Opinion: Here we go again with the culture wars

A Tory government, bereft of ideas, arguing among themselves as to how far they dare to go in their desire to win votes at any cost.

Locally, we have a Tory party that really has turned nasty since being turfed out of office. From sycophantic speeches at full council about the leader (probably written by the leader) to Tory councillors being instructed not to talk to certain opposition members.

Any good reason? Not that I can see except the toxic culture that led to seven eight members leaving the party with many others choosing not to seek re-election next May is, perhaps, as Shakespeare wrote: “A symptom of a greater ill”.

“If service is beneath you, leadership is beyond you”. This means that, if you struggle being willing to serve a greater good and another human being, you should reconsider any desire you have to become a leader.

The city needs a Conservative party that, as I believe as a Labour councillor, fights for fairness and justice for all.

The Tories were formed to protect the interests of the rich over 200 years ago.

The Labour party, on the other hand, is a relative ‘spring chicken’ at 100 years and formed to fight for the rights of workers.

One can see how the lines have become very blurred in recent times.

The old ‘oily rag and sweaty brow’ of the bloke in the boilersuit from my childhood is largely confined to the history books. The Tory toff in top hat and tails, characterised by his or her munificence is also outdated.

The Tory party we have today is largely characterised by a ‘what’s in it for me?’ attitude.

The Tory column of last week, no longer written by the leader but farmed out to any one of his acolytes as he has nothing to say despite being the leader of the largest opposition group on the council, rounded on Labour’s motion opposing any form of road charging.

The author asked why the chamber did not support his motion last July. The motion did not go far enough, that’s why. The motion, like the other Tory motions presented were simply political traps, not designed to move Peterborough’s agenda forward, despite the call from the Improvement panel, brought in to rectify the years of financial mismanagement by the previous administration, for all parties to work together, but to start early electioneering for a party out of ideas and, as we soon saw, out of office.

And still it goes on.

The current MP for Peterborough again bangs on about congestion charging in Peterborough simply to create fear, yet most councillors have voted against any road charging for Peterborough – not just the spectre of congestion charging raised last July.

The Improvement Panel continues to watch over us at the request of the new administration. There is still a lot of work to do. I am only just getting around to mention the fact that the regional pool is permanently closed with nothing on the horizon to replace it, thanks to our previous administration.

As long as the people of Peterborough remain vigilant and keep our eyes fixed firmly on the former leader and the remains of his group, as they are on his party nationally, there is no need for the people of Peterborough to be afraid as the year dawns anew.