Read this article by George Pitcher in today's Telegraph. In it, he outlined some of his personal philosophy thus .... "I don't like a big intrusive state, but I want to be properly taxed for good public services, including education. I believe in personal freedom, but that includes the freedom to think liberal thoughts. I'm against capital punishment, but also vehemently opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia. I hate religious extremism but I am...pro-religion" .... The article suggests that this is a description of "an unreconstructed old Leftie" in the eyes of what he referred to as 'Righties', or 'intolerant Tories'.
What stuck me is that Mr Pitcher had written some unreconstructed old bilge. His description of himself fits me and most other Conservatives that I know. He's not an old Leftie at all. He's a modern Conservative.
2 comments:
I thought that was Pitcher's point, viz. that he doesn't see himself as particularly left wing (and your assessment of his philosophy confirms this view), but that there are some self-appointed guardians of "True Conservatism" who would, and this would play into the hands of Labour tacticians (who want to caricature Conservatives as extremely right-wing).
TWJ - I thought my post was reinforcing his message!
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