'Recognising how the Tories went so badly wrong reminds me many in our party shared the frustrations of voters' - Kevin Foster
Kevin Foster was formerly Conservative MP for Torbay
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Are the Tories clueless on key issues concerning Britain? As a party member for nearly three decades, my instant reaction is NO!
Yet in the aftermath of a historic General Election defeat, we need to be honest about how the public perceives us. For many voters, the Conservative Party looked clueless on the key issues for them. If we do not learn the lessons of recent history, we will be doomed to repeat it at the next General Election.
Some suggest it was Mr Sunak’s visible wealth during a cost-of-living crisis which had a big impact. Yet traditionally conservative voters are not driven by the politics of envy. A person being successful is resented only by a left-wing chip-on-the-shoulder mentality.
Boris resonated with Red Wall blue-collar voters, whilst the metropolitan elite mistakenly thought his background would put them off. The key is being seen to understand and react to the key issues of concern to those voters regardless of your own background.
Be it energy bills, lack of NHS Dentists, housing costs, crime, illegal migration, the state of your local area or economic uncertainty, those who provide solutions and hope will be rewarded politically.
Those who appear disinterested and provide no clear solutions will be punished by voters.
Over the last two years, the Conservative Party appeared to voters as being distracted, divided and disinterested: Gimmicks, rather than solid solutions. Talking about the potential threat of AI when voters saw violent and retail crime in town centres not being tackled.
People struggling to find a new NHS Dentist, then hearing the PM announcing more funding for cricket lessons. With ill-judged honours lists cementing the image of being focused on what mattered to ourselves, not the country.
Yet recognising how we went so badly wrong over the last two years, also reminds me many in the party shared the frustrations of voters.
It was easy to find Conservative MPs in the last parliament who would, privately, share the same frustrations as their voters about the leadership and party’s overall approach appearing to be clueless.
The disastrous General Election Campaign, with a manifesto which provided an odd mix of offerings and no coherent vision, summed things up.
As our party rebuilds and a leadership election is underway, we cannot expect the public to immediately start listening to us again.
It will be some time before they look again at us ahead of the next General Election.
Yet this gives us time to ensure when they do, we look like the type of connected and capable party they want to see in Government, with a vision for Britain they want to get behind with their vote.
This means real answers to how the under 40s can buy their first home, delivering affordable energy for businesses and homes, a non-apologetic attitude to cracking down on crime (especially knife crime), reforming public services to serve their customers rather than providers and protecting our nation & borders.
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- 'Labour's attacks on pensioners, savers, private schools and freedom of speech expose party's true colours'
- 'The Tories are obsessed about immigration and are clueless on the key issues affecting Britain'
None of this will be easy or without challenge.
Our new leader will have a mountain to climb to convince the party and nation of their plan for change.
Yet there is no alternative to tackling head-on the issues which made us look clueless in the public’s eye on key issues.
As Margaret Thatcher said, democracy is not about seeking consensus, it’s about giving voters choices.
Voters respect those who are clear about what they believe and are prepared to argue how it will help them.
Trying to be all things to all people, with no clear vision just results in appearing clueless and being nothing to anyone.