Blair: Tories are a party of opposition not govt
Tony Blair has insisted the Conservatives can still be beaten, as he reflects on Labour’s declining popularity in the polls.
Speaking to Labour activists in Durham, Mr Blair conceded David Cameron had rejuvenated the Conservatives in opposition but insisted the party still had “no strategy for government”.
“Yes, they are better now at the tactics of using media and parliament to harry the government, but, every time they are called on to make a big judgment call on policy, they misfire,” he said.
A Populus opinion poll this week placed Labour on just 29 per cent, the lowest since Mr Blair became leader, and the party are expected to lose seats in the forthcoming local, Scottish and Welsh elections.
However, Mr Blair insisted the Conservatives could still be beaten at a general election. He reminded activists that Labour had consistently led the opinion polls in the 1980s, but failed to translate this into an election victory.
In one of his most strident attacks yet on the Tory leader, Mr Blair said Mr Cameron was guilty of “misjudgements” on issues such as ID cards, Europe and reforms to the NHS.
“There has been a catalogue of strategic misjudgements on policy that is instructive,” he argued.
“It shows a Tory party that has learnt the importance of image in the modern age but not the essence of true politics in any age: thinking through the tough, difficult policy choices that define fitness for government.
“From law and order, to NHS reform, to taxes on the environment, they just get it wrong.”
Despite rising popularity in the opinion polls, Mr Blair told party members at the Trimdon Labour club in his Sedgefield constituency that Mr Cameron had not found a clear direction for the Conservative party.
“New Labour made the Tories lose their bearings and this new Tory leadership has not found them,” he said.
“On the contrary, most Tory supporters, whatever they feel about the government, must be deeply confused about the direction of their own party.”
Labour party chairman echoed Mr Blair in a damning ‘mid-term report’ on Mr Cameron’s leadership. She concluded Mr Cameron had failed to really change the Conservative party and branded his leadership an “abject failure.”
“The record of David Cameron’s leadership is clear. Whether on policy or on reform of his party, he has failed to change the Tories in the way he has promised, and remains, in his own words, ‘Conservative to the core’,” she said.
Nevertheless, former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major said last night Mr Cameron has “genuine political stardust” and could be the next prime minister. In contrast Gordon Brown, who is widely expected to be prime minister by September, has a flawed record in government and “wrecked” private pensions, Sir John claimed.
