At his party’s conference the previous month, Mr. Sunak attempted to maintain support from the ‘red wall,‘ but recent developments indicate a shift towards the ‘blue wall,’ noted Professor Ford. However, the challenge lies in trying to reconcile both strategies.
Mr. Sunak’s endeavor to adopt a populist stance faced challenges for another crucial reason. Despite sharing many ideas with Ms. Braverman, he struggled to effectively convey them. Public perception has painted him as a “cosmopolitan, technocratic, California-loving, globe-trotting tech-bro type,” according to Professor Ford. The attempt to present anti-woke, anti-immigration politics from someone perceived differently seemed incongruous, even if it aligns closely with his actual personal politics.
For the Conservatives, there’s a potential risk in this shift as it might create an opportunity for Reform UK, the successor to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, known for its right-wing stance. An energized Reform UK could divert votes from the Conservatives, potentially enabling Labour to regain ‘red wall’ seats within the winner-takes-all electoral system in Britain.
A significant question looms over whether moderate Conservatives will interpret the return of Mr. Cameron, who embodies many of their values, as the revival of their brand of politics. Some of these voters attribute Britain’s economic stagnation and the rise of populism within their party to Brexit, often perceiving themselves as victims of a privileged metropolitan elite.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Cameron, the architect of the Brexit referendum, resigned after the campaign to remain in the European Union was unsuccessful. The move to reintroduce him into the political arena raises skepticism among voters who have endured years of criticism from their own party. Professor Ford remarks, “They have had a seven-year barrage of abuse from their traditional party, and now, as a way of trying to win them back, that party puts into the House of Lords the guy who kicked off the whole barrage of abuse and then ran away. There’s no guarantee that it will work.”
