Let’s be clear: this Conservative party is dead. Those who killed it should own up so we can move on | Justine Greening
www.theguardian.com
The local elections wipeout proves that out-Reforming Reform cannot and does not work. Both Tories – and Labour – need to rethink hard and fast, says writer and former Conservative MP Justine Greening

Justine Greening, the former Tory MP, argues that the current Tory strategy of going after Reform voters isn’t working. She seems to think the Tories should try to capture centrists instead (which is what David Cameron did, I would argue).

The party has attempted to be a “mini-me” version of Reform UK, and unsurprisingly Reform voters prefer the real thing. And this strategy’s consequential alienation of Conservative-leaning centre-ground voters has seen them head off to either the Lib Dems or Labour, or to the Green party. The party has no winning majority in any age group of voters other than those over 70. This is no basis for a successful electoral strategy for the longer term.

  • MrNesser@lemmy.world
    162·
    9 days ago

    All reform does is split the Tory vote all but garunteeing a labor win

    Edit: this got down voted quick so I assume there’s some sore losers on here

    • Mr Poletski@feddit.ukEnglish
      20·
      9 days ago

      quite probably, but I think ‘splitting the vote’ doesn’t fully describe how much supoort the tories have lost. 68% of their council seats up for election gone, I mean when was the last time an opposition party lost so many seats in a council election?

      I’d say it’d be more accurate to say reform are taking the conservatives place.

      Personally, I hope the lib dems fill in more of the vacuum.

    • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
      14·
      9 days ago

      I didn’t downvote, but that’s way too hopeful. If Reform keeps eating into Tory voters they’ll eventually stop guaranteeing labor wins and start winning themselves. US-style fascism is coming to Britain faster than you seem to think.

      • Wahots@pawb.social
        5·
        8 days ago

        My thoughts exactly. You never want things to double down and become more toxic, even if it’s smaller. You have to neutralize the toxin. The dose is what kills you.

      • MrNesser@lemmy.world
        41·
        9 days ago

        Reform gaining opposition is a few years away and there’s no garuntee that their support won’t evaporate by the next election.

        Labours policies could bear fruit in the next few years.

        I agree with another commentator on here lib Dems could stand to gain a lot by occupying the centre and pulling Tory and reform votes to them.

        • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
          6·
          9 days ago

          Reform gaining opposition is a few years away and there’s no garuntee that their support won’t evaporate by the next election.

          Technically there isn’t, but historically that that’s exactly what happens (doesn’t happen?? Dammit English).

          Labours policies could bear fruit in the next few years.

          Labor policies like… cuting social welfare? No way Labor economic policy digs the UK out of this hole.

          I agree with another commentator on here lib Dems could stand to gain a lot by occupying the centre and pulling Tory and reform votes to them.

          If anything fascists excel at pulling voters away from the ineffectual center so I don’t see that happening. Voters drift towards the center when things are perceived to be going well and not need to change, which from what I understand is the exact opposite of the situation in the UK.

    • 9point6@lemmy.world
      81·
      9 days ago

      Tbh I might be slightly too optimistic, but there’s a path where this ultimately results in the lib Dems becoming the opposition, and the Tories and reform fight over scraps.

      Tbh Labour and the LibDems should be doing what they can to highlight Farages ties to Russia and Trump—it’s like they barely mention it and instead just pander. Every day that passes, those connections become a greater threat to the country, so fucking capitalise on it and turn most of his support off him.

      There will always be that percentage of swivel-eyed wonks who’ll vote for him, but there’s a whole cohort of his current support that can apparently be swayed one way or another with the right messaging.