I wish I could dispute what you say (about Nigel Farage – and about the leadershop of the Conservative party), but the facts are on your side.

By the by, Nigel Farage also understands precisely zip about economics and embraces all the usual monetarist gibberish.

I know. What a pity Pearson did not last long.

The good news is that there some reasonably prominent political figures who actually do believe in sound money and banking, and have identical views on the EU to UKIP, but for some reason insist on being ineffectual backbench MPs/MEPs for the party that has done more than any other to sell this country to foreign oligarchs than any other and is still actively doing so. Go figure.

Even if Mr Binley did not write it himself (and he may or may not have done so) it shows terrible judgement on his part to employ someone who would write such a letter.

“Common aims” so the “aims justify the means”?

Cooperating with the 10/10 campaign is a wicked thing to do (in the traditional meaning of the word “wicked”) regardless of one’s opinion on the theory of man made globel warming.

The ends do not jusify the means – the 10/10 campaign thinks they do, so one can not cooperate with them.

Like you I would find it rather hard to vote for a person who did not understant this.

Dear Ian,

Thank you for contacting me about the 10:10 campaign on climate change.

The 10:10 campaign, launched in September 2009, is a movement of people, schools, businesses and other organisations working together to cut carbon by 10 per cent in a year. The scale of the task is such that we need precisely these kinds of measures if the UK is to build a truly low-carbon economy.

The Government supports the campaign’s aim of encouraging individuals and organisations to take action to reduce carbon emissions, and welcomes the contribution 10:10 has made to communicating the climate change message.

Within days of coming to office, the Government, taking its lead from 10:10, committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 10 per cent in 12 months. Since 1 August, 18 government headquarter buildings have been reporting real time energy consumption online, as part of the Prime Minister’s commitment in May to make this the ‘greenest government ever’.

There has been some controversy surrounding the recent 10:10 advertising campaigning. 10:10 have acted promptly to apologise and remove the film concerned when it became clear that it had caused offence. The Government did not finance or approve the content of the film.

Where objectives are shared, the Government will continue to work with 10:10.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Yours Sincerely,

Brian Binley MP
Northampton South Constituency

I see no potential in the Conservative Party as an instrument of libertarian reform. Not a single iota.

As for the present government – an increase in the minimum wage last week, plus the “Equality Act” (yes both from the last government but supported by this one). And this week a four billion Pound increase in taxes on savings (demented) plus a seven billion (plus) Pound plan to take children from the age of two and shove them in government schools.

And, of course, we have the “Qwango” thing – abolish some things but KEEP THEIR FUNCTIONS (classic smoke and mirrors “cuts”).

Anyone who thinks we have a pro freedom government should seek medical advise.

The late Colin Ward’s book Anarchy in Action (as well as much of his other writing) contains many examples.

Assuming the remark you attribute to him is accurate, then yes – unless Jonathan Spence has got a lot of facts wrong, which I consider unlikely.

So Tim Congdon was not even telling the truth in his, off topic, “reply” to me?

As the old saying goes “I should have known”.

“But at least you get them free with the British NHS” – dream on.

Ditto the “free” dental cover (if you do not pay good luck finding this “free” cover).

Ian (Ian B.) the story of British Conservatives is much more complex than you think – read W.H. Greenleaf’s “The British Political Tradition” specifically the section titled “the libertarian strand” you will find that most of the libertarian strand (although not all) were actually conservative party people.

This did not come as a shock to me when I read it – for local reasons.

In the history of my hometown of Kettering (not far from you) it was the Liberals who were in favour of setting up a money wasting council, and in favour of setting up an education board (they lost the public vote on that – it was finally forced on the town in 1891) and they were the prohibitionists, and some of them were even into land nationalization.

I remember when I first joined the Conservative Association (about 30 years ago now) I met old members who had read Eugen Bohm Bawerk (no kidding) and who even denounced government fiat money.

The J.S. Mill line (repeated endlessly since then) that the Conservatives are the party of the stupid and ignorant just is not true.

“But why do such people hardly ever get to leadership positions inside the Conservative party Paul?” Now that is another question.