Brit_in_Japan

Note this is not a thread about petrol prices per say, so if you want to talk about that please find one of the other numerous threads.

Today on Radio 4's Today programme Micahel Howard, when asked if the Conservatives would back new protests, said: "I think that as long as they are peaceful and within the law they may well be supported." Story.


Is this not political opportunism at the worst? Giving encouragement to mass protests about an issue the government (or indeed the tories if in power) could do little about is surely irresponsible.

I know he's a lawyer and he would argue that he didn't say that there should be protests like in 2000, but take a look at the papers tomorrow and see how they report it. On the BBC the story is already titled "Howard "may support" fuel protests" See here.

I think the message taken by lots of people will be "the conservatives think that road protests are a good idea" and it might help precipitate a protest which would achieve nothing.

OllyK

That's politics, find your oponents weakness and exploit it to your advantage. I suspect if questioned further that he would argue that Labour is persecuting the motorist and this is just another example of their spiraling tax increases and that under the Tories the motorist would be paying less so the pain of crude price rises would be less significant. Whether that would actually be true or not is a completley different argument!

MattW

You have to look at the words.

For example, "Mr X supports nuclear disarmament", what does this mean, it could be he thinks its a good idea, right up to actively protesting\marching.

Too much being read into the statement IMO.