A good week for Conservatives - Election Roundup

The genius of Eric Pickles

Eric Pickles is not a man known much outside the Westminster village. However, when Conservatives do eventually return to government, it will be his name chronicled in the history books. Over the past two years of local elections, it is Mr Pickles (as Shadow Minister for Local Government), who has masterminded the Tories local election effort. A gruff, no nonsense Northerner, with an Essex seat, Mr Pickles is as far removed from being a Notting Hill metrosexual as one can possibly be. But he knows how to beat Liberal Democrats. Right from the start, Mr Pickles understood the Tory need to destroy the Liberal Democrat Councillor base. By doing so, you destroy the Liberal Democrat organisation around the country, thus making it very difficult for the Party to fight a General Election. Week after week in the run up to the campaign, Tories were going out of their way to woo over Liberal voters, both on policy and through campaigning. This was a strategy that clearly succeeded as the Liberal Democrats were wiped out in vast swathes across the country (with one or two minor exceptions). It is the destruction of the Liberal Democrats, almost more that annihilation of Labour Councillors that will do more to help Conservatives at the General Election.

Not all good news for the Tories

Although the Tories did get a stonking result last Thursday, there are still areas of concern. In parts of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedford and Milton Keynes (all areas with target seats), the advances were not as great as they should have been. This suggests that strategy of wooing Liberal voters (whilst being the right one- see above) has not connected with some sectors of the population – particularly in white working class areas. Mr Cameron needs to continue to assiduously court liberals, but find some red meat to bring white van man on board. Of course this is a difficult balancing act, but Mr Cameron must find something to appeal to this voter sector, many of whom warmed to Michael Howard's tough style Conservatism on asylum and crime, before the last election.

And Finally........

Life can't be too bad to see New Labour humbled in the UK and the Socialists wiped out in France - and all in less than one week. To see the grim face of Jon Snow on Channel 4 news claiming that the Tories 900 extra seats wasn't good enough, was a joy to behold. Meanwhile the illiberal chattering classes now have a new hate figure in the shape of President Sarkozy. Perhaps his election might indirectly help the Republicans as the anti Bushites will be distracted by the goings on at Versailles Palace.

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