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‘We didn’t see it coming': the Conservatives

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journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 12:43 authored by Tim Bale, Paul WebbPaul Webb
This contribution to the ‘Britain Votes 2017’ special issue of Parliamentary Affairs focuses on the Conservative Party’s campaign. It was a campaign at which everything that could go wrong for the Conservatives did go wrong. The manifesto, which May’s Chief of Staff Nick Timothy believed would be an asset, turned into a liability, confirming the belief of her campaign consultant Lynton Crosby that the contest between the parties needed to be framed in terms of leadership. Unfortunately, however, Theresa May simply wasn’t the kind of presidential politician who could carry that kind of campaign. Nor did Brexit do her or her party as much of a favour as everyone had expected. For one thing, she seemed to think she could get away with mouthing mantras and platitudes about leaving the EU, opening up a vacuum that other issues rushed in to fill. For another, the number of UKIP, older, poorly-educated and working-class voters that the party gained as a result of the government’s tough talk on Europe seems to have been outweighed by the number of younger, better-educated, middle-class, Remain voters who were alienated and infuriated by it. More generally, the Tories suffered because they were unable or unwilling, ideologically or otherwise, to respond convincingly to increasing voter concern about ongoing cuts to key public services.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Parliamentary Affairs

ISSN

0031-2290

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Issue

suppl1

Volume

71

Page range

46-58

Department affiliated with

  • Politics Publications

Research groups affiliated with

  • Sussex European Institute Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • No

Legacy Posted Date

2018-04-05

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2018-04-05

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-04-05

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