A New Top Tory, Will It Make Any Difference?

[emilystrange]

but i had something to say. i said it. it just wasn't a counterargument, it was a statement, which i believe is allowed, whether or not it is qualified.

[DeWinter]

I hear whispers that Cameron's Tories will campaign on global poverty and the environment. If so, excellent.

there have indeed been indications that cameron wants to move his party in those directions. they've also been pretty explicit about ruling out any ideas of campaigning on immigration which also bodes well. i'm also intrigued to see what his stance on drugs is given that he's pretty much admitted to taking cocaine whilst at university.

that all leads us to the really interesting question: if cameron's as good as his word and creates a leftish, modern, compassionate conservative party with policies on things like poverty, the environment, etc that you agree with would and their policies on things like public spending remain broadly in line with what labour are doing now, would you vote for him? or will he still be an evil tory bastard? given that his speech yesterday included a symbolic break with thatcherism ("there is such a thing as society") are you prepared to confront your own prejudices and make a considered choice based on policy?

Well,my first vote at the tender age of eighteen was for Mr Blair's brave new Britain,and,quite frankly,I regret that now.After seeing Labour do all the things that so enraged me back then with Major's government,I think I may as well have voted to keep him in.At least I'd have been spared tuition fees.
I think Cameron's greatest enemy will more likely be the quite spectacular political apathy Blair has created.He was supposedly the great new hope for politics,and was a colossal let-down,and I doubt there will be another politician who creates the same fervour as he did before he won office.People will most likely say "It doesnt matter who we vote in" and stay at home,allowing the rabid party faithful to decide the next election. And I'm pretty sure the mixture of reverse snobbery and perceived class-consciousness will win it for Labour.

[MrChris]

Well, my first vote at the tender age of eighteen was for Mr Kinnock's brave new Britain, and, quite frankly, I regret it now. However, I do have the satisfaction of never having voted for Bliar, even in the halcyon days of 1997. This was either because:
a) I was so clear-sighted that I could see the neoliberal / populist authoritarian disaster it was all going to turn into, or
b) I moved student digs and because the voting form wasn't forwarded to me, I was unable to register in time

Anyway, I also think Brown will win in 2009, and I think you're right that a lot of it has to do with apathy - or with Blair's successful vacuum act, whereby ideology is SUPPOSEDLY sucked out of politics and replaced with the question of who can best manage the economic challenges of a globalized world. It's just common sense, right?