Howard pledges “accountable” government
Following the poor showing in the Hartlepool by-election on Thursday, where the Conservatives slumped to fourth place behind UKIP, the Liberal Democrats, and winners Labour, Mr Howard is to set out how his party will implement major policy reversals should they assume power at the next general election.
The party conference proper begins on Monday but with UKIP holding their two day conference in Bristol over the weekend, Mr Howard is keen that the press are not distracted from what is happening at the Bournemouth.
In a statement, Mr Howard said the timetable would offer “no wriggle room at all” and peg the party to an accountable agenda.
“After seven years of Labour government, people have grown more cynical than ever about politics and politicians,” he said.
“The simple truth is that Labour have not kept their promises.
“What we want is action. Less talk, more action. People want to know that when their prime minister says something, it will actually happen”.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, Mr Howard pledged to offer Britons a referendum on the European constitution as early as October 2005 and said his government would work to abolish the treaty.
Separately, UKIP MEP Robert Kilroy-Silk labelled the Conservatives a “dying party” last night.
The former Labour MP said his party should “kill” the Conservatives off and replace them.
“What we are concerned about is primarily the issue of Europe, in getting our country back and going at it ourselves in Westminster,” the former TV host said.
“We want to put that point of view firmly throughout the country and give everybody the opportunity to vote for it”.
