Articles and Speeches

This Relationship is Over
27-Apr-04, Windsor Observer.

"Many relationships begin with hopes and dreams but end in mistrust and failure.

Labour took power to the anthem “Things can only get better”. With a sense of magic in the air, people were taken in by the young and charismatic appearance.

Few remembered why the first relationship failed: Disputes and disharmony, and tax and spend to virtual bankruptcy in 1979.

In 1997 as they gazed into our eyes and swore they had changed; powerless to resist, we gave them another chance.

They whispered sweet promises: ‘tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime’, ‘education, education, education’ and ‘24 hours to save the NHS’.

They renamed themselves ‘new’ Labour; Sweeping away nagging doubts and enticing us into relationship again.

But New Labour have been unfaithful.

They failed to protect us from rising violent crime and uncontrolled immigration. They failed to care for us with 1 million awaiting treatment. They picked our pockets with 66 tax rises and gambled recklessly.

They bullied us with their demands and it has been a damaging relationship.

From the doorsteps of Windsor, it is clear we feel badly let down. They are living in denial and on borrowed time.

Time to move on… this relationship is over."