An online exchange with @montie and @wallaceme of @ConHome has got me thinking about the strange death of the UK @Conservatives. Let me explain. /1
I grew up in Conservative Household. Dad and mum were activists during '70s and I was briefly a @YoungCons at that time (I know, I know). I've always been pro-European. In '75 campaigned with other young cons for Britain staying in the EEC (got arrested for fly posting). /2
When I went to university and became a psychologist I drifted towards the centre, but lost interest in politics. Since 1990s I've been hovering in the bit of the Venn diagram where Labour centre and Lib Dems overlapped; I guess you could call me a Blairite (I know, I know). /3
At this time I respected the Tories - they stood for values I could understand (conserving the good, respect for liberty, family relationships, support for business and a strong economy) even if I put other values first ( help for the vulernable, equal opportunities for all). /4
Watching the rise of UKIP close up (my brother-in-law was one of their candidates in GE2010) radicalised me - I was dismayed aby their lies about the EU, their complete ignorance of economics, hostility to international cooperation, nationalism and overt xenophobia. /5
Because, apart from anything else, I have a strong sense of history and, hey, when did nationalism ever lead to anything but death and misery? /6 
And now, it seems, UKIP have completely taken over the Tory Party. Which makes me wonder what happened to all those Tory values I used to respect (even though I prioritised other values above them)? /7
Which brings me back to this tweet by @montie:
I responded (without much thought) with:
Which led @wallaceme to respond:
Notice that this is a perfect circle of ideology accusation - @montie accuses the FT; then I accuse Montgomerie and then @wallaceme accuses me of the same thing: being ideological.
So not very enlightening, except.... /11
So not very enlightening, except.... /11
It raises the very interesting question of where values and and ideology begins.
Marx described ideology as 'false consciousness' and, although I am not a Marxist, I always thought he was right about this. /12
Marx described ideology as 'false consciousness' and, although I am not a Marxist, I always thought he was right about this. /12
So as much as I am ideological, my ideology is consistent with values I have always had. These are not only those of the left (support for the vulnerable; equal opps) and those from the right I could respect (e.g. support for business) but also honesty and truth telling. /13
Modern Tories, however, appear to have cast aside their values as easily as an old coat. They no longer support liberty (they seek to suppress criticism), and they certainly no longer support business and a strong economy. /14
More importantly, old style Tories abhored lies and corruption because these offended against traditional values of fair play, honesty and muscular Christianity taught to them when young (the ethos of their public schools). Look at how they have misled the public about PPE... /15
Not to mention their suppression of the Russia Report and the investigation of the Darroch memo leaks, or for that fact that their policy is based on numerous well-dcumented lies about the EU. /16
I tried to make this point to @wallaceme:
His response indicated that he not only failed to understand my point but did not want to (I guess because the point is too painful to be addressed honestly). If this isn't false consciousness, what is?
Which leads to the interesting historical question of how the Conservatives got themselves into a position where they are no longer the Conservative Party? The answer is that they made a pact with the Devil (actually several devils): /19
They made a pact with Russian oligarchs over money. This has been well documented. When could it ever have been morally right for a British patriotic party to accept huge donations from shady foreigners with links to the KGB? /20
They made a pact with UKIP over Brexit. It wasn't a formal pact but the deal was for votes and the price was to give up those traditional values. /21
And now they are in a serious bind which will either prove to be a death spiral for them or will result in the end of the United Kingdom as a liberal democracy. Why? ....... /22
Because they are committed to a policy - hard Brexit - based on lies, that would have caused huge damage to the British economy and our standing in the world without the complication of the coronavirus pandemic. And they have closed off all ways of reversing out. /23
If/when shit hits the fan (in January 2020 on current plans) it will no longer be possible to hide the damage that they've done. Brexit will bring no benefits to the British people - only pain compounding the pain already caused by the pandemic. /24
The only way they can stop the public seeing this damage and feeling this pain will be by lies and the supression of dissent of an order of magnitude far beyond what we have seen so far.
Will they try it? Who knows? If they do, will they get away with it? Who knows? /25
Will they try it? Who knows? If they do, will they get away with it? Who knows? /25
Either way the Tory Part of old is dead. What exists now is a hollowed out carcass - a withered skin inside which the body has rotted away.
So RIP Tory Party. I respected you once; even liked you in a way. I'm sad to see that you've gone and will morn your passing.
So RIP Tory Party. I respected you once; even liked you in a way. I'm sad to see that you've gone and will morn your passing.
