Long-standing Labour voters in the home education community are pledging to vote Conservative in the next election. For some, it is a single issue thing as there is a recognition that the Conservatives understand that Labour's proposals to register and monitor home education will damage the education of many children and will represent a monstrous waste of money at a time when resources are extremely scarce.
For others, it is a matter of believing that the Labour is generally going crazy with the amount of prescription and pie-in-the sky electioneering. From this week's editorial in the Speccie:
"..what, after 12 years and an estimated 31, 500 new laws, has Labour done to leave British society either stronger or fairer?
The party was at its most chillingly audacious when legislation not just of what people do, but what they say. Just last week, an Englishman was jailed for being rude about the Scots. A few months ago, a man was arrested for discussing religion in his own home - he was a Christian bed-and-breakfast owner and his guest a touchy Muslim.
So the problem awaiting the Conservatives is simple: a county with too many laws that have too many unintended consequences. Generally speaking the less a government does, the better off the rest of us are - and the Tories would do well to remember this. The Cameron government should not judge success by how long they detain the Queen during her speech. What is needed is not a new avalanche of Tory laws, but a Great Repeal Act to tidy up the mess which Labour has left behind."
It seems likely that plenty of home educators will throw their weight behind the Great Repeal Bill as well.
6 comments:
As a Home Educator, I've read on some of the online groups about how Labour voters are turning to the Tories. I've never ever voted Labour and I never will, even before all this Badman shenannigans. Why? Because I can just about remember the late 1970's when Labour trashed the country. It's very vogue to bash Thatcher, and whilst she wasn't perfect, she brought this country off it's knees after years of Labour ruining it. Power cuts, rubbish int the streets. Massive public deficit.
My parents were on the brink of leaving the country for good if Thatcher didn't win power in 79.
They were not posh, they were working class. They just saw that all Labour do is stifle individuality
For years I thought they had overreacted to the Labour Party. But now I totally see their point of view. They've never voted Labour either. They remember it too well. They also remember many of the current Labour party members as loony lefties in CND protests etc. Now all in suits trying to look like they know what they are doing as they renew Trident!
Socialism as an ideal is fine, but I've never met a socialist who stays one once they get money.
I'm just ordinary and can't see why people ever voted Labour in the first place! All they do is lower people to the lowest common denominator. They hate excellence in individuals.
I'd just like to point out. I'm not affiliated to any political party.
I don't trust any of them. They're only puppets and can make as many promises as they like before they're elected. I think that the conservatives can see a good number of the population that they can win votes from in this and that is all.A year ago I would not have said that, I held out some hope then; sadly now after little research into how the EU and UN work it seems to me that our government as just for show, an illusion to fool us into thinking we have some choice........................I really wish I had something positive to say.
Sorry.
Well done all you wonderful people who care so much about your children, who will do anything to protect them from this monsterous situation.I am proud to know and spend time with such people.
I've collected a few quotes from ex-Labour voters here:
http://tinyurl.com/o7lsdb
I don't think for a second Ed Balls will give a stuff, he's FAR too arrogant, but maybe some other Labour MPs might start to question his policies particularly those who know they're going to be in a different line of work in 6 months anyway and have nothing to loose.
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
Westminster
London
SW1P 3BT
Dear Ed Balls (MP)
I have just read the part in the Queens Speech about safeguarding the vulnerable to do with home education. How are home educated children more vulnerable than any other child? I will not be complying with the registry system or any other silly laws. No forced visits for me! My parents disagree with the review just like me. It is my own decision to disagree with the review. I have researched all the evidence (Unlike Graham Badman when he wrote it.) and have concluded that there is no need to give LA’s extra powers. Time and money would be better spent improving schools. And shouldn’t we be saving money during the recession. Why are you ignoring home educated children?
I invite you to come down and visit me to discuss this further and to see home education in action. I look forward to meeting you.
Yours Sincerely
Peter A Williams
A Home Educated Child
So, in other words, England is becoming America.
Laws, laws, and more laws. When there's a law for everything, there's a law for nothing. Nothing is enforceable when there are so many laws. They become meaningless and haphazard - the people in authority pick which laws to enforce, because it's practically impossible to keep track and enforce them all. So, all it ends up doing is giving open ended authority to those with power to enforce the laws that they want to.
We're learning this in America, but it's hard to say if it's too late now to back out of it. And if we do, which laws to we let go of? Depends who you ask.
What is the solution, I don't know. But the battle of ideology is not winnable, especially when using laws as weapons.
Re-posting my comment on Firebird's blog (quotes from ex-Labour voters) here:
I concur with these comments, but a small minority like home educators will have no impact simply by using their votes.
I walked the streets delivering leaflets and knocking on doors in the 70s, 80s and 90s in support of Labour and against oppressive government. I would be a hypocrite if I’m not prepared to do the same thing now to bring down this regime. I will encourage people to vote for whoever has the best chance of removing Labour in a constituency.
I believe that we need to campaign - as individuals or collectively - to show the wider public the damage that Labour are doing to education and liberty (they’ve had enough time to fix anything the tories did) and with it the country as a whole and its capacity to do good in the world.
Letters to newspapers, leaflets etc., to show why we make our choice to educate otherwise might help to encourage the rest of the electorate to to vote them out, amplifying the electoral influence of HEors.
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