Rebel Rebel

Gove in the groove

Last evening Tyler attended a cyber-right soiree at which Michael Gove was speaking. He was very good - amusing, flattering to his audience, and focused on the agenda we all wanted to hear. In particular, he reiterated the point that for the right to be successful the Tories need to be surrounded by a strong and broader movement outside of the Tory party itself: just like the US has developed over the last 40 years (so brilliantly chronicled in Right Nation).

At the end of his talk he was asked to name three things the Tories need to do to win next time. He replied:

1. Keep it simple - it's all very well having arcane policy discussions among anoraks, but messages for voters have to be clear and simple
2. Team play - the Tories are much more than just Dave and George, and their depth needs to be emphasised
3. Rebel rebel - the Tories must not be seen as the Establishment

Tyler agreed with all three, especially the last one. But Dave? Mrs T and comp educated Gove are non-Establishment: an insider OE son of a stockbroker is a slightly tougher sell.

Still, one way or another, time is surely running out for the NuLab establishment.

PS On the way home from the soiree, Tyler called into the Sainsburys Local in Farringdon Road. And who should be in front in the check-out queue but Hazel Blears, totally unrecognised by anyone else. Naturally, Tyler nosed into her basket, expecting to see a few bags of nuts, or whatever it is chipmunks eat. But all she had was a Warburtons Toastie loaf (800g), a carton of miracle pomegranate juice, and what may have been an Easter egg. It was sort of sad.