Just read a Telegraph op-ed claiming the Tories lost because they were too far left, and I have a feeling that is the narrative we will hear more of over the coming years.
Agreed not entirely unelectable but I can’t see them getting anywhere even close to a parliamentary majority with a lurch to the right. Yesterday proved that and even with the Tories in utter disarray, Reform’s “breakthrough” was pitifully small.
The combined Tory / Farage vote share was 38%+ , Labour took 34%. The electoral system, rather than the actual votes cast, is what swept Labour to power. If the Tories embrace Farage and "unite the right" then there's nothing to prevent it doing the same for them in future.
Your assumption that uniting with Farage wouldn’t cause the moderate Conservative vote to collapse and go elsewhere. It is not a homogenous block simply to add to Farage’s support which itself was inflated by punitive protest voting that could not be relied upon to repeat in different circumstances
I take that point, but think the bulk of moderate Conservative voters have already deserted them. My fear is they might complete the purge and merge with Farage to form a belligerent hard right nativist party that just might be able to take power when Labour fall out of favour.
