Friday, December 08, 2006
Oh Dear...
The Times reports here on some top Conservative defections to the UKIP. This is interesting because only yesterday I read a report supposedly from UKIP that some were indeed planned. It's always hard to know the truth in such cases, but this does at least show UKIP weren't simply "flying a kite".
The article concentrates on Tony Horton, who is a former constituency chairman to William Hague. Some of his quotes resonate with me, and no doubt to with many of my readers: "I didn’t leave the Conservative Party, the Conservative Party has left me...", and "It will become increasingly common. Most Conservatives are instinctively loyal, but there’s always a tipping point."
One conservative MP (unsurprisingly unnamed) is quoted: "This is undoubtedly a warning shot. Many people tempted to join UKIP are cast-iron Conservatives, but they must feel they have something to vote for. It is essential we keep on board traditional Tories." Well unnamed, your views are at odds with those of others, see The England Project here quoting from Iain Dale: "Cameron knows what the right knows. If the price of getting the extra two million votes needed to win an election is to lose a few thousand “scorched earthers” on the right, it’s a price he’s only too happy to pay. So far, he’s managed to keep the right on board despite trying its patience with his failure to deliver on withdrawing from the European People’s Party…", but it looks like it's slipping...
Another defector is quoted: "The way Cameron has led the party means I can’t be part of it, and there’s lots of people like me, ... He’s turned it into something indistinguishable from new Labour, so what’s the point?" Well indeed, and it's quite stupid too, the people who vote and like Labour as it is are never ever going to vote for the Conservatives, no matter what they do. These votes aren't available, which is why your strategy, Cameron is flawed.
Another defector says: "UKIP are now the only voice of opposition in this country, speaking up for all those who feel betrayed by the other parties." Returning to Mr Horton for a similar quote we have: "There is a real need in this country for a party of the Centre Right, and if the Conservative Party doesn’t want to fill it, there is inevitably a vacuum that UKIP will fill. If you want to vote green, there is a thriving Green Party. If you want to vote Liberal Democrat, there is a thriving Liberal Democrat Party." Both these quotes are ignoring any likely threat the BNP might pose, which is probably a mistake, I think it likely that many previous Labour voters will be tempted by a less racially orientated BNP, as they are very socialist after all.
The last quote in the article comes from Conservative headquarters: "UKIP is a party of the few dedicated to a single issue. The Conservative Party is the only political party that can replace this failing Labour Government." Well it won't be a party of the few dedicated to a single issue if disgruntled Conservatives get hold of it will it? It won't take too long to produce some sensible policies on crime, taxes, public spending, immigration and other important issues that the Conservative Party shies away from, and in any event at least they've got an issue, what issue have you got?
We're like Labour, but we're not Blair? You can't seriously expect to win an election with that.
The article concentrates on Tony Horton, who is a former constituency chairman to William Hague. Some of his quotes resonate with me, and no doubt to with many of my readers: "I didn’t leave the Conservative Party, the Conservative Party has left me...", and "It will become increasingly common. Most Conservatives are instinctively loyal, but there’s always a tipping point."
One conservative MP (unsurprisingly unnamed) is quoted: "This is undoubtedly a warning shot. Many people tempted to join UKIP are cast-iron Conservatives, but they must feel they have something to vote for. It is essential we keep on board traditional Tories." Well unnamed, your views are at odds with those of others, see The England Project here quoting from Iain Dale: "Cameron knows what the right knows. If the price of getting the extra two million votes needed to win an election is to lose a few thousand “scorched earthers” on the right, it’s a price he’s only too happy to pay. So far, he’s managed to keep the right on board despite trying its patience with his failure to deliver on withdrawing from the European People’s Party…", but it looks like it's slipping...
Another defector is quoted: "The way Cameron has led the party means I can’t be part of it, and there’s lots of people like me, ... He’s turned it into something indistinguishable from new Labour, so what’s the point?" Well indeed, and it's quite stupid too, the people who vote and like Labour as it is are never ever going to vote for the Conservatives, no matter what they do. These votes aren't available, which is why your strategy, Cameron is flawed.
Another defector says: "UKIP are now the only voice of opposition in this country, speaking up for all those who feel betrayed by the other parties." Returning to Mr Horton for a similar quote we have: "There is a real need in this country for a party of the Centre Right, and if the Conservative Party doesn’t want to fill it, there is inevitably a vacuum that UKIP will fill. If you want to vote green, there is a thriving Green Party. If you want to vote Liberal Democrat, there is a thriving Liberal Democrat Party." Both these quotes are ignoring any likely threat the BNP might pose, which is probably a mistake, I think it likely that many previous Labour voters will be tempted by a less racially orientated BNP, as they are very socialist after all.
The last quote in the article comes from Conservative headquarters: "UKIP is a party of the few dedicated to a single issue. The Conservative Party is the only political party that can replace this failing Labour Government." Well it won't be a party of the few dedicated to a single issue if disgruntled Conservatives get hold of it will it? It won't take too long to produce some sensible policies on crime, taxes, public spending, immigration and other important issues that the Conservative Party shies away from, and in any event at least they've got an issue, what issue have you got?
We're like Labour, but we're not Blair? You can't seriously expect to win an election with that.
Labels: Conservative Party
