I’m in Sedgefield, County Durham, contesting the nomination for the Conservative candidate who will fight the Prime Minister for his seat in Parliament. I make my speech to the assembled Tories: tax, Europe, crime, education, pensions. Afterwards I go into the corridor and make agonising conversation with the other finalist. I smoke a cigarette. I go to the loo. I smoke another cigarette. They are taking an extremely long time. Eventually the chairman emerges and delivers the verdict. The other chap takes it well, slipping away with a smile and a handshake. The chairman takes me to the pub.
In 1997 Mr Blair promised a low-tax government, to make education a triple priority, and to be tough on crime and its causes. In 2004 people in Sedgefield pay the highest council tax in the country. GCSE standards in English and maths have gone down and violent crime and antisocial behaviour have rocketed.
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