Tory disdain for their core vote

No wonder David Cameron is looking rather pensive, I've seen a few rather strange quotes from local Conservative candidates this week. Here's a round up of some of the best howlers from our local candidates.

I posted a comment on the blog of Dr Rachel Joyce, Tory PPC for West Harrow. In her response she said the following :-

2. Remember the quote "Too bad the only people who know how to run the country properly are hairdressers and cab drivers". Don't you think it is a bit arrogant to say such things? If you have all the answers to the world's problems, Rog T, why don't you stand for parliament and then for PM?

Click here for the full exchange. Now I posted a response and waited a couple of days for her to reply before raising it on my blog, but she clearly hasn't got much of an answer. I'd raised the point that in my opinion, the Tories had neglected small businessmen. This is traditionally a sector where the Tories have a strong core of support. I feel they've taken this sector for granted and have no helpful policies. It struck me as bizarre that rather than take on board or rebut my comment, she attacks hairdressers and taxi drivers, implying that they are opinionated and ignorant. Both trades are stuffed full of hard working, self employed people. I found her comments to be rather arrogant (again rather ironically what she was accusing me of) and very insulting. I cannot fathom why she'd insult hard working people just to try and win an argument with me. Given that the London taxi drivers won the election for Boris (at least thats what they tell me), it is nice to see that the candidate for West Harrow appreciates their efforts. As to hairdressers, all I can say is that in my mum's last couple of years, the only thing she really enjoyed was a trip to the hairdresser. Sue who did her hair (and most of the other old dears in Mill Hill) is one of the nicest, sweetest people I know. She doesn't deserve to be insulted in this way.

Next on to the PPC for Finchley, Barnet Council Leader Mike Freer. On the Hendon Conservatives website, he has a dig at owners of second homes. Like Dr Rachel Joyce, Freer is trying to win an argument by insulting the Tory core vote in the crossfire.

Cllr Mike Freer said: “What Andrew Dismore fails to mention is his own government is pursuing the independent living agenda. Instead of bandwagon chasing he should act like a MP. Perhaps when he is next visiting his second home in Hendon he could pop in and find out the facts.”

Click here for full text. So Mike Freer clearly has a problem with people who own second homes? The comment makes no sense at all. Surely Freer realises that wardens help people to live indepedently?

In the past, Mike Freer has attacked people who have inherited money from their parents, calling them "armchair critics cosseted by family money". Another rather strange comment for someone standing for the Conservatives. He has also referred to bloggers who criticise him as "One handed bloggers", with a rather childish reference to what we do with our other hand when we blog. I thought it was only totalitarian regimes which discouraged debate (and I don't mean of the mass type).

Finally on to Hendon PPC and Tory Deputy Leader of Barnet, Matthew Offord. Now I was under the impression that Tories liked to pride themselves on their management skills for large projects. Offord says about the Aerodrome Road Bridge project :-

Despite the current Labour MP doubting the possibility of this project, I am pleased that thank to my decision, this important project has been completed ahead of schedule, through the Council and private sector working closely together.

The new Aerodrome Road access is also visible proof that I am committed to getting on with the job of improving transport around Hendon and Colindale to the benefit of both residents and business.

Click here for full text. Couldn't agree more Matthew, but for one thing. The project costs have escalated out of control and already one sacrificial lamb at the Council has walked the plank. He was so proud of the project when it was going well that he put two press releases out. Here's the other. When asked recently at a council meeting about why it had gone wrong, he upset another Tory core voter - Councillor Andrew Harper who he now blames for the fiasco.

So to summarise, what can we deduce about the local Tory candidates?

One has disdain for small businesspeople such as cabbies & hairdressers

One dislikes children of wealthy parents, people who own more than one property and anyone who criticises him.

One knifes his colleagues in the back as soon as the going gets tough.

I must say that I'm glad I'm not a Tory, because if I was I'd really have a problem voting of any of this mob with comments like these.