en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/629773 Comments by kevinjdavis http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2017/05/alex-morton-thatcher-had-her-people-may-needs-her-own-too-she-must-pitch-away-from-liberal-democrat-voters-and-towards-labour-ones.html#IDComment1043052767 I do not see why appealing to the segment you discuss means you must pitch away from Lib Dem voters. Firstly, you fundamentally misunderstand the Lib Dem vote as quite a lot of it are traditional left-leaning Tory voters. Secondly, as someone in a Lib Dem area, the very fact you have a manifesto that makes those sorts of overtures would appeal to Lib Dem voters. The Lib Dems are neither Liberal nor Democrats and they favour a more illiberal, interventionist approach which is what you appear to be advocating - and is what we appear to have seen so far from the PM. What the PM must beware of is some kind of Trumpian form of interventionism which whilst populist in the US might lead to different results in the UK. Wed, 3 May 2017 14:51:16 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2017/05/alex-morton-thatcher-had-her-people-may-needs-her-own-too-she-must-pitch-away-from-liberal-democrat-voters-and-towards-labour-ones.html#IDComment1043052767 http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2015/08/dr-andrew-murrison-mp-corbyn-might-just-be-the-lifeline-the-lib-dems-are-grasping-for.html#IDComment989977120 Actually, some of the Lib Dems I know say that if Corbyn wins they would probably vote for him and it could mean the Lib Dems take longer to revive. Wed, 12 Aug 2015 07:50:23 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2015/08/dr-andrew-murrison-mp-corbyn-might-just-be-the-lifeline-the-lib-dems-are-grasping-for.html#IDComment989977120 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2013/12/mps-should-be-paid-26000-a-year.html#IDComment764303646 Pay them by the size of their majorities. Those in safe seats could then have two jobs if they wish and those in marginals would have to work damn hard to stay where they are. Sun, 8 Dec 2013 17:03:20 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2013/12/mps-should-be-paid-26000-a-year.html#IDComment764303646 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2013/11/a-quarter-of-the-tories-new-women-mps-could-stand-down-in-2015.html#IDComment758885790 The trouble with this article is that it ignores that this is probably an issue for male MPs too but also indicative of a wider work issue across society. Switching off when you get home has become much more difficult because of the technology merger between your work space and your home space. Your phone is used for both, your laptop is used for both and switching them off is very difficult. Part of a wider debate I am sure. Fri, 29 Nov 2013 10:38:06 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2013/11/a-quarter-of-the-tories-new-women-mps-could-stand-down-in-2015.html#IDComment758885790 http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2013/11/cllr-ranil-jayawardena-wins-the-north-east-hampshire-open-primary.html#IDComment752116170 Ranil will be excellent. A very good man with bags of energy. Mon, 18 Nov 2013 11:18:13 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2013/11/cllr-ranil-jayawardena-wins-the-north-east-hampshire-open-primary.html#IDComment752116170 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/parliament/2013/09/by-paul-goodmanfollow-paul-on-twitter-todays-conservative-parliamentary-party-awayday-takes-place-at-a-mystery-location-i.html#IDComment722306672 I don't think I understand the 50/40. If, as the article suggests, this is 10 more seats being defended then how is that over reaching itself - seems t me it is more like trying to hold on to more..... Thu, 19 Sep 2013 09:06:47 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/parliament/2013/09/by-paul-goodmanfollow-paul-on-twitter-todays-conservative-parliamentary-party-awayday-takes-place-at-a-mystery-location-i.html#IDComment722306672 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2013/08/why-cant-we-be-told-how-many-members-the-conservative-party-has.html#IDComment693063836 People need a reason to belong to something. Parties need to believe in something to make people want to belong to them. Reality is that politics is no longer about beliefs and until that changes I am not sure there is much point n a review - bit like asking for a Royal Commission just to kick things in to the long grass. The inevitable end to this is probably a major political realignment and fundamental changes to the nature of parties - and this means not just the Conservatives. The Conservatives are dead in Scotland Labour is dead in the South The Lib Dems are dead everywhere The Greens and UKIP will not make a major breakthrough Into this vacuum will either come a new order through electoral reform or maybe the rise of some other political belief system that catches the public imagination. Maybe this goes back to Tim's 'and' theory in a slightly different sense. The welfare state is broken 'and' therefore we need something new for the times we are in. The European Union in broken 'and' Britain needs to forge a new series of relationships in this global economy. Thinking this is about organisational process is not addressing the core problem. Sat, 3 Aug 2013 11:38:08 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2013/08/why-cant-we-be-told-how-many-members-the-conservative-party-has.html#IDComment693063836 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2012/12/nick-clegg-says-conservatives-have-an-irrational-phobia-of-property-taxes.html#IDComment513993973 The Lib Dems are a nasty party and we seem to have ended up I will bed with them. Let's hope we can rid politics of their lies and deception at the next election. Sat, 8 Dec 2012 22:27:27 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2012/12/nick-clegg-says-conservatives-have-an-irrational-phobia-of-property-taxes.html#IDComment513993973 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2012/11/fromangiebraymp-.html#IDComment506444155 Completely agree. It is the Nanny statist at work, something our party should not be doing. We should be sorting the problem drinker out not charging them more for their addiction. Surely a compassionate Conservatism would see this. Sat, 1 Dec 2012 09:22:18 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2012/11/fromangiebraymp-.html#IDComment506444155 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2012/11/does-chrisbryantmp-have-a-point-about-women-bishops-and-the-house-of-lords.html#IDComment497102852 I don't agree with the decision of Synod but perhaps Bryant would also call for no appointments to the Lords at all until the gender mix is fifty fifty. I think he is being silly. I actually for once agree with Sentamu that the principle of women Bishops is not in doubt it is just the gerrymandered legislation they proposed that is objected to. There is a great similarity between this and Clegg's proposals for Lord's reform so I think politician's should be wary of throwing stones etc. Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:35:50 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2012/11/does-chrisbryantmp-have-a-point-about-women-bishops-and-the-house-of-lords.html#IDComment497102852 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/11/the-wrong-right.html#IDComment494399443 If I wrote as well as Tim I would have written the same ten beliefs in our party. I just wish our PM could articulate his beliefs half as well. Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:00:48 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/11/the-wrong-right.html#IDComment494399443 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/majority_conservatism/2012/11/tory-hq-aims-to-lovebomb-twenty-lib-dem-mps-out-of-office.html#IDComment491518081 Surely most of the Lib Dem vote is anti-tory Labour voters lending their vote to Lib Dems to keep us out. Rather than lovebombing should we not be pointing out their failings and deceptions before the last election in order to drive their voters back to Labour? Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:08:25 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/majority_conservatism/2012/11/tory-hq-aims-to-lovebomb-twenty-lib-dem-mps-out-of-office.html#IDComment491518081 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/11/what-do-you-think-of-our-new-font.html#IDComment483377923 Not great I am afraid. Does not have enough definition. Really need to stick with the standards - verdana and tahoma Wed, 7 Nov 2012 20:11:57 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/11/what-do-you-think-of-our-new-font.html#IDComment483377923 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/10/the-party-conference-is-helping-a-recovery-in-conservative-self-belief.html#IDComment458892068 Surprisingly upbeat conference. There are many more activists than I had anticipated and everyone seems surprisingly upbeat, and more so than last year. Might have something to do with the venue being more at ease than Manchester. Tue, 9 Oct 2012 07:44:58 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/10/the-party-conference-is-helping-a-recovery-in-conservative-self-belief.html#IDComment458892068 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/10/david-cameron-david_cameron-joins-twitter.html#IDComment457011369 If he is a real leader he should not be following anyone. Sat, 6 Oct 2012 20:57:36 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/10/david-cameron-david_cameron-joins-twitter.html#IDComment457011369 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2012/10/lord-ashcroft-conservative-hqs-juvenile-poster-is-a-waste-of-money.html#IDComment452858587 Nothing wrong with negative campaigning based on fact. The problem Lord Ashcroft is identifying us that this poster is rubbish - even I don't understand it and I will be one of the few that gets to see it. Mon, 1 Oct 2012 14:25:21 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2012/10/lord-ashcroft-conservative-hqs-juvenile-poster-is-a-waste-of-money.html#IDComment452858587 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2012/09/lib-dem-conference-rolling-blog-the-best-anti-tory-positioning.html#IDComment446897639 Ed Davey has a thing about 'tea'. Only a few years ago he was talking about having 'tea with the Taliban'. As ever I am not really sure what he is in about this time. Sun, 23 Sep 2012 15:42:14 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2012/09/lib-dem-conference-rolling-blog-the-best-anti-tory-positioning.html#IDComment446897639 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2012/09/mel-stride-mp.html#IDComment445429399 Whilst I do not disagree with what Mel is saying my view is that things like this would be a long way down the list of things to be done. One serious issues is someone needs to sort out HMRC. It is an utter mess and as a small businessman almost impossible to deal with. They have no understanding about how small businesses work and therefore produce Byzantine systems that make it unbelievably time consuming to do the smallest thing. Trying to pay tax to the Government has become almost as time consulting as chasing people that owe me money! Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:18:35 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2012/09/mel-stride-mp.html#IDComment445429399 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/09/gove-and-laws.html#IDComment434831565 I must agree that I did not see the need for change in education. Why broke what works so well. As for Laws.......only time will tell whether having a man with such a low reputation return to government is a really worth it. The only thing I note is that he was appointed by Clegg in Clegg's office. In the meantime I suggest Michael Gove does not leave his wallet lieing around! Wed, 5 Sep 2012 13:11:44 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/09/gove-and-laws.html#IDComment434831565 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2012/08/new-taxpayers-alliance-survey-reveals-big-differences-in-size-of-councillor-allowances.html#IDComment430352867 This is an unusually poor piece of work from the TPA and I hope it does not indicate a new direction from the recently appointed CEO. Fact is all this information is easily available and is fairly transparent in as much as if you want to find it you can. If local people do not like it then vote the Councillors out - a mixture of localism and democracy. Wed, 29 Aug 2012 08:44:02 +0000 http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2012/08/new-taxpayers-alliance-survey-reveals-big-differences-in-size-of-councillor-allowances.html#IDComment430352867