How the Conservative Party became a losing machine

The Conservative Party, despite being the victorious winner of the 2019 election, continues its descent into hell. A series of political mistakes and internal divisions may threaten his chances of winning the upcoming elections.

The modern history of the British Conservatives is that of a party that collapsed in just four years. In December 2019, they crushed the elections. A majority we haven’t seen in 40 years. Today, this majority has collapsed and looks like a complete losing machine.

They trail Labor by 20 points in all opinion polls ahead of next year’s election. They have had three prime ministers in four years. Frequent crises within the party. Just before the weekend, the minister responsible for immigration resigned. A few days ago, his colleague in the Ministry of Interior was dismissed.

Mistakes and false promises regarding the health system

The situation has spiraled out of control since the beginning of 2019. On the morning of Victory Day, the party leader made a speech. Boris Johnson sets the course: “Whether we are, rich, poor, young, old. Health services are there for us. And every day, they perform miracles. That is why it is the top priority of this government.” Four months later, Covid-19 is sweeping British hospitals. Johnson then made mistakes, which he admitted on Wednesday, December 6, before an investigative committee.

But above all, the public health system, the NHS, remains overwhelmed today. There are approximately eight million late appointments. Historic strikes hit the sector. Employees at the end of their employment who feel underpaid. In his victory speech, Johnson pointed to a figure reached throughout the Brexit campaign: more than €400 million paid to the EU every week, which was due to go to hospitals. This amount was false and the health services never saw its colour.

Lying as a guilty pleasure

Lying is one of the points that costs conservatives dearly today. This is Boris Johnson’s guilty pleasure. Throughout his career, he lied and made promises he didn’t keep. He shakes up the organization he comes from, constantly flexing his muscles.

“It is different from being a guerrilla who comes down from the mountain to destroy everything and then returns to the hills and is responsible for a country.”“, says Andrew Jameson, who has written several books about it. “He was a very bad chief of civil servants. He would make a decision at 8:30 in the morning. Then at 10 in the morning, he would say the opposite, simply because someone put forward a new argument. Institutions cannot work like that.”

Based on his landslide victory, Johnson believed he was untouchable. He lied, changed his mind, and betrayed, to the point of terrorizing the camp that had expelled him a year and a half ago. Behind them, the ephemeral Liz Truss spent a month and a half in charge, before she too was let go.

The party was divided over illegal immigration

So, here Rishi Sunak is in charge, and has already upset his camp. Conservative elected officials are demanding his departure. James Blitz, a good expert on British politics, cannot believe it. He added: “The idea that in our country we can change the prime minister again… a fourth prime minister in four years? It is an incredible idea.”

“The Conservatives are so poorly positioned in the polls that MPs are willing to do anything to try and turn over a new leaf.”

James Blitz, political analyst

In France Info

There is one topic that is particularly bothering the majority these days: the fight against illegal immigration. And a project: sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. Even London has already paid €280 million to the Rwandan authorities, despite not sending any refugees there. The British courts ruled and declared this agreement null and void. Earlier, the European Court of Human Rights also opposed this decision.

The work is still secret

Ideal for those who find that their Prime Minister is not assertive enough. Like Suella Braverman, the interior minister he fired for criticizing his police, who were deemed too timid. “Where is the supreme authority in the United Kingdom?”She asked herself on Thursday, December 7, in front of the deputies. “Is it the British people? And the representatives they have elected? Or the ambiguous, shifting and inexplicable concept of international law?”

Meanwhile, the Labor Party remains tight-lipped. They are satisfied with collecting voting intentions. In 2019, their leader Jeremy Corbyn was a scarecrow for a large portion of voters, who were considered too left-wing. Today, Keir Starmer is leading the party, having sacked his predecessor. Much more centrist, much more consensual. The UK is already wondering who the Prime Minister will be.