tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post5957425804982433734..comments2024-03-27T09:14:27.496+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: The Myth of Tory Genius: A Case StudyPhilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-30725162144787567072021-04-28T09:05:21.579+01:002021-04-28T09:05:21.579+01:00«the class interests of LibDems (or New Labour) an...«<i>the class interests of LibDems (or New Labour) and Conservatives are far more similar than those of LibDems (or New Labour) and Labour.</i>»<br /><br />As to that my usual quote from Bertrand de Jouvenel: “<i>There is more in common between two deputies, one of whom is a Communist, than between two Communists, one of whom is a deputy.</i>”.<br /><br />Consider the application of that to Byrne and Gove, and to Byrne and an electrician.Blissexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-7868793611248116092021-04-27T16:09:34.353+01:002021-04-27T16:09:34.353+01:00«The FPTP system favours the part of the political...«<i>The FPTP system favours the part of the political spectrum with the fewest parties - in this case the Right. The only non-Tory rightist parties that make any impact</i>»<br /><br />The LibDems are a party of the thatcherite whig right (just like New Labour), while the Conservative are a party of both the thatcherite tory right, and the thatcherite whig right. The only parties of the left are Labour and in part the Greens.<br /><br />The argument “<i>there are more anti-Tory votes in total, they are split</i>” is based on confusing Tory and Conservative. Sure, the anti-Conservative vote is split, but when the Conservatives (or New Labour) win the elections the LibDems are not that disappointed, as another faction of the right has won. The LibDems only get really worried when Labour wins. It is a simple matter of class interests: the class interests of LibDems (or New Labour) and Conservatives are far more similar than those of LibDems (or New Labour) and Labour. As demonstrated by Keir Starmer's very soft opposition to the Conservatives and very hard opposition to Labour.Blissexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-68900201623891339802021-04-26T17:48:06.797+01:002021-04-26T17:48:06.797+01:00It isn't just that the Tories understand who i...It isn't just that the Tories understand who is likely to vote for them better than labour. There are two further advantages. Those most likely to vote Tory are also more likely to vote at all, and there are enough of them to ensure a majority. Although there are more anti-Tory votes in total, they are split, and no suite of policies exists that can appeal to them all. Which makes the job of Labour that much trickier than that of the Conservatives. I suspect this could turned round with astute leadership and careful targeting of policies, but it still means that leading labour is much more difficult than leading The Tory party. <br /><br />The FPTP system favours the part of the political spectrum with the fewest parties - in this case the Right. The only non-Tory rightist parties that make any impact are essentially single issue ones which tend to quickly have their appeal subsumed into the Tories who are adept at stealing policies from both right and left. The Conservatives are pragmatists whose sole unifying goal is to maintain themselves in power. There are numerous dogmatists and idealogues within their ranks, but the party is able to absorb this without being too adversely affected. They are like a massive jelly-fish which seizes anything within touching distance and either digests or includes it within its structure. <br /><br />Ask any Tory what their ideology is and you'd get a range of vague rambling thoughts mixed in with some clarity about what they don't like. I think they are more united by what they don't want than what they do. It's a vote to ensure their life doesn't get worse, rather than one that aspires for life to get better. It's risk averse, and fed by fear. Change is always a risk, so the more you think you have to defend, the less inclined you are to take a gamble. Labour need to establish that change is necessary and that what they are offering is likely to deliver an improvement. I don't think that waiting for Johnson to make himself unelectable is a strategy, but it seems to be Starmer's plan. Dr Zoltan Jorovicnoreply@blogger.com