On 20/10/06, Andrew J Instone-Cowie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > What I find interesting, looking at the signatures so far, is that so > few opposition MPs are taking the opportunity to kick DEFRA.
This is, for better or worse - I merely report it - because there is a strong vein of feeling in the Conservative Party critical of BW. Put succinctly, the feeling is that the way BW has acted under Robin Evans' tenure has made it BW 'akin to a state subsidized property speculator.' This was the conclusion of the James Committee which was commissioned by Michael Howard prior to the last election and which led to suggestions that they would 'privatize' BW. I have for some months been trying to squeeze current policy out of Central Office, but under Cameron, as we all know, they are very guarded about being specific about ANY policy. However, it's it unlikely that thinking has changed significantly. Look at a piece posted recently on the site of the Institute of Economic Affairs, the respected right-wing think tank http://www.iea.org.uk/record.jsp?ID=354&type=news For a more general sense of the attitude of your average right-leaning Tory look at Bob Spink's site, MP for Castle Point in Essex. http://www.epolitix.com/EN/MPWebsites/Robert+Spink/94dbfd03-243d-41a3-a185-eda37e463c41.htm The concern he voices about the development of Wood Wharf in Docklands is one which in my experience as a journalist is shared pretty widely within the Conservative Party. And FWIW it's one I share myself. Steve [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
