaign and Live8 concerts, is to act as a consultant to Britain's main opposition Conservatives, the party announced today.
Geldof, who led calls for the Group of Eight richest nations to act on debt, trade and poverty during July's Gleneagles summit, will work as an adviser to Tory leader David Cameron's new Globalisation and Global Poverty policy group.
The move is likely to be seen as a coup for Mr Cameron, who was elected to the post earlier this month, and signals a move by Tories onto ground championed by Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Finance Minister Gordon Brown.
Announcing the new body, Mr Cameron said he was delighted Geldof was on board and stressed the often outspoken activist would remain "entirely non-partisan".
"He will bring his influence to bear, in order to help us to go in the direction that he and we both want to go," Mr Cameron said.
Conservative home affairs spokesman David Davis spoke of reaching out to the "wrist band generation" during hustings for the leadership.
The reference was not only to the millions who bought white plastic bracelets to support Make Poverty History but also for the need for the Conservative Party to adapt to prevent a fourth straight defeat at the polls.
Mr Cameron - a youthful, telegenic moderniser who is looking to revamp his party's traditional image and increase the number of women and ethnic minority Members of Parliament - pledged to make his one-time rival's remarks reality.
"A new generation of concerned citizens want prosperity for themselves and progress for the poor - whether living on the other side of the street or the other side of the world," he said.
"Modern, compassionate Conservatism means responding to their demands.
"Our policy group will develop ideas to enable the economic empowerment of the poorest people on our planet, for example through property rights and other institutions to promote economic development and wealth creation."
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: bobgeldof; britain; conservatives; davidcameron; pommies; poms; tino; tories; uk
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To: W Tannenbaum
But I am not disagreeing with your statement that we are in a mess and Labour show totalitarian traits. We are not against each other there...
I am saying that the BNP is not an answer. Fascism is not an option. It is out of the frying pan into the fire.
The right must think afresh - maybe this impasse will bring new ideas to the fore - I pray it will. Warm regards, as ever...
21
posted on
12/28/2005 4:28:58 AM PST
by
vimto
(Life isn't a dry run)
Comment #22 Removed by Moderator
To: Aussie Dasher
|
|
Mr. Geldof will undergo extensive delousing before entering the House of Commons... |
23
posted on
12/28/2005 4:42:22 AM PST
by
Fintan
(See??? Sometimes I do read the articles.)
To: vimto
"All this consensus, fuzzy, politics is a sham and antidemocratic."
Mark Steyn was making that exact point in a speech to the Claremont Institute that I watched on CSPAN last night. He said that the consensus politics of Europe are much less democratic than American politics, since the voter really has no say. He gave as an example Austria, where he said for over forty years the voter had a choice between voting for a very slightly right of left center party or a very slightly left of left center party, which inevitably led to a coalition government consisting of both the slightly right of left center party and the slightly left of left center party. I guess the mess in Germany is a current example. Steyn made the point very well that Europe is doomed by demographics to become something very different than it has been for hundreds of years.
Keep your eye out for a repeat of his speech on CSPAN. Steyn is excellent, as usual.
24
posted on
12/28/2005 7:05:07 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: kevinjdeanna
"The Conservatives in Britain are morons"
Yes, they seem to be among the biggest critics of President Bush and the GOP. Screw 'em.
25
posted on
12/28/2005 7:06:38 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: W Tannenbaum
Go BNP! I wish we had a similar option here.I don't like the sound of 'ese 'ere 'Boncentration Bamps.'
26
posted on
12/28/2005 7:08:05 AM PST
by
dfwgator
To: Aussie Dasher
"Was it Ruth Carney?"
Goldie Hawn.
27
posted on
12/28/2005 7:08:13 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: vimto
"Fascism is not an option."
I have just had a look at BNP website and in particular the WHAT WE STAND FOR page,
http://www.bnp.org.uk/policies/policies.htm#immigration
which lays out their policies. I fail to see anything fascist in their program, I pretty much agree with all of it, except for the HEALTH and TRANSPORT sections which are too socialist for my taste.
