Tory rebels launch their own alternative Queens speech as helpful reminder of why Lib Dems vital to Cameron-35014.html

It's enough to make you feel sorry for David Cameron. The Telegraph report gives the highlights:

Conservative MPs launch attempt to bring back death penalty, privatise the BBC and ban burka

"Conservative MPs have drawn up an "Alternative Queen's Speech" with radical policies such as bringing back the death penalty, privatising the BBC and banning the burka in public spaces.

"The 42 bills also include legislation to scrap wind farm subsidies, end the ringfence for foreign aid spending and rename the late August Bank Holiday "Margaret Thatcher Day". Britain's relationship with Europe features prominently in the action plan, with draft laws setting out how the UK would leave the European Union and a Bill to prevent Bulgarians and Romanians winning new rights to work, live and claim benefits here from next year.

"All of the proposals were laid before the House of Commons last night after the Tory backbenchers hijacked an obscure Parliamentary procedure by camping out in Westminster for four successive nights.

"Many of the less controversial policies - including legislating for a transferable tax allowance for married couples and making the Coalition's introduction of same-sex marriage subject to referendum - are known to be very popular amongst Conservative MPs. Those MPs behind the alternative legislative programme say it is a "genuine attempt" to show what policies a future Conservative government could deliver."

Yes, that's right: this is a very "genuine attempt" by Tory rebels to demonstrate o nce again to David Cameron why he'd much rather have to deal with the Lib Dems than be held perpetual hostage by the substantial number of fruitcakes and loonies on his own party's hardline right-wing.

One of the architects of the plans, Peter Bone MP for Wellingborough (for it is he), says "This is serious attempt to deliver policies that the British public really want. There are ideas here that could form the basis of a future Conservative manifesto."

Let's hope so. After all, they're the kind of ideas that worked so triumphantly for the Tories in 2001 and 2005. And I love this comment:

When asked what he thought David Cameron would make of the policies, Mr Bone: "I think the Prime Minister will be pretty relaxed about this."

That's 'relaxed' in a stung-out-in-despair-god-do-I-really-have-to-put-up-with-these-idiots kind of way. It all reminds me of a certain Daily Mail headline.

* Stephen Tall is Co-Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice, a Research Associate for the liberal think-tank CentreForum, and also writes at his own site, The Collected Stephen Tall.