For the record, the 'left wing' (ie. the Tory left and Tory moderates) ran riot in the Tory Party from 1945 to 1997. Also for the record: throughout the Western world, parties in Parliament have almost always been closer to the centre than their grassroots and activists.
Why is that? Because politics is the art of the possible, not the impossible.
That it's finally changing now - horribly right wing Tory membership, very right wing Tory Parliamentary Party, mirroring the Republicans - isn't a good thing. It's a very bad thing.
That it's finally changing now - horribly right wing Tory membership, very right wing Tory Parliamentary Party, mirroring the Republicans - isn't a good thing. It's a very bad thing.
And before anyone pops up: of course I don't think Thatcher was a moderate! But much of her Cabinet was... and it constrained her. When she broke free of its shackles, it got rid of her.
Attlee was from the Labour right.
Gaitskell was from the Labour right.
Wilson was from the Labour neither left nor right.
Callaghan was from the Labour right.
Kinnock was from the Labour left, then right.
Smith was from the Labour centre.
Blair was from the Labour right.
Gaitskell was from the Labour right.
Wilson was from the Labour neither left nor right.
Callaghan was from the Labour right.
Kinnock was from the Labour left, then right.
Smith was from the Labour centre.
Blair was from the Labour right.
Brown was from the Labour... by that stage, centre (but by any stage prior to 1994, right).
Miliband was from the Labour centre.
Corbyn was from the Labour left.
Only Wilson in any way disproves the rule.
Miliband was from the Labour centre.
Corbyn was from the Labour left.
Only Wilson in any way disproves the rule.
Left Foot out above. See Corbyn. Running from the Labour left has never delivered power. Ever.
It's also worth pointing out:
1. Post-war, the Tories didn't have a right wing leader until Thatcher
2. Neither Major nor Cameron were *perceived* as right wing (even though the former consolidated her policies; the latter wrecked the economy)
1. Post-war, the Tories didn't have a right wing leader until Thatcher
2. Neither Major nor Cameron were *perceived* as right wing (even though the former consolidated her policies; the latter wrecked the economy)
3. May was certainly perceived as right wing... which helped lose her majority
4. Johnson isn't. He should be - he absolutely should be - but he's perceived by many as a liberal, open to the world Tory.
And in politics, perception seems as important as reality.
4. Johnson isn't. He should be - he absolutely should be - but he's perceived by many as a liberal, open to the world Tory.
And in politics, perception seems as important as reality.
