One of New Labour’s crowning achievements was its success in shifting the centre ground to the left. With that achievement increased levels of taxation, regulation, and centralisation were not just achievable but, thanks to the shift in public sentiment, desirable in the eyes of large swathes of the population.
To achieve a Conservative victory at the next election Cameron has faced an at times seemingly insurmountable obstacle; dragging the centre ground back to the Right. Today though we have seen a concrete sign that not only has Cameron achieved that goal, but achieved it relatively quickly and to a greater extent than many thought possible.
What has the new modern Conservative Party placed at the very heart of its local election campaign? An attack on the level of taxation under Labour; in particular an attack on Labour’s assault on those least well off through a 10p tax increase.
It’s worth bearing in mind though that without the efforts of the TaxPayers’ Alliance it’s unlikely the centre ground would have shifted so dramatically. To them a debt of thanks is owed by all who believe that at heart individuals are much better at spending their own money than a government ever could.
Posted by newmania on April 8th, 2008 at 11:12 am:
The centre has not shifted especially Government spending has increased by 30% borrowing has been prodigious and the second the economy wobbled the massive shift left began to implode having no support as it has been largely hidden .
Cameron has actually done little but fit into the mould of contemporary Britain ,and certainly nothing to shift the ground right. His tactics are right . Voters discount for poltical expediency they know to expect a Conservartive Government for the Conservative Party.
The shifting will happen over the second term and it will emerge from Policy not sound bite and think tank