Too many technocrats: Tories need more passion to win General Election

Just catching up on last night's election results.

Good result for Ukip; Tories and Labour neck and neck (which is a bad result for Ed Miliband); and the LibDems wiped out bar one lonely MEP.

I'll leave the analysis to others but it would be fun to think we might get a Conservative/Ukip Coalition after next year's General Election.

Truth is, Ukip will continue to find it hard to translate votes into seats in Westminster unless they focus on a certain area – as the Lib Dems did very successfully for many years – and it's probably too late to adopt that tactic so close to an election.

Anyway, I was curious to hear how the Conservatives intend to tackle the Ukip issue so I spent eight long hours on Saturday attending the ConservativeHome conference in London where the final debate was 'How should we deal with Ukip?'.

After listening to MP Mark Reckless, Ryan Shorthouse (director of Bright Blue), Dr Matthew Goodwin (co-author of Revolt on the Right) and Telegraph journalist Iain Martin, I'm none the wiser.

There was a similar paucity of ideas in another session, 'What will the next Conservative manifesto look like?'

'Paucity' is a little unkind, perhaps. There were ideas, certainly, but none that I remembered after the meeting, which is pretty damning if the idea is to engage with the electorate.

There was a rather pointless and introspective debate that asked 'Is the age of mass party membership over?' but the prize for tedium went to Lord Ashcroft's polling presentation.

Of course, I am entirely alone in this because I lost count of the number of tweets on the subject.

Lord Ashcroft's polls were also widely reported by journalists who know a good story when they hear one. (I knew it was a good story, I just find polling presentations exceptionally dull and the longer they go on the more anal they become!)

The keynote speech was given by George Osborne who was the most polished speaker but little of what he said resonated.

I do remember this, though. Asked by the BBC's James Landale how the Tories would regain lost voters, Osborne replied (I paraphrase), "We have to listen to them".

How many politicians say this after a poor election result? Later in the day LBC presenter Iain Dale, who was chairing the Ukip debate, pointed out that we heard the same thing from mainstream politicians last year yet nothing changed.

Odds are the same thing will happen again and the other parties will wonder why so many people are still voting for Ukip.

The best and most memorable speech was given by Rob Halfon, MP for Harlow. He began by expressing admiration for Labour's moral mission and – though he didn't agree with their policies – the party's traditional support for the underdog.

"We need a moral mission," he said. "We are the party of aspiration and we have to reflect that in our moral crusade."

He also admired Ukip's commitment to public meetings which he said gave the party "authenticity". Social media, he said, is not enough.

He was saying, I think, that the Tories have become too technocratic and have lost contact with ordinary folk.

Ironically, Saturday's conference emphasised the problem. Far too many speakers spoke from the head not the heart. I sensed very little passion and no crusade.

For me, Lord Ashcroft's polling presentation was the nadir but there were other moments when I struggled to stay awake.

That said, the conference was very well organised. No session went on too long, the schedule was strictly adhered to, and the catering was excellent. But, boy, did it lack passion.

I know this was an event for political anoraks and grassroots party workers, but it left me a bit cold.

Outside the Westminster bubble many floating voters – those who hold the balance of power – find it hard to differentiate between the main parties.

Unless the Tories can develop and communicate a series of clear no-nonsense messages (like the one Theresa May handed out to the Police Federation last week) they will struggle to win the majority they crave.

In my next post I will reveal the main reason I was at the ConHome conference. Here's a clue:

Comments

[Pat Nurse]

Bill Newton Dunn lost his seat. He was horrible about the EU TPD and very dismissive with a clear smokerphobic attitude far removed from reality in temrs to stopping kids from smoking, and very out of tune with what tobacco and vaping consumers wanted.

I said it would cost him his MEP seat. I said UKIP would get his votes if he refused to listen to what his constituents wanted

All I have to say now is ; Hahahahahahaahaaahhaaahahahahaahahaha

#WeSmokeWeVote