December 21, 2004
1952 Committee update: Bloggosphere reaches out to mainstream media
I note from Tim Worstall that Stephen Robinson in the Telegraph has decided to vote for someone other than the Tory party:
In selfish terms, I was relieved to see Michael Howard take the easy way out and endorse ID cards, because it freed me of any sense that I should have to vote for his party. No longer will I have to profess enthusiasm about Tory policies, or pretend that I see the green shoots of a Conservative revival.Tim suggests that:For the first time I shall vote for the Liberal Democrats, because they do understand that the identity card debate is about the just role of government, and I suspect tens of thousands of instinctive Conservatives will do the same next year.
It sounds like the 1952 Committee might have a new member. John? May I suggest that you drop an email to Mr Robinson and inform him of his opportunity? From past experience he does tend to respond.I found this interesting opportunity was one that was too good to miss so I have sent the following mail to Mr. Robinson (via the general freedom@telegraph..... email address) on behalf of the Committee just to see what, if anything, happens:
Sir,I have just read your article "Howard preferred ridicule to being thought soft on terror" at:
...and noted that your vote will now be placed with the Liberal Democrats.
I wonder if you might consider joining the rest of us disaffected conservative voters by lending your support in spirit to an initiative we have just started as a group of bloggers called the 1952 Committee.
"The 1952 Committee was created when the Conservative party, under Michael Howard, backed the introduction of ID cards. For some conservative bloggers this was the final straw and many of them started to declare on their blogs that they would not be voting Tory at the next election. I began collecting and listing these declarations under the 1952 Committee heading chosen because it was the year in which Winston Churchill abandoned ID cards in post war Britain."
Though the committee was set up for bloggers, I am sure that members of the mainstream media who are sympathetic would be given a warm welcome.
A summary page can be found here:
http://www.theenglandproject.net/1952committee.html
Faithfully,
