The Big Issue(s)

Fraser Nelson, writing in the News of the World, identifies what he calls the five big issues of this election, which he says are: Immigration, Education, Defence, Crime and Jobs & Debt.

The Sunday Telegraph's editorial headlines with "The voters want the truth, especially on the economy".

To deal with both pieces first, as as been blogged previously before, immigration is a topic that none of the Lib/Lab/Con can do much about, except for migration outside the EU. Whilst they have all spoken about points systems and immigration from outside the EU, not one of them has publicly admitted they cannot do a bloody thing about EU immigration.

It is also worth noting that education and defence are also 'shrinking' areas in UK control, bearing in mind statements from EU officials. 

In respect of education one is reminded that "According to the Treaties of the EU, the EU shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and supplementing their actions." (And we all know what those words, 'supporting and supplementing' mean!)

Digressing slightly, it should also be asked if Cameron's 'neighbourhood volunteer' scheme is but pre-empting a future directive of which he is aware and we aren't? Witness, from the preceding link: "The Youth in Action programme promotes active involvement in the community and supports projects giving young people a greater sense of EU citizenship."

When considering the question of defence there is talk of a 'European Army', which some hotly deny, although if the Lisbon Treaty does provide, which it does, for an EU military command, EU military operations and EU military procurement, one has to ask why if there is not to be an EU Army, Air Force and Navy?

On the subject of Debt, the Lib/Lab/Con all state that debt must be reduced, all accept that 'cuts' will need to be made, yet not one of them will actually specify where those 'cuts' will be made. Should not politicians tell the electorate before voting day? The debt is after all something that the electorate have individually been saddled with through the ineptitude of the politicians.

The Telegraph editorial discussing Clegg states:  "Mr Clegg's new-found popularity is not based on his party's policies: the electorate is mostly ignorant of what those are." (my emphasis). The emphasised words are not just applicable to LibDem policies, but to every facet of this election. The Telegraph may want the electorate to have the truth, but it won't happen. Not while the politicians won't be honest with the electorate and not while the MSM do not undertake to expose those aspects of the polcies that the politicians won't discuss through their wish to 'hide' those details from us.