October 21, 2009 at 06:42 AM
The Conservative Party I studied at school and university would not have recognised as Conservative comments the pronouncements recently emanating from David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Except in one respect. Both comments are aimed at getting the Party elected next year. DC's commitment to all-women shortlists must be designed in his mind to confirm his standing among women of voting age who will see it as a nod to their right better to be represented ratio-wise in Parliament. The fact that Labour tried it and it has been seen to have failed does not matter today. Nor will the commitment amount to very much, I expect. One or two public cases in January 2010, and then quietly put away.
Similarly the fomer best friend to the bankers has now done one on them; his study of Logic will have made him wince as he spoke the shamelessly populist words on Monday. For a Conservative, whose natural constituents include 10,000s of bankers, to scape-goat them so illogically was acceptable only in that they are currently expedient.
But as supporters, are we expected to support this cynical vote-ineering? As unpalatable as it may look likely to taste, voters will continue to reward honesty in its political spokespeople. The public's despair at New Labour, in most cases, has been created by their sense of betrayal - that Labour said whatever it took to gain positive press. The mood has changed and, although it may not be comfortable, politicians who stand up and make the case for, in the first instance, the power of meritocracy and in the second, the colossal importance to UK plc of a sound, competitive and attractive-to-work-at banking sector, will be rewarded by the public's trust.
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