Hitherto my attitude to 'Dave 'n' George' has been a mixture of contempt and indifference. Both, in my opinion, are just a couple of rich, public schoolboy tosspots who would have difficulty running the proverbial piss-up in a brewery. Their only advantage in my eyes was that they were not 'Milipede' or the 'Kleggeron'. Even so, it has become increasingly clear that what they do share with those two failures is their utter contempt for anyone not of their class, that is, the upper middle-class and the Westminster/Downing Street class.
Thus, today we learn that 'Dave 'n' George' are planning to decimate their own party! Apparently, they are mightily irked that so many local Conservative Associations are supporting the Brexit option and are thereby putting pressure on their constituency MPs. It is an amazingly stupid move to make given that membership of the Tory party has been dropping like a stone ever since Dave took over and made it clear that he had absolutely no interest in what 'ordinary' members might think. Their annual subscriptions might be diminished but in this 'brave new world' of rich men and their companies making huge contributions this can be borne with equanimity.
I have mentioned previously my fear - or hope? - that in the absence of any sort of Labour opposition the Tory party might simply split or dissolve. Get a grip, 'Jezza', your chance might come - God help us all!
We had our chance last May. We could have forced a re-alignment of the political parties. We didn't.
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 12:17
Amazing! The base of the Tory party seems ready to tear apart its ruling elite? Do you have a Trump to act as destructor? That is exactly what the base of the Republican party here intends to do. Burn it down. I think maybe western governments have gone well past "peak democracy". I also believe invaders from Islamic nations will do more to up end the EU than anything else.
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 12:22
Quite so Duffers. Not just wrong but a mistake.
He (Cameron) seems determined to lose this referendum.
The loss of the tory party which will now have a chance to reform properly, is a small price to pay to get out of the EU.
BoE - last May was the chance to give the limp dems a good kicking and also Microband, and that was duly done. At the same time it gave us a chance to get a referendum. No other outcome would have done.
There was zero possibility of UKIP forming a government and zero of it having enough influence over any other party to achieve anything useful.
Now there is a referendum coming, there is an outside chance we may even win it; nobody expects a fair fight but we can give the bastards a fright; and really that is the most you can expect from any political system.
And even if we lose it I think the political fall out will be with us for years, probably until the EU collapses of its own accord, and or lsoing the referendum will likely influence that outcome as well, because of the fall out I mention above, British governments will I think be forced to be even more churlish and truculent than they (are perceived to be from Europe) than they are now, which will lead to more and more tensions. Which is all good.
FWIW I don't think implosion of the tory party will lead to Corbyn as PM either as the labour party is also approaching criticality (as we rocket scientists like to say) and it is entirely possible that some new alignment will form which cannot be forcast at this point.
Posted by: Cuffleyburgers | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 12:30
I meant to include this before I hit publish:
https://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2016/02/27/how-tyrannies-implode/?singlepage=true
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 12:30
That was an excellent article, Whiters, thanks. And is this 'Trump phenomenon' a similar effect?
Posted by: David Duff | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 13:02
David, it seems very similar. Though Trump can shed his snake skin weekly, he may indirectly blow the false narratives of the PC fascists all to hell. This must happen. Here, in Europe and Britain if the modern West is to survive. I hope to see it. If it takes Jose and Abdul to force it then so be it.
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 13:24
The battle lines are being drawn civil war is about to commence leading to a new regime or regimes. Why? because government has got too big and had too many layers added to it(EU). The people want something for nothing and they have been given it but as is to be expected it has come at a price. Who would have thunk it. Well us sane ones did. The price is disillusionment, confusion and leaders elected not on merit but on how much they offered (just like the Roman emperors of old did to secure the throne) and of course mountains of debt. Add in moral decline and decadence and you have the recipe for the perfect storm.
Again just like the Roman empire the final nail nail in the coffin will be the large influx of immigrants firstly by invitation and then by force. They are massing at the borders already awaiting their opportunity. In fact they are literally hammering at the gates demanding entry. History repeating itself? No you will say we could not make the same mistake in this modern advanced world but we shall see.
Posted by: Antisthenes | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 15:47
Anti- the signs are you might be right. Still I am fed up of worrying about it and really couldn't give a fuck any longer.
Posted by: Cuffleyburgers | Tuesday, 01 March 2016 at 21:01