Letters From A Tory Daily views on British politics and the Conservative Party from a centre-right thinker who writes letters on his blog to politicians, journalists and many others.

Dear Allan Mallinson,
Your perspective on Prince Harry’s deployment in Afghanistan was very welcome.  Most newspapers have been too busy swooning about Matt Drudge to look at the whole situation from Harry’s point of view.
When the question of Prince Harry serving in Iraq first came to light, it seemed utterly ridiculous that he could be sent [...]

“According to my American intern, if it had been the White House, they would have been shot with rubber bullets, tear-gassed but definitely removed instantly. We don’t shoot here, we just let people walk all over democracy”
- Nadine Dorries MP, on the protesters on the roof of the Palace of Westminster.

First we had the ‘Guildford Four’.
Then we had the ‘Birmingham Six’
Then we had the ‘Bridgwater Four’.
And now we have the evil, treacherous and terrifying ‘Seaside five’.

Dear Andrew Lansley,
As Shadow Health Secretary, you have remained vigilant without making a spectacular impact thus far.  Admittedly Alan Johnson hasn’t been making the headlines either, save for the occasional pointless initiative on obesity or smoking.  Unfortunately, your front page headline in The Times proclaiming that you will spend an extra £28 billion on the [...]

“We have a Scottish Prime Minister who is a control freak, a hapless Scottish Chancellor and a Scottish Speaker of the Commons who is unsackable. God help the English”
- Richard Mays, of East Grinstead, in a letter to The Daily Telegraph.

Dear Andy Burnham,
I have no doubt that many campaigners breathed a collective sigh of relief after you announced that the planned super-casino in Manchester is to be scrapped.  Having said this, Labour is still more than happy to let gambling destroy the lives of millions of people just to get their hands on more corporation [...]

THE GUARDIAN: Following 11 straight primary wins for Obama, tonight’s debate was seen as critical to Clinton’s chances of reviving her campaign for the Democratic nomination and she came out swinging. However, her attacks at times seemed more flailing than focused [and]  tonight’s attack seemed somewhat desperate. Amid raising substantive points on such issues as healthcare, [...]

With all this talk about the Lisbon Treaty and an EU Referendum, I would think that now is a good time for people to make their feelings about our relationship with other European nations perfectly clear – like this guy did.

Dear David Aaronovitch,
Your article in The Times today was certainly a very brave argument.  As with many issues in British society, the ’surveillance society’ is a classic you’re-going-to-get-your-head-bitten-off-if-you-support-it topic for journalists and politicians alike.  I think you came close to a rational perspective that promotes freedom and safety at the same time.
The high profile murder cases over the past week [...]

“I believed every word Mohamed al Fayed said, until he mentioned that Fulham would stay up in the Premier League”
- John Fulcher, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in a letter to the Daily Mail.

17th December 2007: former Glasgow MSP Tommy Sheridan claimed he was the victim of a “political witch hunt” after being charged with perjury following his court victory over the News of the World.
Paul Flynn MP (Labour), 25th January 2008:  “I believe this is the result of a nasty, vindictive witch-hunt against a decent, honourable politician”, [...]

Dear William Hague,
As you have been doing some excellent work on the lack of an EU Referendum,  the Government are clearly backed into a corner.  Now is your chance to ram home your advantage and humiliate Nick Clegg as well.
This morning’s papers show that Nick Clegg has quite miraculously decided that he thinks we should [...]

“Secrecy has been the order of the week. Secrecy creates suspicion. At every stage, the Government has insisted on secrecy about the real situation of Northern Rock”
- Lord Rees-Mogg

Dear Jim Murphy,
How dare you make such disgusting remarks about David Cameron and the Conservatives.  It is you who should be apologising for what you have said, not David Cameron.
Let me start by clearing up a few points which you have ‘accidentally’ missed.  Firstly, David Cameron did not say that trips to Auschwitz were a gimmick [...]

 
“Oh look, there’s goes another airplane full of terror suspects”

Dear British Gas,
I think a few points of clarification are needed about the enormous profits you announced yesterday.  As a Conservative, it doesn’t bother me that companies are working towards higher profits because that’s what every business in the country is trying to do.  However, I’m a little concerned that there isn’t a level playing [...]

Dear Baroness Warsi,
I don’t think anyone is kidding themselves about the Conservatives staying quiet on some of the major issues, such as immigration, taxation and the EU.  However, there is no need to start digging holes for the party with two years until the election.  Your decision to concentrate on small but significant community issues is [...]

Well, not if THIS STORY is anything to go by.

“Thank you, thank you very much, a great victory in Wisconsin, thanks” (dammit, can someone just pass me my zimmer frame…)

“My doomed enterprise the other day was to try and introduce that bit of perspective. Let that be a warning to you all.”
- Archibishop of Canterbury, referring to his recent comments about Sharia Law.

The anti-smoking lobby must be grinning widely at the proposals for smoking licenses to be introduced across the country, especially after securing a ban on smoking in public places just a few months ago.  Even so, it appears that some people are still struggling to control their feelings about cigarettes.

Dear Jacqui Smith,
Your policies really are a bit naff, aren’t they!  After the fiasco over police pay, you were probably relishing the chance to get into your stride with an announcement for a new immigrant tax to help pay for public services.  Not exactly very Labour-esque, is it!  You and Gordon are obviously a little [...]

“Five hours of ‘culture’ in school? Why not five hours of sport? The last thing we need is thick, fat kids, munching crisps, waddling around our art galleries”
- P Webberley, of Preston, Lancashire, in a letter to the Daily Mail.

I have spoken to many people over recent months who are increasingly concerned about the growth of the ’surveillance society’ in the UK.  But, even with the massive expansion of CCTV, loyalty cards, tax records and the DNA database, people can still take comfort from the fact that they can relax and forget all their worries [...]

Dear Liz Hunt,
In the aftermath of the Derek Conway expenses scandal, I found it baffling that more MPs weren’t discovered to be playing the system.  Your best efforts to highlight the abuse of expenses by Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House, are certainly appreciated but the rest of the media don’t seem that fussed.
You [...]

And there you are, just like me, thinking that surely on a day where the Government nationalises Northern Rock and destroys everything that is sacred in the world of market forces and capitalism, things just couldn’t get any worse.  Well, guess what – they just did.