David Cameron keeps 'little black book' of policies blocked by Lib Dems
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Version 0 of 1. David Cameron has revealed he keeps a "little black book" of policies blocked by the Liberal Democrats which he plans to implement if the Conservatives win the next general election outright. Speaking to the Spectator magazine, the prime minister said he passionately wants to escape the constraints of the coalition and govern at the head of a single-party government. Cameron indicated that a Tory-only government after the 2015 election would deliver more radical action on welfare reform, Europe, the Human Rights Act and support for enterprise. He said: "Increasingly, today, I feel very strongly and see very clearly the case for more accountable, more decisive and active government. "I think we could go further on welfare reform, to sharpen work incentives and get more people out of poverty. "I can see clearly now what needs to be done in terms of our relationship with Europe, when it comes to building a pro-enterprise economy how we go further and faster on backing entrepreneurship, cutting business taxes, getting our economy moving." Cameron insisted that the coalition was working well, but added: "Because of what I see as the problems facing Britain and what I want to do next as prime minister I feel passionately that I want single-party government." Asked why he did not speak out more openly about the frustrations of coalition government, Cameron replied: "I don't believe that you succeed in government by sitting around whingeing about what you can't do. "I'm happy to tell you that there's a good list of things I have put in my little black book that I haven't been able to do which will form the next Tory manifesto." In his speech to the Liberal Democrat conference in September, the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, boasted that he had blocked Conservative policy proposals on a range of issues from inheritance tax cuts to profit-making state schools, powers for bosses to fire at will, scrapping housing benefits for young people to ditching the Human Rights Act. He told delegates: "Sometimes compromise and agreement isn't possible and you just have to say no." Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |