The modern Conservative Party goes from feeble to worse. In a week when the Government has never been so vulnerable, the Opposition Leader’s friends are attacking their own party chairman.
Down in Dartford, a grasp of free market economics is beyond the mental reach of local Tories. This report comes from the Bexley News Shopper.
Meanwhile, Conservative Dartford Council leader Councillor Kenneth Leadbeater said he was concerned about the density of developments and how to ensure new communities integrated with existing ones.
But he welcomed the extra money, especially the “wonderful boost” for the town centre.
He said: “We need some sort of anchor store in Dartford and this money gives us a real chance in attracting another major store.” Kent County Council (KCC) Conservative leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said the amount of money heading to Kent as a whole only constituted one per cent of the £10 billion KCC needs to build the 20,000 homes and necessary infrastructure.
But he said: “The North Kent news is really welcome because much of it is for land purchase to build on waste industrial land.”
“This will take the pressure off greenfield sites and fits our commitment to protect Kent’s countryside.” However Kent Wildlife Trust warned about the loss of habitat and insects on brownfield sites along Thames Gateway.
Pass the recyclable sick-bag!
Tory says “Save the Brownfield insects!”
Except … they didn’t. Read the article. The bit about insects was a quote from something called the Kent Wildlife Trust, NOT either of the two Tory Councillors quoted.
In what way does expressing concern about the Government centrally planning 20 000 houses in North Kent at an artificially high density constitute a failure to grasp free market economics? The point made by the leader of Dartford Council is a valid one. If the Government suddenly imposes a new build of 20 000 houses, that is hardly the outcome of free market economics. It is not spontaneous house-building as a result of free agents in a free market and is very likely to cause difficulties. Of course if it was free market housing, the service roads and utilities could be paid for by the developer but if there is a large proportion of ‘affordable’ housing (in NewLabour speak, affordable means subsidised) there is going to be a demand for taxpayers to put money in. If Sandy Bruce-Lockhart is trying to defend the taxpayers of Kent by insisting that the Government fully fund their own policies out of Central Government taxes (and take the blame) that may be party politics but it is also fair game.
Those damned insect get everywhere! One wonders why they were ever developed.
I was once sitting in a field on a hot sunny day, musing over the sate of the worlds power games and the probabiity of reaching old age, when a bee perchanced to fly by and land on a flower.
I mused how simple and “arkadian” the life of the bee must be, toiling away flying from flower to flower. Stupid insect, why did it not get a life and work less. How superior was my existance, how powerful was my species, in its supreme role as “master of the planet”! Useless, nasty insect learn from your superiors a better way of life!
But the bee had the last laugh. As it flew from flower to flower pollenating, I swear it looked up at me and said,” All that has to happen to bring you off your high pedistal, hairless ape, is that I stop flying from flower to flower”.
I was startled by this strange defiance from something so small. But on consideration I have to agree that the bee, no doubt aided by other insects, probably had a point. If it wasn’t for all those bloody useless insects – maybe none of us would be here anyway.
Ecological interaction makes this a weird as well as a wonderful world. (cue “Nat” King Cole…)