IT was time the people of Britain made a stand and got their country back, said Conservative Party Leader William Hague when he addressed a crowded breakfast meeting of local Conservatives in Usk on Tuesday. He said New Labour had given away too much to Brussels - "We want to be in Europe but not run by Europe" he said. New Labour had given away too many rights to Europe - they might claim it was only a little and that may be so but a little added to a little became too much.
He was delighted the Conservatives were "getting a little bit of help" from Labour at the moment. Referring to the Peter Mandelson affair, Mr Hague said a Labour M.P. had told them they were going to hold a party to celebrate Mr Mandelson's departure from the Government "but the M1 wasn't big enough."
The Government had for long been susceptible to spin but was now being consumed by it with deceit and misrepresentation. There had been an abject failure of the Government to deliver on promises they had made.
Mr Hague said that when he left office as Secretary of State for Wales waiting lists in many areas were lower than they were now such as waiting for hospital places. The number of police officer was lower now than it had been and the Government had, he said, also failed to live up to their promises on schools.
That morning they were all waiting with apprehension for the announcement over the Welsh steel industry from Corus. The steel industry had bit hit by higher taxes such as the new Climate Change Levy which cost Corus an extra £7 million a year and should be abolished.
Mr Hague said the Government were also doing great damage to the countryside which was particularly emotive in an area such as Monmouthshire They had 'abandoned' agriculture, giving farmers little opportunity to compete with imports from countries which did not impose the same high standard as this country.
Gordon Brown had "jacked up" the price of petrol which had a particularly devastating effect on rural areas where there was often no alternative to the car as public services were so infrequent, if in existence at all.
Mr Hague claimed police numbers were now 4,500 fewer than when the Conservatives left office, despite Government promises. It was time the Government realised that the abiding majority was in favour of the householder, not the house-breaker.
"We have the most dictatorial power-hungry Government in living memory" said Mr Hague.
The Conservative Party was ready for the next election, whenever it may come, but first locally there was the question of a bye-election in the Priory Ward of Abergavenny for Monmouthshire County Council where Conservatives shared power with Labour. It was absolutely vital for all Conservatives in that ward to get out and vote on March 1st - and then follow it up " a few weeks later" when the General Election was probably coming.