Tories' first female Asian says "UK should keep the Pound and restore death penalty"
It's good to see Tory members finally talking tough about Europe and crime again just like the good old days.
With Britain's "Scottish Socialist Loony Lefty Labour Party" in control, and Tory Leader David Cameron trying to portray his party as the "greener, friendlier, hug-a-hoodie" new Tories, we've been desperate to see these sort of tough policies for a while.
'Restore death penalty and never scrap the pound' says Priti Patel
By SIMON WALTERS, Mail on Sunday
25th November 2006
Right-Wing Priti Patel, the woman chosen as the Tories' first female Asian candidate, has said that she wants Britain to keep the Pound and never adopt the Euro and wants to bring back the death penalty.
The woman chosen as the Tories' first female Asian candidate has revealed how she fought off her rivals - by pledging to restore the death penalty and savaging David Cameron's leadership of the party.
When Priti Patel was picked last week to fight the new seat of Witham, Essex, at the next Election, it was hailed as a major success for Mr Cameron's attempt to recruit a new generation of female MPs.
Ms Patel, whose parents were driven out of Uganda by Idi Amin, was a member of Cameron's controversial A-list, seen by many Tory activists as a ploy to weed out candidates with Right-wing views on law and order and Europe.
But the 34-year-old defeated a group of more experienced rivals for the nomination in the solid Tory area by delivering a 'hang 'em and flog 'em' manifesto that had more in common with "On Your Bike' Norman Tebbit than "Hug a Hoodie' Mr Cameron, whose approach she was quick to criticise.
Ms Patel, who is now set to become Britain's first woman Asian MP, refused to apologise for the outspoken style that impressed party activists.
"I am not the type to give weasel- worded answers,' she told The Mail on Sunday. "I believe a politician has a duty to give straight answers to straight questions."
She won cheers at the selection meeting by saying she backed restoring capital punishment - putting her at odds with Mr Cameron who wants a much softer line on crime and punishment.
"If you had the ultimate punishment for the murder of policemen and other heinous crimes, I am sure it would act as a deterrent," she said. "We must send a clear signal to people that crime doesn't pay. The punishment must fit the crime and yes, I do support capital punishment.
"For far too long the law has been on the side of the criminal. Law and order is breaking down in Britain and we must do something about it."
Asked if she favoured hanging, the electric chair or some other method, Ms Patel said: "I haven't thought through all the details." She was even more outspoken when asked if she agreed with another of Mr Cameron's Tory critics, Lord Saatchi. The peer last week criticised Mr Cameron's lack of policies and claimed he would 'say anything to get elected'.
While other candidates loyally backed Mr Cameron, Ms Patel said Lord Saatchi was right. "I wanted to show what I was made of and that I have clear Conservative beliefs," she said. "We are in danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water.
"David Cameron is not doing enough to carry party members with him in terms of his style and approach.
He has broadened the appeal of the party but he must do more to reassure members and we need to develop more policies."
She was equally forthright on whether she would ever vote to scrap the pound and join the euro. While other candidates hedged their bets, Ms Patel gave a solid commitment. "I said I would never vote for the euro because I want to see a Britain that is governed by the British for the British."
By contrast, the man who had been favourite to win the contest, Conservative front bencher James Brokenshire, whose Hornchurch seat disappears because of boundary changes at the next Election, was far more cautious.
"James was slick but he tried to be too clever by qualifying every statement, whereas Priti jumped straight in and told them what they wanted to hear," said one official. "She was a breath of fresh air."
The Witham contest was at the centre of a race row earlier this month after Asian businessman Ali Miraj claimed he was told not to bother to apply for the seat because the local party wanted a 'white middle-class male'.
dailymail.co.uk
It's good to see Tory members finally talking tough about Europe and crime again just like the good old days.
With Britain's "Scottish Socialist Loony Lefty Labour Party" in control, and Tory Leader David Cameron trying to portray his party as the "greener, friendlier, hug-a-hoodie" new Tories, we've been desperate to see these sort of tough policies for a while.
'Restore death penalty and never scrap the pound' says Priti Patel
By SIMON WALTERS, Mail on Sunday
25th November 2006
The woman chosen as the Tories' first female Asian candidate has revealed how she fought off her rivals - by pledging to restore the death penalty and savaging David Cameron's leadership of the party.
When Priti Patel was picked last week to fight the new seat of Witham, Essex, at the next Election, it was hailed as a major success for Mr Cameron's attempt to recruit a new generation of female MPs.
Ms Patel, whose parents were driven out of Uganda by Idi Amin, was a member of Cameron's controversial A-list, seen by many Tory activists as a ploy to weed out candidates with Right-wing views on law and order and Europe.
But the 34-year-old defeated a group of more experienced rivals for the nomination in the solid Tory area by delivering a 'hang 'em and flog 'em' manifesto that had more in common with "On Your Bike' Norman Tebbit than "Hug a Hoodie' Mr Cameron, whose approach she was quick to criticise.
Ms Patel, who is now set to become Britain's first woman Asian MP, refused to apologise for the outspoken style that impressed party activists.
"I am not the type to give weasel- worded answers,' she told The Mail on Sunday. "I believe a politician has a duty to give straight answers to straight questions."
She won cheers at the selection meeting by saying she backed restoring capital punishment - putting her at odds with Mr Cameron who wants a much softer line on crime and punishment.
"If you had the ultimate punishment for the murder of policemen and other heinous crimes, I am sure it would act as a deterrent," she said. "We must send a clear signal to people that crime doesn't pay. The punishment must fit the crime and yes, I do support capital punishment.
"For far too long the law has been on the side of the criminal. Law and order is breaking down in Britain and we must do something about it."
Asked if she favoured hanging, the electric chair or some other method, Ms Patel said: "I haven't thought through all the details." She was even more outspoken when asked if she agreed with another of Mr Cameron's Tory critics, Lord Saatchi. The peer last week criticised Mr Cameron's lack of policies and claimed he would 'say anything to get elected'.
While other candidates loyally backed Mr Cameron, Ms Patel said Lord Saatchi was right. "I wanted to show what I was made of and that I have clear Conservative beliefs," she said. "We are in danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water.
"David Cameron is not doing enough to carry party members with him in terms of his style and approach.
He has broadened the appeal of the party but he must do more to reassure members and we need to develop more policies."
She was equally forthright on whether she would ever vote to scrap the pound and join the euro. While other candidates hedged their bets, Ms Patel gave a solid commitment. "I said I would never vote for the euro because I want to see a Britain that is governed by the British for the British."
By contrast, the man who had been favourite to win the contest, Conservative front bencher James Brokenshire, whose Hornchurch seat disappears because of boundary changes at the next Election, was far more cautious.
"James was slick but he tried to be too clever by qualifying every statement, whereas Priti jumped straight in and told them what they wanted to hear," said one official. "She was a breath of fresh air."
The Witham contest was at the centre of a race row earlier this month after Asian businessman Ali Miraj claimed he was told not to bother to apply for the seat because the local party wanted a 'white middle-class male'.
dailymail.co.uk