Theresa May Isn’t Strong, She’s Cowardly, Evasive And Weak – And I’m A Tory!

As a member of the Conservative Party, I am horrified with the dishonest and manipulative way in which Theresa May is running her election campaign.

She was a terrible Home Secretary with an appalling record of failure in every policy area.  However, I accept that she was the inevitable choice for leader when both Boris and Michael Gove bottled out.  Also, as I’ve written before, we needed someone stubborn, obstinate, pig-headed, intransigent and incapable of listening to get Article 50 triggered in the face of the anti-democratic Remaniacs.  She did a good job of that but now we need a real leader, someone who can actually implement her empty words about a “country that works for everyone” – which Ms May neither really means nor is she even capable of achieving.

Her refusal to engage in any proper debate is pathetic and brings shame on the Conservative Party.  Her bluster, barking and abusive style at PMQs is nothing to do with debate and not only is she refusing to take part in any TV debates but she’s avoiding any contact at all with real voters. It’s quite clear why – she’s an intolerant, abrasive and charmless person who really can’t deal with any dissent or disagreement. Her conduct in the Home Office where she ruled with an iron fist and micro-managed everything demonstrates this.  It’s not ‘strong’ to evade debate, to silence your opponents and to use government authority, power and facilities to undermine them.  In fact, on this last point, it’s probably unlawful as a misuse of government resources.

It’s ironic but also prescient that it was Ms May who named the Tories “the nasty party”, for that is exactly what she has achieved.  I’m also reminded of Ann Widdecombe’s remark about Michael Howard, “there is something of the night about him”.  This catches the spirit of Ms May very well.  I find her sinister, threatening and spiteful.

She’s clearly had intensive media training as Margaret Thatcher did but it hasn’t made her more appealing. True she seems to have controlled that dreadful sideways movement of her jaw and some of her worst gurning but her recent pitches to camera are nauseating: patently insincere, contrived and awkward.

The entire basis for this election is dishonest.  As PM, Ms May already has an indisputable mandate based on the EU referendum, endorsed by several votes in Parliament and by the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017.  It is utter nonsense to suggest that the result of this election will strengthen her hand. The only reason she has called it is political opportunism and why you can’t really blame her for that, as a Tory I object to her seeking to create a what is effectively a dictatorship.  I even have concerns that the real reason she wants this personal mandate is so that she can start to reverse the UK towards her personal position as a Remainer.  She may choose to accept a far softer Brexit than we voted for and with a big majority there is nothing we will be able to do about it.

Never forget, the political class, the Westminster ‘elite’ are in despair at losing their long-term retirement/second career/super pension plan arrangements.  The EU offered them all a permanent role with a lavish, protected lifestyle funded by taxpayers.  They desperately want it back.

I cannot vote to support Theresa May.  I will remain a member of the Conservative Party because its fundamental principles of individual liberty, responsibility and small government are what I believe in.  I may well be on the liberal, even libertarian wing of the party but it is Theresa May who is out of step, not me.  Her leadership is cowardly, evasive and weak.  I shall either be abstaining or voting tactically and that could even mean that I vote Labour for the first time in my life.