Vacuous Manifestos

A report of a statement by David Cameron highlights exactly what is wrong with political party statements, whether in government or opposition.

Lets get down to specifics:

"Big projects such as ID cards and the ContactPoint child database among the first things to be scrapped..."

If we are to scrap useless, financially costly, 'big projects' - how about we scrap the biggest of them all, the 'excrement hole' that is the European Union?

He said he could also promise that the "vast growth of the quangocracy" would be cut back

So how about Regional Government and Regional Development Agencies? How about Blears' Multi Area Agreements, all of which actually take local democracy even further away from the voter? More importantly - and this is specifically for the benefit of Dick Puddlecote - how about the dissolution of ASH, because our Dick most definitely does not like them!

"There is going to have to be a massive culture change in Britain and it needs a new bunch of politicians to come in and actually deliver it."

What is this 'massive culture change' and how is it to be implemented?

When heading this post 'Vacuous Manifestos', this was not a criticism of David Cameron or the Conservatives, but political parties in general. For too long we have had 'bland' manifestos from all political parties, encompassing 'general' statements of intent in regard to policy and only later do we actually find out what these 'bland' statements of intent mean. Even when categorical promises are given in manifestos, too often they are broken - witness the smoking promise in this government's last manifesto that publicans would be able to decide for themselves whether to have their establishments 'smoking' or 'non-smoking'; witness the promise not to raise income tax.

Can we please have a 'little meat on the bones' chaps? Either that, or anytime you want to 'do something' you come back to us, your paymasters, and ask us in a referendum! Now that would be democracy!