26/02/07 - Robert Buckland, Conservatives Backed by Industry Professionals

Conservative Policy Backed by Industry Professionals.

David Cameron's Conservatives are supported by top professionals who want to see changes and improvements and changes both locally and nationally in working groups for various topics ranging from crime to the arts.

Featured on Sunday AM, John Tusa is working independently with The Conservatives in order to develop the Arts Stratergy for England.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/sunday_am/6394337.stm

The latest professional to join the Conservative Policy groups is Britain's former top policeman Lord Stevens.

"Top Cop Backs Border Plan"

Britain's former top policeman Lord Stevens has been recruited by the Conservative Party in the latest battle for the law and order agenda.

The ex-Met commissioner is to lead a working group to help flesh out Tory plans for a 10,000-strong dedicated border police in the UK.

Conservative leader David Cameron is insisting that "porous" border controls contribute to pressing social problems.

The new border force would be drawn from existing agencies such as customs and immigration. It would be funded by dropping plans for national identity cards and cutting costs at the Home Office.

Mr Cameron will claim in a speech that there is a "growing consensus" for such a move, and it has been backed by the Association of Chief Police Officers, current Scotland Yard Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, and the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Lord Stevens recently completed a high-profile inquiry into the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, and will chair an "expert and experienced" group to consider how the idea would work in practice.

"As someone who has been Britain's top policeman, he knows better than anyone how many of the problems faced by the police in our cities - guns, drugs, terrorism - have been made worse by our porous borders," Mr Cameron will say.

"Right now, our society is not properly defended against the drug dealers, people smugglers, gun importers and terrorists who find it all too easy to bypass the current system."

Robert Buckland, South Swindon Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, "The Conservative Party is working extremely hard to develop and deliver strong policies to deliver the foundation for a new Conservative Government.  We would also welcome your comments and suggestions."