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The function, indeed, the sole purpose of Her Majesties Loyal Opposition is to oppose the government of the day. This is not a negative function, they are there, paid by the people to act as a counter-check on government practices and proposals. They should hold up for detailed examination, and when necessary to ridicule, anything which they believe is not in the best interests of country and people. In this role, the Conservative Party has been conspicuously weak and lacking in the authority given them by the people.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives seem just as weak and lacking in ambition when it comes to the fight for power. They have a young and personable leader who has taken them into a slight lead in the opinion polls but with no obvious policies, no Grand Schemes, no contact with the people who will decide the next government.Forget mid term local elections - they always favour the opposition - the one that counts is the next General Election which will decide our future government and the direction we as a Nation will take. Given that, you might expect that any opposition party would be preparing the ground and gathering support from those best able to help them. Not so the Conservatives!

A small example. We Over 50's represent a third of all voters and the sector most likely to make the effort to vote. So, when preparing this new political section, Age-Net approached all the major parties asking them to set out what they stood for in relation to the older generation. Replies were received within days from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, The Pensioners Party. From the Conservatives? Nothing! We followed up with more e-mails but no response so after six weeks or more we 'phoned Central Office to raise the issue. Their Press Office spokeswoman said they had problems with e-mail but would sort something out. She called back later wanting to know what the other parties had said and promised a response "in days" well, we are still waiting…………… Technical problems? Poor communication? General lack of interest in our votes? I don't know the answer but if they don't care about our votes, will they care about us?

New Labour under Prime Minister Brown is self destructing in a fog of incompetence and moral corruption, with a leader unable to lead and a party running empty on talent. Hard to see how they can possibly be re-elected, yet they will be if Her Majesties Loyal Opposition remains so weak and complacent.