I do not see why appealing to the segment you discuss means you must pitch away from Lib Dem voters. Firstly, you fundamentally misunderstand the Lib Dem vote as quite a lot of it are traditional left-leaning Tory voters. Secondly, as someone in a Lib Dem area, the very fact you have a manifesto that makes those sorts of overtures would appeal to Lib Dem voters. The Lib Dems are neither Liberal nor Democrats and they favour a more illiberal, interventionist approach which is what you appear to be advocating - and is what we appear to have seen so far from the PM. What the PM must beware of is some kind of Trumpian form of interventionism which whilst populist in the US might lead to different results in the UK.
Actually, some of the Lib Dems I know say that if Corbyn wins they would probably vote for him and it could mean the Lib Dems take longer to revive.
Pay them by the size of their majorities. Those in safe seats could then have two jobs if they wish and those in marginals would have to work damn hard to stay where they are.
The trouble with this article is that it ignores that this is probably an issue for male MPs too but also indicative of a wider work issue across society. Switching off when you get home has become much more difficult because of the technology merger between your work space and your home space. Your phone is used for both, your laptop is used for both and switching them off is very difficult.
Part of a wider debate I am sure.
Ranil will be excellent. A very good man with bags of energy.
I don't think I understand the 50/40. If, as the article suggests, this is 10 more seats being defended then how is that over reaching itself - seems t me it is more like trying to hold on to more.....
People need a reason to belong to something. Parties need to believe in something to make people want to belong to them. Reality is that politics is no longer about beliefs and until that changes I am not sure there is much point n a review - bit like asking for a Royal Commission just to kick things in to the long grass.
The inevitable end to this is probably a major political realignment and fundamental changes to the nature of parties - and this means not just the Conservatives.
The Conservatives are dead in Scotland
Labour is dead in the South
The Lib Dems are dead everywhere
The Greens and UKIP will not make a major breakthrough
Into this vacuum will either come a new order through electoral reform or maybe the rise of some other political belief system that catches the public imagination.
Maybe this goes back to Tim's 'and' theory in a slightly different sense. The welfare state is broken 'and' therefore we need something new for the times we are in. The European Union in broken 'and' Britain needs to forge a new series of relationships in this global economy.
Thinking this is about organisational process is not addressing the core problem.
The Lib Dems are a nasty party and we seem to have ended up I will bed with them. Let's hope we can rid politics of their lies and deception at the next election.
Completely agree. It is the Nanny statist at work, something our party should not be doing. We should be sorting the problem drinker out not charging them more for their addiction. Surely a compassionate Conservatism would see this.
I don't agree with the decision of Synod but perhaps Bryant would also call for no appointments to the Lords at all until the gender mix is fifty fifty. I think he is being silly. I actually for once agree with Sentamu that the principle of women Bishops is not in doubt it is just the gerrymandered legislation they proposed that is objected to. There is a great similarity between this and Clegg's proposals for Lord's reform so I think politician's should be wary of throwing stones etc.
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Contraption