Tuesday 22 September 2009

Disarray

The conference season has kicked off this year with all three parties engaged in internecine struggles. Key people in each party are the subject of whispering campaigns from within their own rank and file. Policy frequently appears made up 'on the hoof' and then later retracted as the press reacts furiously to any apparently 'off-message' speeches and announcements.

Nick Clegg has had to backtrack on his 'savage cuts' proposal, which appeared to be the result of bravado. Vince Cable has been criticised for not clearing his 'million pound house surcharge' with the rank and file first. Labour is contending with an Attorney General who employs illegal immigrants and a leader whom much of the party believes is a nutter who will probably bow out before the next election. Meanwhile the Conservative Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne is being criticised as weak and not up to the job, too much of a political point scorer, who is frequently out of his depth.

It is primarily the greater discipline of the Conservatives that has allowed them to maintain their lead over the other two parties. However, much of the electorate is very much in the dark as to how it will put 'clear blue water' between it and the Labour and LibDem parties. When politics is all about being all things to all people, it is difficult to avoid frequent political cross-dressing and the ultimate alientation of the rank and file.

10 comments:

  1. They're all in the 'big tent' now

    ReplyDelete
  2. Serves them right for being so shallow

    ReplyDelete
  3. You'd be surprised. The Tories probably have some more radical ideas up their sleeves, but are keeping mum for fear of scaring the middle Englanders. Remember that Thatcher was not seen a truly radical until the Tories had been in power for a few years

    ReplyDelete
  4. Its hard to see Brown resigning. It's not in his nature. He probably still believes that he can pull the party out of this nose dive.
    That being said Labour's best bet now is to do what the Tories did with Michael Howard - just get a consensus leader who can undertake a damage limitation exercise

    ReplyDelete
  5. Osborne does seem out of his depth... but then shadow chancellors often do since they don't have their hands on the same data as the Treasury. He has a weak opponent in Darling however... Which might his salvation

    ReplyDelete
  6. Where the f*** do these t***ers go from here?
    They might as well all merge.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wonder how that would affect the Conservative standing, if their election manifesto turns out to gloss over their real intent.
    Although I seem to remember people actually saying that Thatcher was someone to fear before the 79 election. She wasn't quite as soft as Robo-Tory thinks

    ReplyDelete
  8. Clegg is just Cameron mark2

    ReplyDelete
  9. Baroness Scotland was a victim, surely..?

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is just a bit too much for someone who steered an immigration bill penalising anyone hiring illegal immigrants, to then get off 'Scot free' when she does same.
    Can companies now claim that they forgot to take a photo copy?

    ReplyDelete