28
posted on
12/28/2005 7:22:38 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: W Tannenbaum
29
posted on
12/28/2005 7:24:31 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: Prodigal Son
"A lady I fancy is a dark skinned Muslim woman."
There are lots of dark skinned Muslim woman in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, perhaps you should move there.
30
posted on
12/28/2005 7:28:50 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: Ninian Dryhope
" I have just had a look at BNP website and in particular the WHAT WE STAND FOR page"
Hmm, because a political party would never misrepresent their true policies? The BNP's leadership attempt to present a 'reasonable' face to the electorate, and Nick Griffin has been partially succesful in achieving this, the grass roots is pretty much unreconstructed National Front, however. Aside from the fact that even the stated policies of the BNP, if implemented, would totally bankrupt the country.
31
posted on
12/28/2005 9:02:01 AM PST
by
Canard
To: Aussie Dasher
The Tories of the UK 2005 are the Whigs of the US circa 1850...
32
posted on
12/28/2005 9:03:28 AM PST
by
Antoninus
(Hillary smiles every time a Freeper trashes Santorum.)
To: W Tannenbaum
"As opposed to the other 3 parties who are all for unlimited third world immigration?"
Pretty much wrong on all three really. Though I wouldn't want to vouch 100% for the Lib Dems, but the Conservatives don't advocate this, and Labour are in power now and we don't have unlimited third world immigration, so they can't be.
"One cannot even criticize Muslims or homosexual behavior in the UK without facing prison."
You want to cite the law that you're referring to? Or give an example of someone who is in prison for this?
33
posted on
12/28/2005 9:05:03 AM PST
by
Canard
To: Ninian Dryhope
Steyn made the point very well that Europe is doomed by demographics to become something very different than it has been for hundreds of years.
That's exactly it. When 50%+ of the under-15 population in the major cities in your country is non-native and/or Muslim, you've got a major cultural shift that's going to happen whether you want it to or not.
Most Europeans can not come to terms with this notion on even the most basic intellectual levels.
34
posted on
12/28/2005 9:08:21 AM PST
by
Antoninus
(Hillary smiles every time a Freeper trashes Santorum.)
Comment #35 Removed by Moderator
To: Ninian Dryhope; vimto; W Tannenbaum; Prodigal Son
If'n ya reads the pledges and goals of the KKK, they seem like a pretty solid bunch, too. Very few groups are going put "Expel or kill all the n*gg*rs, joooos, and ragheads" on their party policy statements, oath of allegiance, etc.
The UK may in fact need the BNP to save it, but this would be a VERY sad state of affairs.
36
posted on
12/28/2005 9:17:11 AM PST
by
Little Ray
(I'm a reactionary, hirsute, gun-owning, knuckle dragging, Christian Neanderthal and proud of it!)
Comment #37 Removed by Moderator
To: W Tannenbaum
"I read articles all the time about people in the UK being harassed/arrested by police for speaking certain truths. "
Feel free to share.
"Just a couple of days ago I read about the elderly couple being interrogated and intimidated by the police for asking if they could post Christian literature next to a stand full of homosexual literature."
Doesn't ring any bells but, again, you're welcome to give actual documented examples.
38
posted on
12/28/2005 9:27:52 AM PST
by
Canard
Comment #39 Removed by Moderator
To: W Tannenbaum
"Here is a link to that particular story: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1546501/posts"
Ah I see. Well Wyre Borough Council were clearlt over the top with their need to report a letter to the police. The police received a complaint, investigated and decided that no further action was required. Doesn't really support your assertion that "One cannot even criticize Muslims or homosexual behavior in the UK without facing prison" but still.
"And, if I have to educate you on how insanely PC the UK has become in recent years, then you're virtually beyond hope."
Generally we seem less afflicted by this than the US (no-one over here felt the need to wish me 'Happy Holidays' at any rate), of course it can be a problem at times though.
40
posted on
12/28/2005 9:46:49 AM PST
by
Canard
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