Have written my column today on what is looking like the death of Thatcherism, as revealed in @FrankLuntz's upcoming polling for @CPSThinkTank thetimes.co.uk/article/aspira…
Let me explain. The essay question was to explain what we actually know about the Tory vote, based on the very different results in Batley, Chesham and Hartlepool. Was it all about housing? Hancock? Lockdown? North vs south?
Luckily, @CPSThinkTank is about to publish a massive (and absolutely fascinating) survey by @FrankLuntz on the new language and values of politics and economics. Mostly still under wraps, but one thing I can reveal...
It's clear from Frank's polling, as other recent research, that we now vote on culture not economics. Tories want security, stability. Labour focused on identity, equality.
But one of the big findings - which is obviously pretty alarming for a think-tank founded on these principles - is that traditional messages/language about aspiration, entrepreneurship, competitiveness completely fail to resound, even with Tory voters.
It's not that they've become socialists. But the messages that resound in their hearts are very much not the tunes that Thatcher taught the Tories to play.
Electorally, this new alignment is v g for the Tories, because their new voters and their old ones are culturally aligned. The entire point of @JamesKanag's original 'red wall' thesis was that these were places/people that voted Labour, but looked/thought/acted Tory.
Likewise, the Labour coalition is economically aligned (wokesters and workers both want to tax the rich more) but hopelessly culturally divided.
But as I set out in the column, there is an absolutely huge challenge for those of us who believe in all that stuff about aspiration, entrepreneurship, competitiveness etc to work out how to communicate its merits - and indeed necessity. Give it a read! thetimes.co.uk/article/aspira…
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