Monday, September 29, 2008

Tory Spin and the Small Print: Spot the Difference...

Wee Georgie Osborne showed once again why he can't be trusted to run the economy in his speech at the Tory Party Conference today. With no answers on the world banking crisis, he went for a headline grabbing announcement .

These were his exact words now running across the airwaves:
I can tell you today that the next Conservative Government will freeze your Council Tax for at least two years.
A good splash for tomorrow's Daily Mail. But the boy Osborne - and the media who took the spoon fed headline entirely at face value - failed to mention the small print of the Tory Press Notice released at the same time. Titled 'A Two Year Council Tax Freeze' it reveals the following:

Each council will be completely free to accept or reject the contract. Councils that reject the contract will be free to set their own council tax levels.
So not exactly a freeze at all then Georgie?

And no mention either that councils would only be able to buy into his pledge if they made huge cuts to vital public services.

In other words, another Con.

Same Old Tories eh...?

UPDATE: Channel Four News have just picked up on the difference between the spin and the small print and put George Osborne through the wringer. Thanks Jon Snow!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you George and God Bless you.

That's what the people will be saying.

R.I.P. New Labour.

fairdealphil said...

Hi Geoffrey,

no time for novices...!!

hope you are well

Anonymous said...

That should inclue Gordon then.

How can you run a country and feed growth on toxic debt and call yourself a pro?

P/S Full commentary on our conference on my blog.