Pride will come before a fall

Hubris. Such a good word. Outrageous pride that will lead, almost inevitably, to nemesis – punishment and defeat. I would not normally quote Wikipedia entries but this sentence is a good one:

“Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one’s own competence, accomplishments or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power.”

Lord (David) Owen, the former Labour foreign secretary and leader of the defunct Social Democratic Party, co-authored a paper on what he has called “hubris syndrome” in 2009 – it is well worth a read . His basic argument is that people’s personality can change when they are in positions of power, and usually not for the better.

I was reminded of the perils of hubris when I read this Daily Telegraph account of George Osborne’s comments at Davos last week. The chancellor was keen to tell the world how well he was doing with the British economy, and why other European countries needed to sort their ideas out if they were to remain worthy of being in the same club as the UK.

Osborne’s excessive and uninhibited comments are getting pretty familiar. He claimed last year to have halved the cost of the UK’s contribution to the EU when he had done no such thing. He has missed target after target on reducing the deficit yet declares himself to be a success. He has said, wrongly, that the UK’s is the fastest growing major economy in the world. (There are now in fact signs that growth is slowing). And he has suggested Britain will become the richest country in the world by 2030. This is fantastic, in the literal sense.

And this is all of a piece with hubristic Tory attitudes to their electoral prospects. After their party conference in October the word was that Mark Reckless would be destroyed and humiliated in the Rochester and Strood by-election. The Tories were “supremely confident” that no broadcaster would dare to threaten empty chairing the prime minister. But that is just what they have done. Meanwhile the Conservatives do not hide their satisfaction at the increasing difficulty in getting the debates to happen, claiming publicly they are enthusiastic while briefing privately that they have virtually no intention of taking part. The word that comes to mind is: cocky.

Gordon Brown was right to observe, on George Osborne’s presence in Davos, that he must be “very confident” about his party’s chances. That was the voice of the disapproving Church of Scotland minister warning about frivolity and carelessness.

Pride – hubris – comes before a fall. You do not have to be an expert in Greek mythology to recognise that. But last night the Greek election results gave the prime minister the opportunity to make another dismissive pronouncement.

David Cameron – at least I think it was David Cameron; perhaps it was a hoax? – tweeted this:

“The Greek election will increase economic uncertainty across Europe. That’s why the UK must stick to our plan, delivering security at home.”

Which managed to be crass, slightly rude and hugely self-serving all at the same time.

At times the Conservatives seem slightly mystified as to why they are not more popular. Look at the jobs, the growth figures, that well-spoken prime minister. Why aren’t the voters more grateful? Don’t they realise how lucky they are?

It is in part Tory cockiness that has driven supporters away – out-of-touchness, arrogance and disdain. Ukip supporters have been insulted. Women have been mocked. Muslims have been asked to prove that they can be truly British. Former articles of faith – “the greenest government ever” – have been abandoned (“green crap”).

This is all of a piece. This is hubris. At its most extreme we see it in parliament every Wednesday at noon. It is not a good look. And, as the Wikipedia authors of the entry on hubris also observe:

“When it offends the gods of ancient Greece, it is usually punished.”