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There have been times when Tory figureheads have sounded moderately rational on the surface – and other moments where they have sounded wildly irrational, yet remained popular by their party. This is not that situation. Kemi Badenoch failed to inspire attendees when she addressed her conference, even as she threw out the provocative rhetoric of anti-immigration sentiment she assumed they wanted.

It’s not so much that they’d all woken up with a revived feeling of humanity; instead they were skeptical she’d ever be in a position to follow through. In practice, fake vegan meat. The party dislikes such approaches. One senior Conservative reportedly described it as a “jazz funeral”: boisterous, animated, but ultimately a parting.

Future Prospects for this Party Having Strong Arguments to Make for Itself as the Most Historically Successful Democratic Party in the World?

Certain members are taking another squiz at a particular MP, who was a firm rejection at the start of the night – but now it’s the end, and everyone else has withdrawn. Another group is generating a excitement around a rising star, a recently elected representative of the newest members, who looks like a traditional Conservative while filling her online profiles with border-control messaging.

Could she be the figurehead to challenge opposition forces, now outpolling the Tories by a substantial lead? Does a term exist for overcoming competitors by becoming exactly like them? Furthermore, should one not exist, perhaps we might use an expression from combat sports?

If You’re Enjoying Any of This, in a How-the-Mighty-Are-Fallen Way, in a Serves-Them-Right-for-Austerity Way, That Is Understandable – But Totally Misguided

You don’t even have to examine America to understand this, or consult the scholar's groundbreaking study, his analysis of political systems: all your cognitive processes is shouting it. Moderate conservatism is the key defense preventing the extremist factions.

Ziblatt’s thesis is that democracies survive by appeasing the “elite classes” happy. Personally, I question this as an fundamental rule. One gets the impression as though we’ve been catering to the propertied and powerful over generations, at the detriment of the broader population, and they don't typically become quite happy enough to cease desiring to make cuts out of social welfare.

But his analysis goes beyond conjecture, it’s an thorough historical examination into the historical German conservative group during the Weimar Republic (combined with the UK Tories around the early 1900s). As moderate conservatism loses its confidence, as it begins to chase the terminology and superficial stances of the extremist elements, it hands them the steering wheel.

We Saw Similar Patterns During the Brexit Years

The former Prime Minister aligning with Steve Bannon was a notable instance – but far-right flirtation has become so evident now as to obliterate any other Tory talking points. What happened to the established party members, who prize continuity, preservation, the constitution, the national prestige on the international platform?

Why have we lost the modernisers, who described the country in terms of growth centers, not volatile situations? To be clear, I wasn’t wild about either faction too, but it's remarkably noticeable how such perspectives – the broad-church approach, the reformist element – have been marginalized, in favour of ongoing scapegoating: of newcomers, Muslims, benefit claimants and protesters.

Appear at Podiums to Music That Sounds Like the Signature Music to Game of Thrones

And talk about positions they oppose. They describe rallies by older demonstrators as “carnivals of hatred” and display banners – national emblems, Saint George’s flags, all objects bearing a splash of matadorial colour – as an clear provocation to anyone who doesn’t think that total cultural alignment is the ultimate achievement a person could possibly be.

There doesn’t seem to be any inherent moderation, encouraging reassessment with core principles, their historical context, their stated objectives. Whatever provocation Nigel Farage offers them, they pursue. Consequently, no, it’s not fun to see their disintegration. They’re taking civil society down with them.