The end of the conservatives as an election-winning force?

[Kalimantan Gull]

After 13 years of an increasingly unpopular government, in a financial crisis, with a fresh-faced young leader, blah blah blah, they can ONLY manage 37% of the vote and 20 seats short of a majority? Can they ever win again?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Most of ENGLAND voted Tory and they made gains in Wales. Im afraid its the sweatys that the Tories cant crack. Always has been.

 

[Forster's Armband]

After 13 years of an increasingly unpopular government, in a financial crisis, with a fresh-faced young leader, blah blah blah, they can ONLY manage 37% of the vote and 20 seats short of a majority? Can they ever win again?

I am afraid that what will happen is either Cameron will from a minority government OR Lib/Lab will fail to agree a coalition and we will go again, and then they will probably win a majority.

I don't want this but I am worried it will happen.

 

[Bluejuice]

Perhaps if they ACTUALLY HAD ANY POLICIES they might win a few more people over

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Most of ENGLAND voted Tory and they made gains in Wales. Im afraid its the sweatys that the Tories cant crack. Always has been.

Thatcher got 22 scottish seats in 1979. Now they have 1. She really pissed them off.

 

[severnside gull]

a coalition of liberals and labour premised on an early referendum for wholesale election reform and a future of proportional representation where, ironically, the Tories will inevitably be the largest party with more chance than now of holding power as long as they can learn to talk to other parties instead of at them - a tough call for our politicians but they will learn eventually that it is what the people want

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Most of ENGLAND voted Tory and they made gains in Wales. Im afraid its the sweatys that the Tories cant crack. Always has been.

This is just not true. Where have you got your figures from? The tories have not got, and will not get, more than 50% of either the seats or the popular vote.

If the country doesnt want Labour to rule, vote them out comprehensively. This is all the electorate has to do. As things stand, and under the British constitution (which surely ALL Tory's and Labour and Liberal supports abide by) the current government have not been voted out and will be invited by the Queen to attempt a working majority.

I'm not a royalist but I stand by the Queen and the British constitution

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Really bad result for the tories unless the last results surprise everyone.

Every year their core vote drops as dyed in the wool supporters pass away with age. They really needed a big result to try and win young people over. Unless we have another election soon they will lose even more momentum and its going to be hard for them to come back from that.

 

[Scampi]

After 13 years of an increasingly unpopular government, in a financial crisis, with a fresh-faced young leader, blah blah blah, they can ONLY manage 37% of the vote and 20 seats short of a majority? Can they ever win again?

But the system makes it hard for the Tories. If you swapped the labour and conservative share of the vote, labour would be looking at a majority of about 85 seats

 

[Chicken Run]

I'm not a royalist but I stand by the Queen and the British constitution when it suits me and my ideals

I think that's what you mean isn't it

 

[Silkster365]

When does the big society start? is that today or next week?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

But the system makes it hard for the Tories. If you swapped the labour and conservative share of the vote, labour would be looking at a majority of about 85 seats

PR will make it even harder.

This election shows that the Tories are, in some cases literally, a dying breed. Even after 13 years, the Iraq war, the alleged mismanagement of the economy etc etc the Tories still cannot muster a majority.

Electoral reform (which I feel will happen) under a Lab/Lib pact will be the final nail in their coffin.

 

[Durlston]

I spunked £20 away on a Tory majority at 6/5. In hindsight it was an awful bet, never looked like landing it at all

 

[Trufflehound]

Great quote from Paddy Ashdown: "The people have spoken, we just don't know what they said."

 

[Scampi]

PR will make it even harder.

This election shows that the Tories are, in some cases literally, a dying breed. Even after 13 years, the Iraq war, the alleged mismanagement of the economy etc etc the Tories still cannot muster a majority.

Electoral reform (which I feel will happen) under a Lab/Lib pact will be the final nail in their coffin.

I'm sorry but no it doesn't. This idea that somehow the conservatives are a dying force is just not supported by the evidence.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think that's what you mean isn't it

 

[severnside gull]

I spunked £20 away on a Tory majority at 6/5. In hindsight it was an awful bet, never looked like landing it at all

I had a tenner on Gordon Brown to be the next prime minister....still in there with a chance

 

[Simster]

The dye was set early on, with Mandelson carrying on smugly as if nothing had changed and Theresa May stamping her feet at him like a schoolgirl as if the fact that Labour weren't wanted meant that the Tories surely were by default. Both were wrong, both look like complete twunts this morning.

f*** knows what it means, but I can't see beyond another GE soon under a fairer voting system. My guess is that this will mean the end of the Tories as a party able to govern on their own, but that you could say the same for all of the main parties.

 

[Gwylan]

f*** knows what it means, but I can't see beyond another GE soon under a fairer voting system. My guess is that this will mean the end of the Tories as a party able to govern on their own, but that you could say the same for all of the main parties.

Yes, I'm sure that's what will happen: a referendum on PR in July, a new system implemented and another election under the new rules in October. It's a tight timescale but it's possible.

Meanwhile, I loved this Twitter tweet I've just seen
"Police reporting crazed Scotsman has barricaded himself into London terraced house & taken 60m people hostage"

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

a coalition of liberals and labour premised on an early referendum for wholesale election reform and a future of proportional representation where, ironically, the Tories will inevitably be the largest party with more chance than now of holding power as long as they can learn to talk to other parties instead of at them - a tough call for our politicians but they will learn eventually that it is what the people want

The Sage of Somerset - agree