Cameron in Swindon
April 28th, 2008This blog is always a bit of a casualty at local election time, so please forgive the slight delay in posting about David Cameron’s visit to Swindon last Friday afternoon. David arrived at the Civic Offices at about 5pm, and after a brief meeting with me, Justin, Cllr Rod Bluh and a small group of activists, strolled over to see the continuing work on the new Central Library. He was able to meet a few members of the public; the lack of stage management meant that one individual who was not well-disposed to us tried to hog the limelight somewhat!
I try not to use this blog as a running commentary about current opinion polls and media mood swings. Having been an active Tory for much of the past twenty years, I have seen the swing of the pendulum. What I am very glad to see from DC is a complete lack of triumphalism or the need to turn everything into a vote-getting exercise.
I well remember how New Labour promised everything to everyone before 1997, only to let people down when in Government. It wasn’t just because the delivery mechanisms were simply not in place or the money wasn’t there. It was that New Labour was really the vehicle for one man, aided and abetted by the current occupant of Downing Street. The aim then was to get elected at all costs and worry about the reality later.
The huge let-down that was New Labour has caused much of the cynicism that exists about modern politics in Britain. One of our helpers in West Swindon was a New Labour voter in 1997. To hear him describe his sheer dismay at being so badly let down by a party that promised so much is very instructive.
Time’s up.
Swindon wards to watch on Thursday night: Western and Parks. Traditional Labour strongholds whose fall would make it the best set of local elections for the Conservatives since the year of my birth!! No predictions from RB, but two keenly-fought contests.
