Cameron and Rhetoric

When in opposition, it is very easy to become overly reliant on rhetoric. Naturally, when unable to influence the actual way in which the country is run, it is easy to relapse into the typical sit back and moan mentality and wait until the electorate becomes sufficiently disillusioned with the goverment and agree with you.

The problem with this is that it is very easy to get the rhetoric wrong. And then you look stupid. Nick Assinder has just pointed out that Cameron's "applying traditional values to new challenges" looks awfully similar to "traditional values in a modern setting" for someone who is most emphatically not the "heir to Blair". However, before Conservatives lose heart and begin to despair of getting anything different, let them take heart; it's nowhere near as bleak on that end of the spectrum as it is on the left.

Although currently (and, it has to be said, throughout the majority of our history), battle lines are largely drawn around a reasonably consensual centre, at least there is a reasonably coherent argument coming from the conservative right in order to counter the centrism that appears to be affecting the leadership.

This is nowhere near as prevalent on the left, who couldn't even get the number of votes needed to produce a credible candidate for the leadership (or, to be frank, the deputy leadership - the candidates may be trying to woo the grass-roots by talking left, but they all signed up to the New Labour project). Although Cameron can go so far with the New Labour project, the Conservative party are far less willing to sacrifice their ideals than the Labour party has been. Cameron is a popular leader, and the party uniting behind him would almost guarantee a victory at the next election, however, the grass roots are still fighting the good fight, using grammar schools as a good example in which ministers are prepared to resign their jobs over what is essentially a non-issue.

For those of you that despair of the right wing losing it's teeth, never fear. They are not, as yet, showing any signs of rolling over as easily as the labour left.