David Cameron is holding the first all-Tory Cabinet meeting since 1997 today, and he is expected to emphasise his mission for this Government to be characterised by ‘blue-collar Conservatism’ in which the Tories become the natural party of working people. It is, some hope, David Cameron’s chance to show, finally, what he stands for in politics.
Previously when the Tory leader focused on a defining brand and a moral mission, it seemed a bit wishy-washy and insincere, with a lot of hugging of dogs and green trees. Then in this election campaign Cameron ended up being brutally pragmatic, not so much giving voters a reason to vote Conservative, but a reason to stop the SNP holding sway over a Labour government. That kind of trick does not make your party the one voters turn to again and again, and even if Cameron isn’t planning to stand again in 2020, he wants his legacy to be making the Conservatives electable rather than toxic.
So this new brand of blue collar Conservatism is hard headed rather than wishy washy. That’s also because the Tories are in government and cannot afford to do the wishy washy stuff. Indeed, as Sajid Javid’s interview on the Today programme showed, they are going to have to work very hard to ensure that some of their moves to support free enterprise aren’t seen as being anti-worker.
Javid has a reasonable, matter-of-fact demeanour, and he was able to avoid some of the more difficult questions on the basis that he has not yet been Business Secretary for 24 hours. But he was making clear that the Tories will pursue reforms to strike ballot thresholds in order to help the smooth running of business and the public sector. But this seriously limits the power of the trade unions, many of whom have Tory-voting members, or at least members who could be minded to vote Tory. The party will need to ensure it does not alienate those voters.
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