THE TORIES AND 'SMALL GOVERNMENT'

Michael Howard has stated that he wishes the Conservative Party to be the party of 'small government'. He believes that Britain is becoming over taxed under a New Labour government. Such rhetoric reminds me of the musings of American conservatives. When George W. Bush was running for President of the United States, he often said that he wanted to reduce the size and scope of the US federal government. Has he done so now he is the President? Of course not. How can the War on Terror be equated with reducing the size of government?

I fear that the same is true of the Conservative Party in our country. If Mr. Howard TRULY believes in smaller government, he should seek to end the state monopoly that is the NHS, for example. Of course I may be biased, but only libertarians can sincerely advocate in favour of smaller government. People should be free to live their lives as THEY choose and only be punished if violating others' rights to person and property.