Tuesday, January 09, 2007
One Month On... More Defections
The Times reports on more Conservative defections to UKIP. From the two Lords concerned it's perhaps in one way not surprising as both in 2004 "...urged voters to support UKIP".
Only a month since the last defections, this is more bad news for Cameron, it is my view that Conservative supporters tend to be conservative. We don't like change and messing about especially for no good reason. That being said, we're usually creatures of principle and if we find things unacceptable then there will be a conflict between loyalty and principle and everyone will have their personal tipping point where they can take no more.
The Times tells us that Lord Pearson "...has been a major party fundraiser..."; so potentially his defection might really hit where it hurts. Certainly he seems to think so: “If you are a big funder of the Conservative Party, you are likely to be frustrated with the current leadership, and I know quite a few who are. I don’t see why people who have been funding the Conservative Party for a long time shouldn’t put their country before the current leadership.”. That being said it appears the Conservatives will probably support state funding of political parties so it might not matter to them.
Notice that the less out of touch a party is the more likely it is to support state funding. Anyone who believes in their views, and believes in democracy will always be against state funding of parties. If the party is any good and represents people, then people will join it and give it money. Otherwise if it just panders to "policymakers and academics" - well its demise is imminent.
Of course there are the (particularly bad) platitudes that I shan't bother repeating, the only question is how much can Cameron stand? Is he going to start placating the party? Or is he going to do nothing and watch it haemorrhage to UKIP?
Where are Cameron's gains from Labour and Lib Dem MPs and Lords? Where are the increases in party membership?
The defections last month are starting to look like the warning shot they were described as. Cameron risks becoming the leader of an empty party.
Only a month since the last defections, this is more bad news for Cameron, it is my view that Conservative supporters tend to be conservative. We don't like change and messing about especially for no good reason. That being said, we're usually creatures of principle and if we find things unacceptable then there will be a conflict between loyalty and principle and everyone will have their personal tipping point where they can take no more.
The Times tells us that Lord Pearson "...has been a major party fundraiser..."; so potentially his defection might really hit where it hurts. Certainly he seems to think so: “If you are a big funder of the Conservative Party, you are likely to be frustrated with the current leadership, and I know quite a few who are. I don’t see why people who have been funding the Conservative Party for a long time shouldn’t put their country before the current leadership.”. That being said it appears the Conservatives will probably support state funding of political parties so it might not matter to them.
Notice that the less out of touch a party is the more likely it is to support state funding. Anyone who believes in their views, and believes in democracy will always be against state funding of parties. If the party is any good and represents people, then people will join it and give it money. Otherwise if it just panders to "policymakers and academics" - well its demise is imminent.
Of course there are the (particularly bad) platitudes that I shan't bother repeating, the only question is how much can Cameron stand? Is he going to start placating the party? Or is he going to do nothing and watch it haemorrhage to UKIP?
Where are Cameron's gains from Labour and Lib Dem MPs and Lords? Where are the increases in party membership?
The defections last month are starting to look like the warning shot they were described as. Cameron risks becoming the leader of an empty party.
Labels: Conservative Party
