2009/11/19 Keir Gale <[email protected]>: > Cameron might be doing a Blair in terms of stealing his opponent's clothes, > but I doubt the Tories will use that increase to fund a redistribution of > wealth. > > Ok, maybe they will, in the same way that the New Labour Tories have been > doing... from poor to rich! > > Keir > >
Another factor that may hit the waterways with a change of government results from BW being within DEFRA. The Conservatives are much more of a rural party than Labour - (for example their stance of hunting). They see farmers and other rural interests as part of their natural support. Whether this is a good or bad thing is beside the point ( and I'm not wanting to provoke a blood sports argument!). But it does mean that new DEFRA ministers may want to divert funds from their budget to more traditional rural and farming interests. It will therefore matter a lot who the ministerial team is. A good waterways ministers may be able to fight effectively to defend the budget from even bigger cuts than the ones I fear. There have been good and bad waterways ministers under Labour. I imagine that will also be true under the Conservatives. Let us hope that someone who actually wants the job gets it in the first share out of ministers. -- Nigel Stanley
