An Ear On Brummigem & Other Yarns

As the Tories descend on Birmingham to dispense the wisdom of all things capitalist, it's quite interesting to note one of the first edicts to be run past the waiting hacks - for this is who the new policy statements are surely aimed at.
The latest is a freeze on the Tory-inspired council tax. The crux is a two-year freeze, as long as councils keep spending rises to 2.5% or less.
With inflation running at about 4.7% that represents a cut in budgets for our councils who, in the main, have never covered themselves in glory when it comes to managing our cash.
Wyn Grant's blog goes into more detail about this and I would suggest a look at it at: http://britpolanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/09/council-tax-offer-less-good-than-it.html
He makes the valid point that it has to be paid for from somewhere and, as the Tories are the party of tax cutting it might put a bit of a dent in their plans to reduce the burden.
As usual the suspicion that Mr & Mrs Public will foot the bill, as opposed to Mr/Ms Businessperson, creeps into view.
The problem is that Mr Cameron is a bit polished, or Blair-Light as BBC political hatchet-man Nick Robinson deftly refers to him.
He's no Margaret Thatcher. Some may say thank God but she did at least have some conviction. Like her or loathe her she had a strong conviction about what she wanted to do with Britain.
To that end have a look at this profile of Mrs T, The Iron Lady, especially if like many of my colleagues at university, you never really got to know her in her prime.
It's at: http://defencedebates.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/margaret-thatcher-distingush-and-excellency-for-a-lifetime/Anyway, that's all for now as I'm all blogged out on my maiden attempt and I have a small Staffordshire Bull Terrier looking at me with pleading eyes.
We'll do the dangerous dogs debate another time - or should that be dangerous owners...?