You are here: Home » Comment »

The Tory Party is eating itself as it fast forwards through government

September 11, 2012 10:13 am

Author:

Tags:

Share this Article

The modern day leaders of the Tory Party are often characterised as young men in a hurry. So much so that Dave, George and chums appear to be fast forwarding through government.

It may be unfair to compare the Cameron “victory” of 2010 with the Blair landslide of 1997. For starters, whilst Blair had a whopping great three figure majority, Cameron limped over the line to Number 10 using Nick Clegg as a crutch. The extended honeymoon period enjoyed by Blair – which in hindsight feels like it lasted right through to the second landslide of 2001 – lasted for Cameron only as long as it took to hire and fire his first cabinet minister, David Laws. The Rose Garden petals were compost by Christmas.

Since then the government seems to have created the political equivalent of the perpetual motion machine, constantly driving itself
forward – yet, slowly at first and then violently, swiveling off their axis.

The major revolts, the sops to the backbenches, the policy changing strops from the rank and file – all have happened far sooner in this
parliament than might otherwise have been expected. Last week’s reshuffle was reminiscent of the latter days of Gordon Brown – an
exercise more in refreshing the appearance of the cabinet than changing much in the way of policies.

But if proof were needed that the Tory Party are fast forwarding their way through government (and perhaps back towards the oblivion of opposition), it comes today with the founding of new Tory Right pressure group “Conservative Voice”. You only set up a campaigning group like this – one that seems ideologically opposed to the leadership – if you are feeling ignored and marginalised. In many ways it’s reminiscent of the founding of Compass, but that was six years into a Labour government, not two. Like Compass, Conservative Voice believes that votes are being lost to other parties (for Compass it was the Lib Dems, for Conservative Voice, UKIP). Like Compass, Conservative Voice believes itself to be both in tune with the majority of party members and likely to yeild a vote winning agenda. But whilst Compass was founded whilst there was – quite literally – a war on, Conservative Voice is founded in the aftermath of obstructionism over Lords Reform.

Priorities, priorities.

To have reached the point where a faction of this nature is founded just over two years into government will send a further shiver down the already jittery spine of the Prime Minister. Much of the Conservative Voice agenda sounds like the right wing ravings of his 2010 intake. Much of the Conservative Voice agenda sounds like it could easily be taken up by Boris, or any number of other Tory Right assailants. Much of Conservative Voice sounds like the ideologically pure Thatcherism that Cameron’s leadership was meant to be a break with.

It has become fashionable to mock those who argue that Labour is united in opposition, and indeed, we are not as united as we could be. But compared to the Tory Party, with open attacks on the “arrogant posh boy” leadership, freshly minted right wing factions and uncontrollable backbenchers, we’re the bloody Brady Bunch.

Related posts:

  1. Fast Forwards: Living in the new age of the train
  2. Tory donations scandal: “No way to run a government or a political party”, says Miliband
  3. So far David Cameron has managed, not led, the Tory party
  4. Local Tory Leader slams his party’s inexperience for government
  5. How would the BBC fare under a Tory government?
  • http://twitter.com/GuidoFawkes Guido Fawkes

    Think it is more to do with restless Tories feeling a need to assert the core Tory values where government figures are precluded from doing so by the dictates of coalition.

    • postageincluded

      That’s their story and they’re sticking to it.

    • Serbitar

      When disabled people fall into arrears on their rents and begin to be evicted next year, because of the bedroom tax, it will be really interesting to witness what voters really think about Tory values. 

    • telemachus

      True core tory values are the one nation values of Cameron and Osbourn
      This is naked power politics to see who will blink first

  • http://twitter.com/all_thats_left_ All Thats Left

    The Conservative Party is proving itself to be every bit as vicious and brutal as we all remember it to be. What is reassuring is that most voters loathe it, but not just as a political party, they loathe it as a social entity embodying greed and selfishness. 
    The challenge for Ed Milliband is whether he can tap into and articulate that feeling. 
    I consider this in more detail in the following article, follow the link: http://www.allthatsleft.co.uk/2012/09/can-ed-milliband-harness-the-olympic-spirit/

  • http://twitter.com/RF_McCarthy Roger McCarthy

    From a historical perspective factionalism flourishes when a government has already achieved its key objectives – and the Tories have in less than half of a Parliament achieved more than they could have considered imaginable  in terms of dismantling the NHS, welfare and education systems and what they have undone in two years may well well take us decades to restore.

