Cameron’s Broken Rainbow

The collapse of Cameron’s chameleonic rhetoric is emblematic of the Tory’s broken rainbow.

David Cameron’s revealing interview with Gay Times is symbolic of the historical unease the Conservative Party has with the fight for equality particularly gay rights.

It is no secret that the Conservative Party have been on the wrong side of history on gay equality and have had to catch up with Labour and Lib Dems in order to attract socially liberal voters- including the ‘pink vote’.

Yet what Cameron’s interview reveals, is not that he is confused about his own lack of commitment for the fight of equality, but rather that he is in a muddle over which faction of his party he is currently trying appease while he attempts to lure new voters.

As a new poll by YouGov puts the Tory lead barely 4 points ahead of Labour, Cameron is relying more than ever on the morphing nature of his chameleonic language to reflect the political colours of the various spectrum voters he needs to seduce. Cameron knows that in order to secure even the smallest minority he will need the support of the old tory faithful as well as that of the so called ‘compassionate’ conservative.

Until recently Cameron has been able to employ the guise of a social liberal without the fear of losing political capital or votes. Yet tonight’s interview demonstrated now Cameron’s careful balancing act can quickly be toppled by even the most unsuspecting reporter. Cameron has already declared that he has no intention to further gay rights in the fight against discrimination and prejudice at home or abroad-  thus appeasing the old order of his party and traditional voters. Switching colours,  Cameron has also ‘bravely’ stood up in front of a gay pride to proclaim that he was wrong and sorry for section 28,  luring social liberals to the new brand of ‘compassionate’ conservatism.

The question both traditional tories and ‘compassionate’ conservatives need to ask is how long David Cameron can continue to appease them both?

Cameron’s interview revealed that there is merely a pot of disappointment at the end of his broken rainbow. Social liberals and gay men and women who are tempted to vote for this compassionate conservative, should take a long hard look at David Cameron’s actions and rhetoric. It is not enough to agree in principle that gay rights are human rights and yet not  have the courage to lead your party by these convictions. Cameron’s inability to condemn the actions of the Lithuanian Government is sadly part of his embryonic approach to gay rights that will inevitably destroy Gordon Brown’s fight for the recognition of civil partnerships in Europe.

Moreover, should Cameron fail to appease his party’s newly recruited ‘social liberals’ as well as his ever foreboding right flank , he risks sowing schismatic seeds in the currently tranquil field of compassionate conservatism.

‘Yes We Can!’- A Tribute to a Great Gran, a Great Man and a Generation of Heroes

It is a sad coincidence that Michael Foot one of the Labour’s most principled leaders and my Great Gran have died on the same day. Both were part of a generation that stood steadfast by their values through times of immense hardship that brought about the social and political change we enjoy today. They were what my little sister would call ‘old skool’.

In his tribute David Cameron remarked Michael Foot was the “the last link to a more heroic age in British Politics.” – However I contend that that Michael Foot like my Great Gran were part of a generation of heroes, whose achievements and ‘yes we can’ attitude have been passed through to our grandparents, parents and now to us.  

Michael Foot was a principled fighter for change, who did not shy away from his values in order to woo an ever powerful media or to manipulate a demanding electorate. My Great Gran was a wife of Yorkshire miner, whose ‘yes we can’ attitude ensured that her 12 children (one of which is my Grandmother) would enjoy the opportunity and promise of the post-war world. Their values were tenacity, compassion and a ‘yes we can’ attitude – that should be at the forefront of our minds as we face the challenges of this young century together.

The aspirations of Foot’s 1983 Labour Manifesto – crudely dubbed the ‘longest suicide note in history’ are not too dissimilar to the promise of change that swept President Obama to office. Foot promised a radical agenda that aimed to extinguish the cold war flame, end crippling unemployment and to create a fairer society that promised equality of opportunity of the many and not just the few.  Foot had a ‘Yes We Can’ attitude that today would not be out of place in our mainstream politics.

I do not share David Cameron’s pessimistic observation that with Michael Foot’s death we have witnessed the demise of the last link to a heroic age in politics. We have lost nothing and gain everything. The ‘yes we can’ attitude of Foot’s generation resulted in some of the most magnificent changes in our social fabric such as the creation of the NHS and comprehensive schooling for all.

Today, our globally interconnected generation has once again harnessed that burning desire for change, invoking that ‘yes we can’ attitude that has become inherent to many of us. Our generation has a lot to live up. But with the same ‘yes can attitude’ of our foremothers and fathers, we will do it.             

I am very proud to have known a person of this generation of principled fighters, and I know that my generation will continue to seek the change they fought for.

Welcome to Mosley’s Monoblog

Welcome to Mosley’s Monoblog

Hey peeps, this is the start of the long-awaited political blog of Ben Mosley. Yes, I have finally launched myself into the blogosphere.  It’s not much now with its lack of  pretty pictures and buttons to press,  but this will be the home of my own progressively political insights, random thoughts and of course my good old-fashioned rants. You can expect poor grammar, horrendous spelling and some unapologetic Tory bashing that will always be written with my usual measure of dry wit, contemplation and good humour.

For those of you who already know me it will come as no surprise that Mosley’s Monoblog will be fiercely pro-Labour and will defend the progressive centre left in general.  I am a social-democrat and I believe politics is and should be tribal. However for you Tories out there don’t cringe too much, I do not believe that my party has been the creator of the egalitarian utopia it set out to achieve in 1997. I am a new Labour boy, was proud to be one of ‘Tony’s babes’ and now dare I say prouder to be a Brown sugar man. However I will criticise my own Party at times, because we’re not perfect, we must improve and because most of all  I want this great party to beat you.

So that’s all I have to say for now, sit back, enjoy the quirks of my life threatening dyslexia and have a good read.