"Just so long as they're not Tory voters, eh!"

Not true at all. I know many tory voters I would happily have a pint and a tune with. In that respect, I don't care in some ways. But you know, there's a reason for everything.

I was in the Young Conservatives once (co-opted onto the committee by Nick Robinson, now BBC political correspondent), and what I saw went against the grain for me personally. I didn't like the dismissal of huge swathes of the populace as sponging scum, the myopic adherence to nuclear weapons, an appalling sense of entitlement because of wealth and a wider sense of misanthropy that even included the dealings they had with each other. One of the final straws came when it turns out our local MP had set up a bank account into which local business were depositing cash outside of the party itself . . . 'backhanders' was the word on everyone's lips within the association. When challenged in a private meeting he went purple, spluttered and went ballistic - a real sight to see. He protested way too much. No surprise then when it turns out he was one of the many thieving MPs and stood down at the next election.

Eventually, in between the boozing sessions we invited a bloke from Shelter to a debate about social housing and after a feisty exchange during which he totally demolished the arguments of the sons of the local well-to-do. He then declared himself a committed socialist and he'd discuss any subject, an offer that was eagerly taken up. He then proceeded to give a good account of himself of an ever more hostile group, many of whom ended up doing no more than taking the piss and calling him a "leftie" etc etc rather than debating the points. I was impressed. At the same time I was doing an English Lit. O Level and our tutor (another socialist) recommended Pygmalion, which I loved and which demonstrated the problems of inequality and the class system had existed for many years and were still relevant.

I went to the rally in the 1983 election at Wembley where I heard Parkinson, Thatcher and Everett speak (Everett was the best by a country mile) amongst others. I patted Thatcher on the back (true). On the way home we stopped at Watford Gap services where a coach from the people's march for jobs was also halted on the trip north to home. YC's went out and stickered the bus the people were on with pro-tory propaganda, and proceeded to sneer and mock them when they pointed out the damage to the coach. A couple of ladies came on the bus to remonstrate with the yobs but they were shouted down in the most disrespectful manner. That was it. I was disgusted, shocked and decided I wanted no part of this any more, these were not my kind of people. I had heard the party great and good talk about their superior values and in the next breath dismiss people fighting for their jobs and communities as worthless hangers-on. This spurred on the boorish whelps that largely made up and typified the junior association. I then resigned on political grounds (possibly the only YC ever to have done so). I missed the access to beer and the debates, but that was about it.

Next issue: What I hate about the Labour Party (second in a series of three).

"Cowardy Custard!"

Bah! That's it. If you're going to be mean I'm not playing no more.