The Tories deserve our contempt

The Telegraph reported at the weekend that the Conservative party appears to be attempting, in its selection process for parliamentary candidates, to weed out anybody who might just possibly be a conservative. This strategy – with all its ineptitude and wilful blindness – is a perfect capsule of the parliamentary party and its upper echelons.

It’s hard to find the right word to describe what the Tories have done since their incredible election win in 2019. ‘Disappointment’ is polite, but too mild. ‘Rage’ is too hyperbolic. I think ‘contempt’ hits the mark best. And this is significant I think. A party can leap over disappointment and rage; contempt is a much higher hurdle to clear.

It’s sobering to reflect on the relief of election night 2019. At last the threat of Corbyn was over and done with. The ancient electoral system had worked, responding to the realignment of the country.