The Conservative Party: Approaching Government?
Call for Papers
One Day Conference
Friday 12 December 2008
Centre for British Politics, University of Nottingham
Organisers: Professor Phillip Cowley, Dr Andrew Denham, Dr Steven Fielding and Dr Tim Bale (Sussex)
Once the most successful centre-right party in Europe, to such an extent the twentieth century was dubbed 'The Conservative Century', the British Conservative Party has spent the last decade in a uniquely dire position.
Having lost three general elections in a row, only now does the party appear to have recovered from its post-Thatcher malaise. Or has it? Moreover, has the party's recent opinion poll revival under David Cameron been bought at the price of abandoning much that might be described as 'Conservative'? In short: how likely is a Conservative victory at the next election and how 'Conservative' is Cameron's party?
This day conference - the first to be held by the newly-established Centre for British Politics - will examine the current state of the party. We are interested in papers dealing with any aspect of the party's development, although we are especially interested in papers touching on the following
Themes:
7 comments:
A lot of apolitical charities seem to be able to get space rent-free at No. 11 Downing Street. The Smith Institute springs to mind. Will this Conference be held there too?
Both parties campaign on the centre ground but the negative consequences of their Governing seem to appear away from the centre ground.
The biggest difference between the parties for me is the human factor. The Tories govern by harnessing the positive aspects of peoples minds (such as motivation). Labour tends to govern by controlling peoples negative behaviour.
I just wish David Cameron would start to realised its easier to harness peoples positive mental efforts and reward positive behaviour - than New Labour punishing our behaviour and supressing our minds.
European Union: in or out? That would be a good topic.
I like David Cameron but I'm still unsure that I could ever for the Conservatives.
I don't want this dreadful Labour government in power for another four years - but I don't believe that the Conservative Party has really changed.
David Cameron has to convince the masses that he really will make social justice and equality a top priority. He hasn't yet done that...
but I'm watching him closely.
"convince the masses"
If your use of this phrase is anything to go by there is little prospect of you understanding the Conservative Party (Hint - People are individuals they are not "masses").
If you are a devout Leftist but dislike the Labour Party then vote for the other Left party the Liberal Democrats.
Similarly if you are in Scotland or Wales and crave "social justice" then vote for one of the Nationalist Socialist parties.
P.S. I do wish the Left such as yourself would say greater social equality instead of using that phrase "social justice" - you may (on good grounds) think it is desirable to take money away from some people and give it to other people (who get voted to power by promising redistribution of wealth) who then distribute it to people who vote for them, but it has got nothing to do with justice.
If you have worked to earn that money and it is taken away from you and redistributed (for example) to somebody who dislikes working that has nothing to do with justice.
It is not hard to see why politicians are keen on a system that redistributes wealth and power to themselves but that is no reason to uncritically accept their weasel words (or disinformation to put it bluntly).
One of the things that the otherwise dire 'Headaches?' satire ITV TV programme get right is to portray Cameron as 'Lord Snooty and his pals'.
Whilst wishing for a Conservative victory I, like may others, get the impression that 'Dave' is just going through the motions in order to appease the plebs.
Consider how dire Brown is, yet where are Dave & Co?
Blair recognised well that whilst government's loose elections, having an effective opposition can make it a landslide.
Chris - you are missing the point, There are MASSES of individuals who dislike what the Coservative Party stands for - people might like David Cameron but they don't like his party. I am one of those individuals.
If Obama becomes President then I might consider moving back to the States. He is the only politician who seems to make sense at the moment.
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