Conservative Party Conference

Drawing to a close a typically dull political conference season Britain's governing Conservative Party are holding their conference in Birmingham until October 6th. The main purpose of the conference is to float vague and non-specific policy proposals in a final attempt to see what the British public will tolerate ahead of the comprehensive spending review on October 20th. So far there have only really been two highlights. Boris Johnson's speech and the conference stage itself.

Boris Johnson's speech was an exercise in toe curling, scripted spontaneity. The London Mayor began by apologising to Londoners for the current Tube strike that his transport policy has caused before announcing that only three bicycles had been stolen from his flagship bicycle hire scheme. He compared this to the 500 that have been stolen from a similar scheme in Paris. This led to Johnson mocking the "light-fingered Parisians" and generally insulting the French, always a crowd pleaser at Conservative Party conferences. He went on the explain that the lower level of crime in London was entirely due to his boosting of police patrol numbers by allowing police officers to patrol on their own rather then in pairs. Then in an agonising moment, in which you could see the cogs of his brain turn, he looked at his script and with obvious fake surprise reminded the conference that he'd forgotten to tell them what had happened to those three bicycles. They had been recovered Johnson announced triumphantly. Not only that the culprits had been caught and were awaiting "due processes" [sic]. Johnson then announced that rather then waiting for the Courts Transport for London had already removed the accused's free travel perks and offered them the chance to earn them back through community service because "That is the Conservative way!" So there you have it London's Mayor, nothing more then a comedy turn at party conference and not a very good one at that.

By far the most interesting thing about the conference though is the conference stage itself because it's a wonderful example of committee thinking. Some of you may remember that when David Cameron took over as leader the Conservative Party changed their logo from a sort of Greco-Roman torch. It was replaced by a child-like drawing of a tree which some commentators described as looking like a green scribble and was meant to represent a more caring, sharing Conservative Party. At this conference that logo has been changed again. The almost impressionist green leaves of the tree have been replaced by a sharper image showing the colours of Britain's Union Jack flag. It is presented at the end of three horizontal lines which give the impression of movement from left to right as they gradually change colour from green to blue. This backdrop is designed to send the message that now elected the Conservative Party will be doing away with left-wing environmentalism in favour of right-wing nationalism. The former advertising man in David Cameron agreed to the design in the belief that forcing delegates to stare at it for four days would help encourage them to move back to the centre ground. So in one image you have Britain's new political reality. David Cameron is now the left-wing counterbalance to the very right-wing Monarchy and military.