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TRANSPORT DEBATE WILL LAUNCH TORY CONFERENCE

30th September 1966
Page 52
Page 52, 30th September 1966 — TRANSPORT DEBATE WILL LAUNCH TORY CONFERENCE
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

THE Conservative Party is to open its 84th annual conference at Blackpool on October 12 with a full-dress debate on transport.

Chosen for a 90-minute discussion as the initial topic for the conference is a motion from Tavistock which urges the party "to adopt a transport policy that will provide better services in the rural areas, more adequate facilities for the motor car in the towns, and a considerable speeding up of the motorway building programme".

To be introduced by Mr. Michael Heseltine, MP for Tavistock, this motion has been chosen from a total of 20 which have been submitted from the constituencies. Many of the motions underline the need for a swifter road-building programme, a sentiment which fits in with current thinking in the party leadership.

Speeches in the debate emphasize this, and condemn the Socialists for failing to get to grips with the motor age or acknowledge the facts of life regarding the transport of goods. There will be a strong anti-nationalization element among the speeches as well. Some of the motions, notably those from Worcester and Weston-super-Mare, regard Mrs. Castle's White Paper, published on July 27, as a threat to extend public ownership of road haulage.

The MPs for these two constituencies, Mr. Peter Walker and Mr. David Webster, are the current top Tory spokesmen on transport affairs, so they are likely to press home the nationalization threat with vigour.

The most pro-road haulage motion comes from North Ealing. Although it has not been chosen for the debate, its sponsor, Mr. Brian Chapman, will be seeking to push home its message, which says that: "This conference, realizing the intention of HM Government to nationalize the road haulage industry at the earliest opportunity, urges the Opposition to support fully the operators of free enterprise road haulage in their endeavour to escape their destruction by Socialism. It warns HM Opposition to watch closely the insidious tactics of the Government in squeezing private hauliers into liquidation by making it impossible to operate on a profitable basis".

The occasion is likely to be seized by Mr. Walker, the shadow Transport Minister, to make an all-out personal and policy attack upon Mrs. Castle, whom he has criticized repeatedly and pungently since the day he was appointed by party leader Mr. Edward Heath.

A fighting speech proclaiming a wellthought-out Conservative way ahead for transport could secure for Mr. Walker, the youngest shadow Minister, a permanent place at the top of his party in Parliament.


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