There is genuinely an important lesson here in the winning Tory strategy.
At the end of the day, political parties are there to win elections, not to retain an ideological purity. Encroach on enemy territory and pinch the ideas with broad appeal that you can also live with.
At the end of the day, political parties are there to win elections, not to retain an ideological purity. Encroach on enemy territory and pinch the ideas with broad appeal that you can also live with.
Imagine a party with Labour's social conscience, the LibDems' open approach to business and Europe, and the Greens' overarching environmental drive...
It might take a lot of hammering and sawing (and a fair amount of compromise) but it should be possible to make the pieces fit.
It might take a lot of hammering and sawing (and a fair amount of compromise) but it should be possible to make the pieces fit.
Instead of a party "for the many not the few" (or "for the few not the many" Tories) it would be a party for - whisper it guardedly - everyone.
No more pillorying or envying or trying to pull down the rich. Instead, harness their success in the form of fair (not punitive) taxes.
No more pillorying or envying or trying to pull down the rich. Instead, harness their success in the form of fair (not punitive) taxes.
Then take that money and use it to build a better society that works for everyone.
