It’s that time of the year when all major political parties host their annual conferences. The party faithful gather hoping and praying that nothing monumentally disastrous happens that could derail them from their objective of winning the next general election.
As they say hoping is one thing, reality, especially within the political framework oftens tends to be quite different. The several days they spend together, couped up in hotels, jam packed in conference rooms, standing around in exhibition foyers and attending those on the side fringe meetings, all culminate for their leader to arrive and give that grandstanding speech to galvanise the troops. This year, it’s potentially their last chance to focus and get everyone on the same hymn sheet.
Of course, it hardly ever happens that way! Party conferences is a time when they endeavour to misrepresent each other. We will see politicians overkill the use of rhetoric and platitudes to obfuscate their answers. In the cauldron of political gymnastics, wanting to tell the voters what they stand for, we will witness politicians doing what they do best, confuse the issues, provide a fake narrative of each other’s positions and when everything fails, make things up. If this was not serious, it would be hilarious and worthy of a sitcom.
This week the Tory party gathered in Manchester. PM Sunak’s first conference as their leader. This will be the biggest test of his career to date within the confines of the political fraternity. They say that the last party conference before a general election can either keep you in the race, or it can bury you. What will it be? Time will tell.
Rishi has major challenges, most of them tend to be from within the Tory Party itself. If the Tories wish to win the next election, then each of them will have to get behind him and tow the party line. Time for mischief making is over, unless of course they wish to lose and hand the nation over to the Labour Party.
Whilst Rishi faces an uphill struggle, the Labour leader Keir Starmer seems to be coasting it. He has a huge lead in the polls, almost insurmountable. For Labour to lose from this unprecedented position would be history making. The last time Labour made a total disaster from a winning possible was when Neil Kinnock was in charge.
Keir has played a masterful game, albeit against the backdrop of a Tory party that seems intent in self-harm. He has faked his position on almost every major issue. With Keir he is at ease saying and promising one thing today, only then to change his mind and doing a U turn to suit his advantage tomorrow. Interestingly, the public are either totally fooled by his persona, or they just don’t care. Either way, Keir is batting on a wicket of his choosing, with a tampered ball, umpires of his choosing and a field setting to his liking. What’s to lose!
For our community we must not be taken in by rhetoric and empty promises. Track record of what they have said and done is more important. As I have said many times before, I don’t think there is any single party that really represents all our aspirations, however, there are parties that have proven themselves to be our enemies. Knowing this should suffice in deciding where we place that cross on the ballot paper.
Did you know that yet again the Labour Party will be discussing Kashmir. It’s an obsession spurred by their Pakistani vote bank. The illegal terrorist occupiers of Jammu and Kashmir are running the show in Labour. And it is this that drives policy and narrative. A narrative that is anti-India, anti-Hindu and anti-Modi. Add to this mix the Khalistani tarka and you begin to get a sense of the party.
I never allow hot air from political parties to hoodwink me into believing their rhetoric. For me it’s always simple. How on earth can I ever vote for any party that so openly, and over a sustainedperiod of time, has shown such anti-India and anti-Hindu sentiments? So, enjoy the party conferences, keep your eyes and ears open, and read in between the lines.Beware the smiles of those Indians who aspire for a pat on the back and seek an honour for services rendered.
