How ironic that one of Gordon Brown's election pledges is to build a high tech economy.  GB wouldn't know high tech if it hit him in the face.  If he did, he would know that what high tech companies need is to be able to hire skilled, educated employees.  Yet almost the only measures the government has taken to reduce the massive deficit GB has created is to cut higher education spending and increase the tax on jobs (employers NI)!

On Friday I was elected Vice Chairman of the Huntingdon Conservatives, to become Chairman next year.  I am looking forward to both the immediate hard work of the forthcoming election but also the chance to rejuvenate the Association here.  It is so important to get people engaged at the grass roots but it will be a challenge.

It has been a while since I added to the blog and the election draws ever closer.  I had expected the Conservative poll lead to widen as we started to get across clearly and strongly both the disastrous actions of the Labour government over the last decade (not just the last two years) and the clear strong policies of a Conservative government.  Sadly this has not happened.  Whilst Brown bullies and lies his way along (the shamefaced statements at the Chilcott enquiry were extraordinary), we have slipped over numerous banana skins.  This has to stop - the country really cannot afford another Labour government - not for a single day.  I know the front bench has done detailed work to prepare for government but this is not coming across.

Well today is "Judgement Day" for Tony Blair.  I have no hope that he will be properly judged today.  Firstly even on Iraq, the Chilcot panel owes too many positions and honours to Blair's patronage so they are unlikely to question him toughly.  More importantly too many people (even Conservatives) are still fooled by his charisma and self-belief, to realise how truly disastrous he was - see my article on the wasted decade.  However it was written recently that he was the worst Prime Minister since Lord North and I believe that in terms of wasted opportunities, damage to our economic prospects and position in the world, this is absolutely right.

I had a frightening discussion last week with someone intimately involved in the Strategic Defence Review.  I had not realised how disastrously this Government has handled the armed forces.  Whilst over committing our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan (which we did all know), the government (and especially Gordon Brown as Chancellor) refused to allow necessary investment in all types of equipment (not just helicopters, or even sand filters for helicopters) so that our ability to defend this country, without needlessly sacrificing the lives of our troops, is in serious threat.  The situation in reality is a lot worse than we have read so far in the press.

Attended Conservative Home's Guide to the Conservative Manifesto conference today.  Excellent event but it made it so clear how tough it is going to be to make the radical changes we need to when our country is in such a financial mess (even though the need for change is as a result so much greater)