Tony Bryer wrote:

The Mail and Express have helped the Conservatives lose three elections
with their rubbishy stories and seem to want to do the same next time
round.


Sounds like a whinge from Ken Clark to me. Newspapers don't lose
elections, divided parties without adequate leaders and policies do. The
Conservatives are still trying to face both ways at the same time and
until they decide that they are Conservatives and not Socialists, they
will never be elected on a first past the post system. They only have a
presence in Scotland because of PR. The present young Tory leadership
contender is IMO a classic image over substance candidate and will, if
elected, lose the next election. ( Even with a recession, I don't see
how Labour can lose.) His opponent does not seem to be a great deal
better in leadership terms. There also appears to be a classic,
arrogant, Master/Slave relationship between the Conservative MPs and the
grasssroots party/general public, leading to fewer and fewer active
supporters of Conservative values.

Regards
Capitol