Tory 'wets' will lead their party to oblivion

Discontented 'centrists' are pushing a discredited - and increasingly fringe - brand of politics

Paul Embery is one of the most interesting, insightful and original voices to have emerged in British journalism for some time — Douglas Murray

Photo: ‘X’

Dogmatism is not an attractive trait in any politician. While political representatives should of course be guided by principle and conviction, they should not be so blinded by ideology that they refuse to look facts squarely in the face.

For example, could any true and honest Tory seriously believe that their party suffered the calamitous defeat it did at the general election in 2024 because it wasn’t liberal and progressive enough? That the British electorate were crying out for more of the soggy, technocratic ‘centrism’ that had dominated Westminster politics for most of the previous three decades, but felt that the Conservative party just wasn’t offering it?

Well, it seems there are some in the Tory ranks who do believe such things. Many of them have thrown their weight behind a new movement, ‘Prosper UK’, created by former leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson and erstwhile West Midlands mayor Sir Andy Street. The aim of the movement, say the pair, is to drag the Tories away from divisive populism and back to the sensible centre where, apparently, hordes of disaffected mainstream voters are to be found.

Prominent Tory ‘wets’ have, predictably, come out in support of this new crusade. So we’ve had the likes of Dominic Grieve, David Gauke and Justine Greening welcoming the development as a step towards restoring ‘common sense’ and ‘moderation’ to the party – or something along those lines. Grandees such as Michael Heseltine and Ken Clarke have expressed their approval, too. Evidently these people genuinely believe that the initiative will serve as a launchpad for propelling the Conservative party back to office.

It does make one wonder just how detached from reality they are. Do they know nothing of the political and cultural convulsions that have rocked our country in recent times? Did Brexit pass them by? Are they not aware of the seismic realignment that has taken place – is still taking place – in British politics? Do they not know that every opinion poll shows the two big parties holed beneath the waterline and at risk of being supplanted by more radical alternatives? Do they ever trouble to ask themselves why these things came to pass?