The shadow foreign secretary has denied that Tory plans to allow people to set up their own schools would create 'a nation of Hyacinth Buckets'.
William Hague was asked on the BBC Campaign Show what evidence there is that voters want more control over public services.
"Most people want to sit at home .... you seem to want to create a nation of Linda Snells and Hyacinth Buckets," said John Sopel.
Hague said the evidence for a desire to take control of schools and other services is "anecdotal" but "it is what I see going all around the country".
Sopel said Britian is "a society that walks on the other side and just ignores what's going on around us".
Hague said that is a "metropolitan" attitude.
"That might be the case in the very centre of London, but I don't believe it's even the case in communities in the identifiable communities in other parts of London.
"It's certainly not the case in villages and markets towns in my constituency in North Yorkshire where huge proportions of the population want to get on and do things and be active and usually they find there's something in the way."
The Tory plan to allow parents, charities and other organisations to set up state schools was unveiled in their manifesto yesterday.
Business secretary Lord Mandelson said the Tory manifesto "would have serious consequences for services that schools and the NHS provide, including a return to a postcode lottery, putting providers' interests above those of the customer".
Hyacinth Bucket is the snobbish, interfering housewife in BBC comedy Keeping Up Appearances – Linda Snell is a character on BBC radio soap The Archers known for her "school ma'am tones and sniffy attitude".
Article Comments
So the Conservatives want people who are busy bodies, but only in a good way??
14th Apr 2010 at 1:41 pm by Richard
