The Tories seem less scared of their shadow, but honest consistency has to be the way forward
Ask who never gets charged.
At the very real risk of criticism from traditional working class Labour types, and their new right counter parts in Reform, I donned velvet smoking jacket and cravat last Thursday to attend at Conservative Party party.
Yes, yes “typical tory posh type, wets and bankers (they might not actually use a ‘b’) living it up, while ordinary folk struggle with the cost of living”. I mean I sort of get it, but it was the dull the first time I heard it and it hasn’t improved with age.
I don’t, despite a friendly jibe from journalist Camilla Tominey, habitually dress in such attire but the theme of the night was the 1920’s, and almost everyone had risen to the challenge. One or two of the men had opted for the easy ‘black-tie as their dressing up option, one former Cabinet minister had not, but we excused it as him thinking it was “whatever I was wearing in the office at 19:20”
I mention bankers because this was a fundraiser dinner with a room full of people who far from thinking the Conservative party is dying, are funding it’s renewal. Yes, Reform have their backers with big pockets, as did Labour and presumably still do, just, but that old myth “the money’s dried up” seemed put to bed early on Thursday.
The 1920’s was an interesting theme: UK politics was dominated by David Lloyd George’s Liberal-Conservative coalition government, grappling with post-war economic slump, industrial unrest, and Irish independence demands. The year saw the passage of the landmark Government of Ireland Act 1920, partitioning Ireland, while Labour rapidly emerged as the main opposition to the Conservatives.
The most notable point was the mood.
The Conservative party is feeling both bullish and more confident, whilst completely aware that the brand, if not the leader needs a huge amount of work, and that persuasion is now less about appeasing the angry but persuading the indifferent.
This is the ‘delusion’ opponents like to refer to, that the Tories don’t get what is still required of them. They do, they are acutely aware of it, but they’re no longer afraid of it.
Reform have, they will under this article and online, continue their now well-rehearsed critiques. But those Conservatives who’ve stayed to fight are growing impervious to it. As I’ve mentioned before, a relentless series of attacks from Reform has hardened attitudes, as one shadow cabinet figure put it:
“Apart from giving Labour a free ride whenever they do it, the attacks on us, especially when Kemi is getting the attention they want, works both ways. Their base love it, but others are put off. People talk about indifference – well ok, but our people are starting to ignore it. They won’t be bullied off the pitch, especially when parts of Labour seem to want to do that to the PM!”
It’s a sentiment I’ve heard …
Ask who never gets charged.
At the very real risk of criticism from traditional working class Labour types, and their new right counter parts in Reform, I donned velvet smoking jacket and cravat last Thursday to attend at Conservative Party party.
Yes, yes “typical tory posh type, wets and bankers (they might not actually use a ‘b’) living it up, while ordinary folk struggle with the cost of living”. I mean I sort of get it, but it was the dull the first time I heard it and it hasn’t improved with age.
I don’t, despite a friendly jibe from journalist Camilla Tominey, habitually dress in such attire but the theme of the night was the 1920’s, and almost everyone had risen to the challenge. One or two of the men had opted for the easy ‘black-tie as their dressing up option, one former Cabinet minister had not, but we excused it as him thinking it was “whatever I was wearing in the office at 19:20”
I mention bankers because this was a fundraiser dinner with a room full of people who far from thinking the Conservative party is dying, are funding it’s renewal. Yes, Reform have their backers with big pockets, as did Labour and presumably still do, just, but that old myth “the money’s dried up” seemed put to bed early on Thursday.
The 1920’s was an interesting theme: UK politics was dominated by David Lloyd George’s Liberal-Conservative coalition government, grappling with post-war economic slump, industrial unrest, and Irish independence demands. The year saw the passage of the landmark Government of Ireland Act 1920, partitioning Ireland, while Labour rapidly emerged as the main opposition to the Conservatives.
The most notable point was the mood.
The Conservative party is feeling both bullish and more confident, whilst completely aware that the brand, if not the leader needs a huge amount of work, and that persuasion is now less about appeasing the angry but persuading the indifferent.
This is the ‘delusion’ opponents like to refer to, that the Tories don’t get what is still required of them. They do, they are acutely aware of it, but they’re no longer afraid of it.
Reform have, they will under this article and online, continue their now well-rehearsed critiques. But those Conservatives who’ve stayed to fight are growing impervious to it. As I’ve mentioned before, a relentless series of attacks from Reform has hardened attitudes, as one shadow cabinet figure put it:
“Apart from giving Labour a free ride whenever they do it, the attacks on us, especially when Kemi is getting the attention they want, works both ways. Their base love it, but others are put off. People talk about indifference – well ok, but our people are starting to ignore it. They won’t be bullied off the pitch, especially when parts of Labour seem to want to do that to the PM!”
It’s a sentiment I’ve heard …
The Tories seem less scared of their shadow, but honest consistency has to be the way forward
Ask who never gets charged.
At the very real risk of criticism from traditional working class Labour types, and their new right counter parts in Reform, I donned velvet smoking jacket and cravat last Thursday to attend at Conservative Party party.
Yes, yes “typical tory posh type, wets and bankers (they might not actually use a ‘b’) living it up, while ordinary folk struggle with the cost of living”. I mean I sort of get it, but it was the dull the first time I heard it and it hasn’t improved with age.
I don’t, despite a friendly jibe from journalist Camilla Tominey, habitually dress in such attire but the theme of the night was the 1920’s, and almost everyone had risen to the challenge. One or two of the men had opted for the easy ‘black-tie as their dressing up option, one former Cabinet minister had not, but we excused it as him thinking it was “whatever I was wearing in the office at 19:20”
I mention bankers because this was a fundraiser dinner with a room full of people who far from thinking the Conservative party is dying, are funding it’s renewal. Yes, Reform have their backers with big pockets, as did Labour and presumably still do, just, but that old myth “the money’s dried up” seemed put to bed early on Thursday.
The 1920’s was an interesting theme: UK politics was dominated by David Lloyd George’s Liberal-Conservative coalition government, grappling with post-war economic slump, industrial unrest, and Irish independence demands. The year saw the passage of the landmark Government of Ireland Act 1920, partitioning Ireland, while Labour rapidly emerged as the main opposition to the Conservatives.
The most notable point was the mood.
The Conservative party is feeling both bullish and more confident, whilst completely aware that the brand, if not the leader needs a huge amount of work, and that persuasion is now less about appeasing the angry but persuading the indifferent.
This is the ‘delusion’ opponents like to refer to, that the Tories don’t get what is still required of them. They do, they are acutely aware of it, but they’re no longer afraid of it.
Reform have, they will under this article and online, continue their now well-rehearsed critiques. But those Conservatives who’ve stayed to fight are growing impervious to it. As I’ve mentioned before, a relentless series of attacks from Reform has hardened attitudes, as one shadow cabinet figure put it:
“Apart from giving Labour a free ride whenever they do it, the attacks on us, especially when Kemi is getting the attention they want, works both ways. Their base love it, but others are put off. People talk about indifference – well ok, but our people are starting to ignore it. They won’t be bullied off the pitch, especially when parts of Labour seem to want to do that to the PM!”
It’s a sentiment I’ve heard …
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