    And crucially Labour still shows no serious signs that it will restore anything so Tories who care more about the fundamental realities of who owns and controls what than who is in Number 10 need not even fear the consequences of losing an election and so can kick back and indulge their personal feuds and obsessions.

    So this is entirely natural and Labour has scarcely been immune from it in those governments when it has implemented its main programme planks – look at say 1950-1, 1968-70, 1977-9  or the fag end of Blair’s premiership.

     

     

     

    • postageincluded

      Or it could be that factionalism is the natural condition of a failing government. When everything’s going fine it’s easy to be flexible and resolve disputes. When it looks as if a crash is imminent it’s harder to compromise. The Tories, especially since the boundary changes were kicked into touch, have realised they can easily lose in 2015, and they can’t agree on why, or what to do about it.

    • aracataca

      Yes but this group has very senior members of the Tory party and ex-leading lights within it such as David Davis and Liam Fox. One of the things that still astonishes me is how united we are. As someone who still remembers with dread the crazy internal party divisions of the early 1980s with candidates like Mandy Mudd being selected, Woy Jenkins leading a breakaway to the SDP, deranged Conference Arrangements Commitees, Militant, etc I think Ed and co are to be congratulated on keeping us together when traditionally when we have been in this position in the past we have completely fallen apart. 

  • Chilbaldi

    Yes. But meanwhile lots of Labour supporters convince themselves that the Tories are simply killing each other, paving the way for Ed “no policies” Miliband’s easy stroll into Downing Street.

    • http://www.facebook.com/amergin.selby Amergin Selby

       Its really not fair to dub Milliband as “no policies”. The Labour Party of which he is leader are facing , along with the rest of the nation, a difficult set of circumstances, many, but not all, linked to a damaged national economy, and a world wide similar situation. We need, as a party, to seriously rethink the benefits system and restore fairness and appropriate levels of support to those who really need it, we need to sort the NHS, We need a measured approach to Europe. We need to look at the Human Rights act which has just made us into a compensation culture. There are lots of other things that need to be considered. He has three more years and has asked Cruddas to come up with thought-through policies to address these unprecedented times.
      We have the time – lets get it right.What we need to do is bring back into the heart of our party the altruism that helped to bring it into being and showed its real compassion in 1945 when we remoulded our society and brought it to be a fairer more caring society.

  • AlanGiles

    Yet more proof – if it were needed – of the arrogance and thick skinned cheek of politicians. David Davies at least has the courage of his convictions, but he is saddled with Liam Fox, a man whose bizarre behaviour while defence secretary neccesitated him having to resign.

    I can’t imagine why anybody would want to be associated with  – still less, co lead – by –   yet another dishonest and conniving ex-Minister.

    I think Guido is right – this group is just an acknowledgement right wing Tories feel  at the impotence of having what they consider the “wrong” leader and having to compromise on policies to accomodate the coalition (in as much as they do).

    Politicians love joining things though: Don’t like the leader?, join  a group to vent your frustration. Of course a lot of “Progress” supporters feel they have the wrong brother leading……

    Starting or joining a group is a good way of making a noise and causing embarrassment.

  • http://twitter.com/waterwards dave stone

    I live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country and there’s more than a few Tory voters and local office-holders in my social circle, from what I hear from them it’ll take more than a pressure group to deter defections to UKIP.

    But good luck with your ‘Conservative Voice’ – if I were a Tory supporter I wouldn’t trust Cameron or Osborne to open a biscuit tin, let alone run the country.

  • Jeremy_Preece

    My concern is quite simple. The Tories got in (after a fashion) with 36 – 37% of the vote. This vote has only sunk by at most 6%, but usually is about 34 or 35%.
    Outside of the Tory Party, there are the other extreme right wingers, most significant is UKIP. UKIP and others are accounting for 10% or more of the vote. There are many very rigth wing Tories who feel that if they axe their leader and lurch the party to the rigth, then some of these right wing nutters could re-enter the fold of the Tory party. That sort of result would be enough to sink Labour at the next election, and the LibDems will have all but dissapeared.
     
