Election 2010: it’s time for the machiavellian approach

Election 2010:

It’s time for the Machiavellian approach!

Machiavelli would say that it’s not about ‘what should be, but about what is’. It is therefore imperative that whoever wishes to seize the keys to Number 10 conclusively out smarts their opponents on the big and the small issues of the day. The first – and possibly the most important – task is to expose the fatal flaw at the heart of their opponent’s strategy.

Conservatives flaw

1. Role of the state: At a time of economic crisis, pulling back the state and encouraging greater individualism will cost jobs,
2. Small State: A smaller state implies that only those with the will, the means and the time will set up their own schools, run their own post offices leaving the excluded!
3. Inexperience: since the economic bomb shell hit, David Cameron has – on more than one occasion – made the wrong call on how to deal with the economic crisis,
4. Business: the conservatives are pro business but appear to have little time or affection for light industry, manufacturing or engineering,
5. Marketing: the Conservatives are marketing and advertising gurus: but what you see may not be what you get,
6. Change: David Cameron has changed the Tories. But the flaw is that he has only changed those who wish to be changed. The old guard are waiting in the wings. However, David Cameron’s saving grace is that his new in take of MPs are the most diverse of any political party,
7. Dissolution: there are more hopeful conservative supporters,
8. they have not made the case

Labour’s flaws

1. Economic crisis: Labour has allowed the nation to sleep walk into this crisis. Prudence left without so much as a by-your-leave and the Black Hole that we were warned about in 2004 -2006 before the crisis hit is the real elephant in the room,
2. Authoritarian: labour’s tenure in office has been most authoritarian – some would argue quite dictatorial – this is not what many of the electorate expected or even conceived possible,
3. In fighting: Labour party has now lost its equilibrium and is uneasy in it’s own skin: the recent fighting between the Unions and the Right of the party reflects this. more worryingly; there is no third way or new path in sight,
4. Taken for granted: Labour has taken for granted the support of the white working class and BME communities who incidentally, have experienced the same types of deprivation but they are now sadly pitted against each other,
5. Dissolution: there are many more disillusioned labour supporters than in any of the three other party’s,
6. 6. The case is made: Labour has the strongest and most coherently competent message, however the electorate no longer trusts the party. Even if Gordon turned water into wine he would still be despised.

Liberal democrat’s flaws

1. Immigration: their policies are ill thought through – amnesty, Earned Citizenship
2. Defense: they will not renew Trident but have no alternative,
3. Nuclear power: They are against Nuclear power but Pro-Nuclear weapons.
4. Representation: They talk about representative democracy but their ranks are swelled with white middle classcandidates.

Flawless

1. War: Consistently anti War – IRAQ
2. Economy: Consistently got it right – Vince Cable

In order to win this election the party’s need to be Machiavellian and present policies founded on what the electorate wants not on what they believe the electorate should want. Some – but not me – would call this approach appealing to the lowest common denominator.

So, the Conservatives should CLEARLY announce;

• 7^th May 2010 they will impose a cap on non-EU immigration
• Population Cap to ensure that we do not exceed 70 million,
• Maintain Britain’s sovereignty in Europe whilst being a critical partner,
• That they will keep the pound,
• That they value the traditional family of mother, father and children and will support it.
• Welfare dependency will no longer be an option,
• For 18 – 21 year olds National service will be an integral part of our citizenship,
• That they will be tough on sentencing,

The Labour Party should CLEARLY announce;

• That it will ditch Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP with immediate effect
• That it will halt the introduction of ID cards,
• That it will hold a referendum on Europe,
• That it will listen

The Lib Dems should CLEARLY announce;

• That the other two parties are bonkers
• The old way of doing things is out dated,
• Are policies suck but we sound good,

The risk however, is that the process of exposing the flaws and the inconsistency of ones opponent and of pandering to the lowest common denominator makes it then difficult to form a truly trusting and workable political alliance in a hung parliament. The answer to this is to take a leaf out of the book of Hilary Clinton and Barak Obama during their very adversarial race to the White House and the now harmonious alliance between herself and the new American President.