Michael Howard

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

I was watching C-SPAN, and they were showing the British Commons in session, so I got to hear Michael Howard speak.  And something struck me as odd: is it unusual to have a prominent Tory from Wales?

[Tory]

Yes it is. I don't believe the Conservative Party holds a seat in Wales any more. Howard is from the great town of Llanelli. As a small sidenote, he is Jewish, and Jews here typically vote Tory.

My mother's side of the family is from Wales, and I spent a good portion of my childhood years there. My mother's family is very socialist and is split between Labour and Plaid Cymru. My conservatism comes from my father and the fact that from the age of eight I lived in Tory strongholds in the southeast.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Yes it is. I don't believe the Conservative Party holds a seat in Wales any more. Howard is from the great town of Llanelli. As a small sidenote, he is Jewish, and Jews here typically vote Tory.

My mother's side of the family is from Wales, and I spent a good portion of my childhood years there. My mother's family is very socialist and is split between Labour and Plaid Cymru. My conservatism comes from my father and the fact that from the age of eight I lived in Tory strongholds in the southeast.

Very interesting.

I'm just proud of myself for being able to recognize a Welsh accent - even one that he's trying very hard to cover up.

[Tory]

That's pretty good. Most Americans don't know where Wales is, let alone recognize the accent.

I still have the accent, and like it, despite the fact that I consider myself fully English.

[Keystone Phil]

Well now I can add that he's from Wales to the few things I know about him. I'm an Ian Duncan Smith fan myself (though many Brits on this board really get on my case about that. I think he and Blair had some great debates.)

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

That's pretty good. Most Americans don't know where Wales is, let alone recognize the accent.

I still have the accent, and like it, despite the fact that I consider myself fully English.

Actually, I doubt I would be able to tell a Welsh accent from a Cornish accent.  I have this conception in my mind that they are very similar, although I haven't heard enough Cornish speakers to get a feel for what they sound like.  I have watched enough Monty Python to know that the sing-songy speech of Terry Jones' copper is Welsh.  Also John Cleese's disgruntled customer in the Dead Parrot Sketch, am I right?

What gives Howard away are his Ls.

[Dave from Michigan]

Beef do you have IM or e-mail

[English]

Yes it is. I don't believe the Conservative Party holds a seat in Wales any more. Howard is from the great town of Llanelli. As a small sidenote, he is Jewish, and Jews here typically vote Tory.

My mother's side of the family is from Wales, and I spent a good portion of my childhood years there. My mother's family is very socialist and is split between Labour and Plaid Cymru. My conservatism comes from my father and the fact that from the age of eight I lived in Tory strongholds in the southeast.

I thought the Jewish vote in Britain was fairly split? Secular Jews usually vote Labour.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Yes it is. I don't believe the Conservative Party holds a seat in Wales any more. Howard is from the great town of Llanelli. As a small sidenote, he is Jewish, and Jews here typically vote Tory.

My mother's side of the family is from Wales, and I spent a good portion of my childhood years there. My mother's family is very socialist and is split between Labour and Plaid Cymru. My conservatism comes from my father and the fact that from the age of eight I lived in Tory strongholds in the southeast.

I thought the Jewish vote in Britain was fairly split? Secular Jews usually vote Labour.

Brief history of British Jewish* voting patterns:

Intially Liberal (despite Disraeli... who was seen as a traitor to the community) up until the '30's, after the '30's and until the '50's most Jews were solidly Labour.
After Suez et al (and suburbanisation) Jewish voters became more Conservative (although less so than other middle class Brits), there was a swing towards Labour in the late '60's and early '70's (partly because of anti-semitic remarks by high profile Tories), but in the '80's, middle class Jews swung back towards the Tories.
In the '90's there was a large swing towards Labour (at national level). Jewish voters tend to be more independent minded than most voters and have a habit of voting for person over party.

*Note this doesn't apply to Ultra-Orthodox Jews

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As for Howard:

He's the son of Romanian Jewish asylum seekers and grew up in Llanelli (imagine growing up a Tory in South Wales! Hahahaha... School must have been hell...)

[JohnFKennedy]

Well now I can add that he's from Wales to the few things I know about him. I'm an Ian Duncan Smith fan myself (though many Brits on this board really get on my case about that. I think he and Blair had some great debates.)

*Note it is spelt Iain not Ian though no one really cares about IDS *

I am impressed you recognised the accent. Note he is originally from Transylvania though (well, his family) which is helps in the portrayal of him as a blood sucking tory vampire

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Beef do you have IM or e-mail

david_is_never@hotmail.com

I have an IM, but haven't really had much time for it these past few months.

[Keystone Phil]

Well now I can add that he's from Wales to the few things I know about him. I'm an Ian Duncan Smith fan myself (though many Brits on this board really get on my case about that. I think he and Blair had some great debates.)

*Note it is spelt Iain not Ian though no one really cares about IDS *

I am impressed you recognised the accent. Note he is originally from Transylvania though (well, his family) which is helps in the portrayal of him as a blood sucking tory vampire

I knew the spelling had to be off. The whole time I was wondering "Is his name spelled like this?" But anyway...I'm not sure what you're talking about when you said I recognized his accent.

[nomorelies]

Howard is in fact a pretty good guy.

He was home secretary when two 10 year olds killed Jamie Bulgar and had the difficult decision in sentencing them. But he has one bad bad fault.

HE INTRODUCED THE POLL TAX.

that is what turns hardcore labour fans of Howard. The poll tax created riots in all major cities in england. Liverpool still has the damage done to this day.

But i like him. He talks sense and he doesnt like Bush. But the poll tax is a burden.

[JohnFKennedy]

Well now I can add that he's from Wales to the few things I know about him. I'm an Ian Duncan Smith fan myself (though many Brits on this board really get on my case about that. I think he and Blair had some great debates.)

*Note it is spelt Iain not Ian though no one really cares about IDS *

I am impressed you recognised the accent. Note he is originally from Transylvania though (well, his family) which is helps in the portrayal of him as a blood sucking tory vampire

I knew the spelling had to be off. The whole time I was wondering "Is his name spelled like this?" But anyway...I'm not sure what you're talking about when you said I recognized his accent.

Sorry, accent comment referred to Beef's original post, sorry for the confusion.

[Peter]

He was home secretary when two 10 year olds killed Jamie Bulgar and had the difficult decision in sentencing them.

Actually a Judge sentenced the Bulgar killers, just as in every criminal trial in Britain.

Michael Howard tried to extend the tariff (time spent in jail before eligible for parole) over the time set by the Judge. A High Court Judge ruled that this was an abuse of the powers of the Crown and reversed the decision.