IF THE opinion polls are to be believed, Britain could well have a Tory government with a massive majority in the summer of 2010. Let’s be clear about what that would – and would not – mean. It would certainly not mean a friendly, hoody-hugging, vote blue go green, compassionate, one nation Tory administration.
ConservativeHome’s Tim Montgomerie seems to revel in the fact that the latest survey of Tory parliamentary hopefuls indicates that his party is moving further and further to the right. Indeed, he appears to be quite happy that his leader’s attempt to ensure Tory candidates selected reflect the caring and compassionate side of the Conservative Party has failed spectacularly. According to Montgomerie, the collective views of newly-selected Tory candidates will give heart to the Thatcherite wing of the party and cause the likes of Kenneth Clarke to ponder where it all went wrong.
The latest survey of Tory candidates carried out by the ConservativeHome website makes very interesting reading. However, the questions are probably more pertinent than the answers. For example, the survey does not contain a single question on housing, education or health. Apparently, the public is more interested in whether Tory candidates support the right of Roman Catholics or other religious adoption charities to decline to place children with same sex couples.
Candidates are asked about Iran but not about Iraq. Their views on nuclear power are canvassed, but not their thoughts about the need for more renewable energy. It would appear that Conservative associations throughout the country have been selecting candidates who reflect their own, traditional and often reactionary views, rather than those of Cameron and his inner circle. Having said that, the Tory leader has changed his tune and swung to the right.
Following the 2007 summer of despair, Conservative whips warned Cameron that he needed to embrace more “traditional” core Tory issues such as crime, the family and hostility to Europe. Yet again, a Tory leader was forced by the party’s reactionary right wing to move to the right in an attempt to hang onto the Conservative core vote.
The Conservative Home survey suggests that the Tories are still selecting candidates who believe that the role of government is to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of those who embrace their political, economic, and social views.
As for progressive politics, forget it. Montgomerie’s survey tells us a great deal about the modern Tory Party and what it would be like if – as looks increasingly likely – it forms the next government of this country. It tells us that Tory candidates are largely illiberal, Eurosceptic, pro-nuclear and believe that England does not get a fair deal in terms of the distribution of the United Kingdom’s finances.
What goes around comes around. Now the hard right is coming. We need to expose its members for what they are, who they are and what they stand for – while there is still time.
Mike Ion was Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Shrewsbury and Atcham.
He blogs at mike-ion.blogspot.com
