The Conservative Party are on a hunt to find a new leader.
The nominations close tomorrow and after 2:30pm it will be possible to know who wants to lead it.
It takes over three months to declare the winner, so settle in for the ride. It’s due to be bumpy.
The news of another PopCon conference is droll news for those tired of more of it.
The notion that conservatives can work their way out of another mess is old news. It’s really another stamp on a missive that is delivered but neither read nor cared about.
The icons of the Conservative Party are trying desperately to shore up a ship that doesn’t go away. It was due to sink under William Hague, Michael Howard, Ian Duncan Smith – and allegedly even Michael Portillo.
It’s a recourse to a defensive position that is needless.
The fact is the majority of Tory voters want the Tory party, they just don’t agree this time.
A vote for Reform UK is hardly a swing to Labour and to the left. Nigel Farage & Co. represent a brand of conservatism that is fresh, new, and exciting but in ways that have yet to be explained.
The point is not to see the future but explore – and explain – the present.
The curse of conflation is seeing conservatives conflate every known issue and to come up with solutions to its problems. The only problem I can see is the need for a new leader.
The total outcome for the Conservatives this election is remarkable considering past performance.
The final tally shows a sharp drop in its number of seats in Westminster. In comparison to previous general elections, the Tories have lost at least 150 seats.
In a few past elections the tally has been so high it makes 2024 look like a washout.
The Tories have a distinct problem with big name figures. This is because if they lose it appears a bigger loss than usual. Their tenure isn’t measured it’s just calculated.
It isn’t about an office but a standpoint.
The problem reared its head this election. The Tories lost Jacob Rees-Mogg, Johnny Mercer, and Liam Fox as well as other such names.
There’s even the issue of Steve Baker having gone missing.
The gaps are noticeable but this is because of how the party is configured. In a Tory community a larger name makes more profit for the party and draws in members and attention.
It makes media sense in other words.
This election saw a lot of to and fro that didn’t sit well with a Conservative mindset. It’s better to settle down and focus than dart between issues – and people – finding fault and picking fights.
The Tories didn’t sound great and the betting scandal was lousy.
It tarnished their reputation somewhat, and the doorstep isn’t a kind place already for a Tory.
The question is how the streets can be made Tory again.
The general election of 2024 has gone down as a year of seismic changes.
Nowhere is this clearer seen than in Wales where the Conservative Party have lost all their seats. The decline of a national party from 13 seats to 0 – and the rise of Labour from 21 to 27 – is hardly unremarkable.
Such a surge in support shows that Sir Keir Starmer has an approach that works while Rishi Sunak did not.