what's happened to then, the IDS and his merry band of followers??
The only time we hear about them is when the news says they aren't an effective opposition, why can't the conservatives get a bi of good press? Are they really that bad, or is it press byas?
I think the amount of bad press Labour are getting over the dossier, aliastar cambell and others is enough to be a good thing for the Conservatives.
This coupled with their first two sensible policies in years (reducing tuition fees/university quotas and a serious review of benefit) means that IDS has a promising two years before the next general election.
The Conservatives, in their present state, are additionally in a no-news-is-good-news position. Infighting, lack of real substance and negative image means that they are benefitting from no press. I reckon, though, that they might make a good recovery to be damaging in the next election. I don't think they will win it, however.
--Matt
will they end up as the third party?
The lib dems have been making big gains in the north east and other tradiotional labour areas... admittedly only at local concil level, but if they were to convert that to national level they'd be doing much better.
That having been said the conservatives may make gains against the lib dems in the areas where they lost out before.
No, I don't think they'll end up the third party, if only because they have too much support, recognition and history behind them.
The main issue is that the Conservative party are suffering their first major set back for nearly 100 years. They have lost major elections in the past, but have never allowed the opposition to stay in government long enough to do any damage. People are blaming the Conservatives (perhaps rightly) for eighteen years in which this country didn't really do a lot.
Now we have had six years of not doing a lot either, forcing the public to become so disillusioned with politics. Whereas before people were interested before, the new element of absolute spin, hype and image-craze has rendered politics to the same level as third-rate celebreties in most peoples eyes.
On a local council level, the Conservatives made 500 gains nationwide. That is an impressive gain, but you can never correlate local councils to party politics, as I believe the Conservatives have always had more councillers than any other party anyway.
I think, like Labour, the Conservative party will have to go through a weeding process, getting rid of their extremsists and instead turning to their 'new' generation. Changing their name is not the issue, but allowing people like (the new and improved) Michael Portillo to be leader will bring great fortune to the party - they have the funding, they have the core support, they just need the lazy voters now.
--Matt
They do need a younger image... its a sad state of affairs when it sounds like i'm talking about an ageing boy band, but there you go.
I think you're right, they'll catch up a bit, but not a great deal. Their best hope is perhaps to wait for people to become so utterly un-interested in politics that the only people left willing to vote are retired army majors who will support the conservatives. Landslide voctories all accross the country.
But i andticipate the status quo being largely maintained at the next General election.