Thread by @swardley

X : Any thought on how to deal with what is happening with the Conservatives?
Me : First, you need to understand that they are not Conservatives (in a recognisable form). This is Boris' party, so stop calling them Conservatives, call them what they are - Boris' party ...

... they are a complete break from the past. Values of integrity have gone and you can see that from behaviour. All those old rituals, symbols and heroes of the past are meaningless in this context. The values are Boris, the party is Boris, the symbol is Boris, the hero is Boris.

And he has absolute control within that Party, it doesn't matter how loyal (Hancock), what outcomes you achieved (Cummings), your history (Grieve et al) ... the only safety is in closeness and favour of Boris and that means making Boris look good.

It's all about Boris, an individual. This is a collective in the worship of one. So, it's no surprise that there isn't that wider collective approach or concern, that many things come down to individual choice because it is built on the individual.

But why would people accept this? Because of a sense of safety through belonging against "others". This is why messaging is important, why that state of confusion caused by kayfabe (the stratification of lies) matters ... it's all about the spectacle to keep you entertained ...

... you need to realise that people are trapped by this, by the cult of Boris within the party of Boris. They cannot escape, they do not want to escape, they don't sense the danger and no facts will deter them. If anything, every attack reinforces their sense of belonging.

If you want to break this cycle, you will need to reform the Conservative party and I mean real Conservatives, One Nation Tories with integrity, with that sense of collective responsibility and social focus. Until then, get used to the Boris party ... we have years of this.

X : Where would you get them from?
Me : Who?
X : One Nation Tories?
Me : All over the place. From within Conservatives, from Liberal, from within Old Labour. There are enough with a similarity of view around Disraeli's ideals that you could create a movement to challenge ...

... call it One Nation Conservatives if you wish, but those values of integrity, of entrepreneurship and collective social responsibility are powerful ones.

X : Isn't that what these Conservatives are?
Me : No. Look at behaviour, integrity and the chumocracy. This is Boris' party - he is their symbol, their values, their hero. Recognise it for what it is and realise the Conservatives of old have no party to vote for.