It's hard to take Cameron's compassion seriously

4.50.15pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 22nd Dec 2005

"the Tory party does not so much need a facelift as a body transplant"

In an article in todays Guardian, Lib Dem MP Chris Huhne responds to the recent suggestion from new Conservative leader David Cameron that Lib Dems should consider backing the Conservatives.

Chris analyses actual Conservative policy and the way they have voted on a wide range of issues including the environment, Europe and local decision making, and found that what they actually do - rather than what they have started saying - points up huge differences between the two parties.

On the environment:

"The last objective study of the parties' voting record on green issues was by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth before the European elections in 2004. They found that the Conservatives were not just the least green party in Britain, but the least green in the whole of the European Union."

On Europe:

"Then there is your Europe policy. Pulling Tory MEPs out of the main centre-right group in the European parliament will damage British influence and business, which needs their clout to help amend daft proposals from the commission. Your MEPs will be marginalised between Ms Mussolini and Mr Robert Kilroy-Silk."

On devolution of power and local decision making:

"When in government, your party abolished the Greater London Council and rate-capped any authority with ambitions to be more than a delivery arm of Whitehall." As Chris finally comments:

"the Liberal Democrats remain the only safe craft sailing to a sustainable future."

New Crawley Liberal Democrats Chair Cllr Gordon Seekings said:

"It's not surprising the Conservatives are seeking to get members from other parties - their own are dying out at a frightening rate. With an average age of a Conservative member being over 65, at one stage their party was losing 10% of its membership to death alone. It seems the Grim Reaper is no Tory!"

"To appeal to Liberal Democrats though David Cameron has to actually do things we agree with. On Iraq, on the environment, on social justice, on fair local tax, on fair votes and better Government, the Conservatives have an appalling record. David Cameron's policy record as an MP to date is little different to that of Iain Duncan-Smith, and that was a failure."

Related Link:

Read Chris Huhne's article in full.