    That great day of celebrating London 2012 yesterday was somewhat hijacked at the end by the speaches of Cameron and Boris. It struck me that what we were actaully witnessing was the ultra right in the form of Boris, making a bid to outclass their current leader.
     
    Strangely, at this moment in time, I am not keen to see Cameron crash down to earth until the next election.

  • aracataca

    Loathing is not a particularly positive emotion and I am not sure that the articulation of loathing would be particularly positive either and I am also worried about your suggestion that one man should articulate the voices and feelings of millions. It’s been done before and it’s called dictatorship. The left must be plural and diverse if it wants to be successful.

    • http://twitter.com/all_thats_left_ All Thats Left

      Come on – there is a massive difference between leadership and dictatorship, your point is a trite one! 

  • telemachus

    The media are making a good fist of stoking up a Brown Blair style Ed-Ed row. So the United in Opposition may not last

  • Alexwilliamz

    I actually think a lot of grass roots conservativism is not born out of fear and not greed. Yep there is a particular subset of ‘tory boy’ wealthy and presume that those less well off are there because of their own stupidity or fecklessness. However I think conservatism is more often tied in with a fear of the future and a desire not to lose things which many of us can relate to. Sadly with the disappearance of a genuine ‘one nation’ conservatism a lot of the decency which sat alongside this attempt to keep a kind of status quo has also vanished. Instead we see a party too often trying to seek is purpose through hate and blame, preying on the genuine concerns of the ‘haves’ and pitching them against the ‘have nots’. Part of Labour’s mandate I have always felt it to show those with something to lose, have more to gain by taking some risks and building a fairer society than they will ever lose in such an enterprise.

Latest

  • Featured Technology isn’t just something for geeks to worry about

    Technology isn’t just something for geeks to worry about

    By Jim Knight

    If you Google ‘Ed Miliband,’ you quickly get the old stuff about him being a bit of geek. His appearance at Google’s big Tent on Wednesday almost begged the headline “Geek Goes Home”. But that assumes technology is just something for geeks to worry about, and that Ed is a techie. Neither are true. What we saw on Wednesday was a leader with the courage to tell Google straight that it should live up to its founding principles on the [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured Woolwich: The British people – and our politicians – have risen to the occasion

    Woolwich: The British people – and our politicians – have risen to the occasion

    By Mark Ferguson

    “We want to start a war” – Woolwich attacker “right now it is only you versus many people, you are going to lose” - Ingrid Loyau-Kennett Only 24 hours ago, news began to trickle through about a barbarous crime, committed on the streets of our capital city, in broad daylight. It seems that the murderers who attacked and brutally murdered a soldier felt they were acting in a way endorsed by their religious beliefs and their god. But to try and [...]

    Read more →
  • News

    Labour NEC Report – 21st May 2013

    By Johanna Baxter

    Party Organisation The General Secretary (GS) noted the party’s good performance in the recent Local, Mayoral and South Shields elections and thanked all members, activists and staff for their contribution to that success. The committee discussed the work of Blue State Digital who have been brought in to revolutionise the party’s use of new and social media as part of our suite of campaign tools. It was noted that Matthew McGregor, Head of Blue State Digital’s London Office and former [...]

    Read more →
  • News Labour’s London Assembly Leader responds to Woolwich attack

    Labour’s London Assembly Leader responds to Woolwich attack

    Following yesterday’s attack in Woolwich, Leader of the Labour Group on the London Assembly Len Duvall AM said: “The attack in Woolwich was horrific, the actions of local people in response and the head-teacher and staff at the school are a reflection of the values and strength of our community. “At this afternoon’s London Assembly Police and Crime Committee questions will be asked about yesterday’s attack and the response, and at a future assembly meeting we will come together to [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment If Labour is to build One Nation, it must be a safe and equal one for women

    If Labour is to build One Nation, it must be a safe and equal one for women

    By Ellie Cumbo

    Today End Violence Against Women (EVAW) releases a new report auditing the Government’s progress in acting to prevent violence against women and girls. And with the revelations from Operation Yewtree and group exploitation cases set to roll on for many months , we hope the response from Parliament, policy-makers and the media will be unanimous : that prevention must be at the top of the priority list for any government, of any colour, from now on. On that basis, it’s [...]

    Read more →