The Tories are in trouble, because the Tories have no idea who “they” are

I realise that by even writing this piece I’m in danger of coming across as po faced – or worse, the kind of person who tries to explain why a joke is funny. But here we go…

Last night Tory Chair Grant Shapps tweeted a poster about bingo and beer tax cuts. It was mercilessly torn apart within a matter of minutes. #torybingo wass still trending on Twitter more than twelve hours later. The poster as a whole was laughable, but what made people sit up, take notice, rub their eyes in disbelief and take notice again was one simple, little word.

“They”.

That’s how the poster talked about “hardworking people” – as “them”. The whole thing stank to high heaven of an aloof, high-handed, distant and out of touch approach to politics. It had undertones of “They like that sort of things don’t they?’. It had undertones of “bread and circuses”. It was like a poster from another era – worried about jobs, wages, the NHS and debt? Well worry not – because you and the missus can pop off for a beer and a spot of bingo.

Political parties launch social media graphics into the ether on a fairly regular basis. Some are good and some are rubbish. Tory HQ has aleady tried to write off this whole fiasco as a “one off tweet”. Except one off tweets don’t have CCHQ designed infographics (with more than one version). And “one off tweet” doesn’t cut the mustard when the same poster was gleefully tweeted by other MPs, including the Chancellor’s PPS.

One Tory MP, the delightful Karl McCartney of Lincoln, was so incensed by the idea that someone might have found the poster problematic, that he attacked me as a “boring, pious, unhappy, sneering leftie”.  Whilst that’s all quite possibly true, it doesn’t speak to relaxed confidence about the poster.

And this kind of aggressive abuse and high-handed “us and them” politics goes right to the heart of the Tory party’s biggest weakness. Just yesterday one Tory MP was pointing out that the Tories main problem was not being seen as in touch with “ordinary people”. It’s felt like huge chunks of the Tory leadership have spent the intervening period proving her right – not just with dodgy posters, but with a headline budget announcement like tax free saving up to £15k a year. Who can afford that? Not the average bingo player or beer drinker, that’s for sure.

The truth is that the modern Tory Party doesn’t understand the people labelled “they”. The language they’ve used – and that no-one in CCHQ who saw this thought it was problematic – tells you all you need to know.

So who are they?

An ever increasing number of “they” are being forced to survive on handouts from food banks – but the Tories can’t even understand why anyone would use one.

“They”, are often people – especially the young – trapped in a cycle of no work or temporary work.

Many of “they” can’t afford to heat their homes, as energy giants rake in whopping profits.

The disabled, assessed by ATOS but vilified by Duncan Smith – some of them are “they” too.

“They” are getting squeezed by higher prices and lower wages.

If all the Tories can offer “they” is bigger bingo prizes and a few pence off beer, then “they” are unlikely to be joining the Tory camp any time soon – and I say that as someone who loves a bit of bingo and a great deal of beer.

The truth is that the Tories have no idea who “they” are.

But instead of being angry, or laughing at the laughable attempts of the Tory Party to win over working people with crass and patronising posters, I should really thanks Shapps, McCartney and. Not for their condescending advert, their abuse or their haughty shock that anyone should find their advert demeaning and utterly counterproductive. No, I should thank them for reinvigorating me. For reminding me once again, if I needed reminding, why the next election is important. For reminding me who runs the country. For reminding me who the governing party think matters and who doesn’t. For reminding me that too many Tories still dvide the country up into “them” and “us”.

Yesterday, after Ed Miliband’s flat response to the budget, the Labour Party felt a little down. A little lacklustre. Lacking in vigour. Today the Labour Party feels like it’s pulled itself upright and fought back.

For that Grant, I should say thanks.