SIR,—In your article `What's Wrong with the Tories?' you write:
'Mr Heath and his colleagues need to remember first that for the time being the public is simply not interested in any ideas of its own the Opposition may have.' The Tories will not, however, be returned to power unless they can galvanise their party workers in the constituencies into action. At the moment, concern over the in- efficiencies of the Labour government and the pros- pect of increasing state interference with our lives and liberties has made even lukewarm Conserva- tives who have never before bothered with politics prepared to take action. This enthusiasm will quickly evaporate unless the Tory party will offer us some practical and acceptable alternative to the socialist way of life. Negative opposition accompanied by high-sounding principles is not enough to inspire people to work.
We need to know what incentives we may expect, what opportunities will be open to initiative and enterprise, how our education will be reorganised to bring further quality, if necessary at the expense of
equality, and just how the Conservatives intend to free the country from the grip of the welfare and bureaucratic state. Have the Tories the courage to come out into the open? We are only prepared to work if they show guts.
NM BIRCH REYNARDSON Adwell House, Teisworth Oxon.
Previous page
