They would all be easy to implement to help counter public cynicism that politicians make grand promises they cannot deliver.
Among these easy policies was the UK�s unilateral withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy.
The problem was Mr Howard had not asked any of the other countries that are signed up to these agreements what they would think of Britain reneging on them.
Some bright spark then asked John Redwood, former leadership contender and now back as Tory spokesman on deregulation, how the UK would withdraw from the CFP without leaving the EU when that would require the support of all other EU states.
Mr Redwood replied by e mail saying if a future Tory Government failed to persuade all of our EU partners to let this happen (they have so far failed to identify a single one that would) they would pass a Bill in Parliament. �Easy!� Mr Redwood added for good measure.
But since his e mail surfaced, Mr Redwood has gone to ground. He has refused numerous requests to be interviewed to explain how his idea would work in practice.
That is because it would not be easy at all. In fact, no EU country has ever tried to leave the CFP while remaining in the EU. It would lead to years of legal and political wrangling and the likelihood of unlimited fines for the UK taxpayer.
At the end of it we would not be outside the CFP but inside the EU because no other country would let that happen. We would either still be in the EU, weakened and friendless or outside, weakened and friendless and having to renegotiate agreements on everything, including fish, with all those countries we had just alienated.
This would make the cod wars and John Major�s disastrous beef war look like a picnic. And not a single fish or fisherman�s livelihood saved. Easy?
No wonder Mr Redwood�s gone so uncharacteristically quiet.
