Observation: The Influx of the Wannabe Tories

By Tal-Anna Szlenski

Using an expression as ‘Wannabe Tory’ is a bit brash. It supposes that there is such a thing as a ‘Real Tory’. Having no place to judge the ranks and degrees of Toryness, this is exactly what I am going to do.

As such I have taken the liberty to comment upon a growing phenomenon, hereby dubbed the ‘Wannabe Tories’. This avid group of typically middle-class tweeters with a highly politicized agenda, have taken it upon themselves to reinforce a Tory image of in-your-face-wealth and exaggerated arrogance. Whilst Cameron is making embarrassing attempts to appear like any regular Dave, the Wannabe Tories seek to do just the opposite.

In gleeful tweets we hear about their newest Smythson organiser, Fortnum and Mason tea selection, BUPA membership, and latest trip to Annabel’s.

Devoid of depth, yet full of tasteless boasting and hot air, the Wannabe Tories are now nothing more than a bad caricature of themselves. The focus has shifted from minimal-state proponents to something resembling an attitude found amongst teenagers in the local Argos store, donning gold jewellery to show they ‘have’. Frankly the attitude reflected from both camps, Argoers or Wannabe Tories, is ‘cheap’ and ‘put-on-for-show’. 

In short, with the Wannabe Tories going to lengths to prove their worth as first-class-Tories, they relegate the Tory brand to nothing more than a wannabe state of being.

Why I (Would) Hate if the Coalition Government Fails…

By Maggie Palin

I’ll admit—I’ve personally been a bit skeptical of the new Coalition government since its inception last month. As a Conservative at heart, it has been exciting for me to see David Cameron become Prime Minister and watch the Conservative MPs in Westminster sit once again on the Government benches. But as a follower of Adam Smith’s laissez-faire economic philosophy, the tax reforms and proposed reductions to the size of Government that Cameron needed to cede to Nick Clegg and his Liberal Democrats to form a coalition does worry me. And if I’m worried about this, I can only wonder what other Tory voters from the mold of Maggie Thatcher think as well.

It’s probably too premature to discuss this, and hopefully it turns out to be just an image in the back of my mind and not actual reality, but I have to ask myself—and you alike—what would happen if the Coalition government does fail. Yes, we’re just in the early days of the new government and Cameron’s just had his first PMQs merely a few hours ago. But we do have to remember that history has a funny way of repeating itself. If the coalition fails, and another election is called, it will leave a blemish on David Cameron and the Conservative Party’s legacy in the twenty-first century that may not be insurmountable in another poll.

Let’s flash back a year in time when the Conservatives were winning 45 percent in the polls. Had a snap election been called back then, the party would have then had the requisite seven percent swing to win 325 seats in Westminster and control the Government outright. Yet this did not happen. And instead, while the Conservatives managed to win the largest share of the vote in last month’s election, they were forced to share power with the Liberal Democrats in order to form a Government.

So if this coalition does not work, will Cameron have to relinquish his title? How will the swing fall—will it fall in favour of the Tories, or perhaps bring Gordon Brown’s successor to 10 Downing Street. Now that Clegg and the Liberal Democrats have some power, what impact will they have on the electoral landscape in future elections? All of this is yet to be seen, but I can say with some certainty that for a party that had hoped to coronate its fearless leader in style last month, this Coalition Government is not the outcome for which we hoped and will hopefully be the start of a new era in British politics, and not the end of the Conservative party as we know it.

Humour: An Underrated Weapon

by Tal-Anna Szlenski

Internet, schminternet… What is arguably becoming the defining feature of the 2010 UK General Election is something as plain and simple as ‘humour’. Not that British humour is ever just plain and simple.

Judging by recent campaign initiatives, it appears that the British political machine is seeking to connect to voters through a mean which stirs reaction (a laugh, smile, frown, maybe even just a “what the ****?”) to a much greater extent than even the savviest iPhone application could wish to achieve.

As election fever rises, wit and satire have been heavily employed as the electoral weapon of choice. Just consider the Lib Dem parodical creation of ‘the Labservative party and Gorvid Camerown’, the many spoof entries of Conservative campaign posters to be found on MyDavidCameron.com, or the comic Conservative retorts following Labour’s poster depicting David Cameron as a 1980s Gene Hunt.

Usage of parody, satire and comedy is now no extraordinary occurrence. A Guardian April 1st mock story perhaps illustrated this best, when it led people to believe that the Labour party where to turn Gordon Brown’s bad-tempered reputation into an advantage through a string of tongue-in-cheek campaign posters presenting Brown as an alpha-male leader for Britian. It might have seemed rather peculiar, but not to the extent that it was unbelievable – hence many people fell for the joke.

Even after the revelation of the falsified story, the fabricated campaign-slogans “step outside posh boy” has gained popularity in its own right. T-shirts with the slogan are now on sale (though perhaps this is a continuation of the April’s fool story?), and the Tories have created their own spoof of what was a spoof ad in the first place.

This active usage of humour originating from the the political establishment itself (and not just satirists) is to begin with quintessentially British. Further, it is what makes this current election stand out and gain character, amidst the many wishful (not to mention wrongful) comparisons to the preceding US campaigns of Howard Dean and Barack Obama.

And perhaps it is humour which as a generally appreciated deed can serve as a valuable foundation for common ground when seeking to appeal to a broader segment of the electorate. If done right it will prove itself to be of much greater worth than kissing babies and visiting hospital wards in front of the camera.

And as such: let humour be the message, and the iPhone app be the messenger.