Do the Tories have a death wish?

You will hear it said that this is ‘just politics’ – but that’s not true

I often recall a lecture by a very senior political journalist I attended when I was just starting out. They made the case that the public and media image of MPs was unfair. Most worked hard, were conscientious, cared about their constituents and wanted to make life better for them.

I’ve always tried to bear that in mind, although there have been numerous occasions where MPs’ behaviour has called those arguments into question. The expenses scandal would be one example. Then there is what is going on now.

The Tory party has plunged into a death spiral, which appears to have resulted in a near complete disconnect from what is happening to the country and its economy. The latter’s problems are having some very nasty real world effects.

While some Tory MPs, headless of those effects, take time out for meetings with headhunters in the hopes of finding something to do after the damn breaks at the next election, others focus their attention on plots, infighting and the quest for vengeance.

We’re already seeing reports of Rishi Sunak being given six months in Number 10 to turn things around. I don’t doubt their veracity. His enemies are clearly intent upon chipping away at his credibility with the aim of ensuring that is all he gets.

He already faces multiple rebellions. While I fully support the one that would end the stupid ban on onshore wind farms, as I said in Saturday’s column, it’s hard not to feel anything other than cynical about the motivations of some those involved. The ends don’t appear to matter. These rebellions are simply meant to destabilise Sunak.

You will hear it said that it was ever thus – it’s just politics. But that’s not true. It’s a lousy excuse for the grotesque failures of the government and governing party.

Vanishingly few Tories seem capable of engaging with the fact that they are at the controls of a country holed below the waterline and in desperate need of a repair crew. The failure to address that in favour of internecine internal warfare is not “just politics”.

How many times does one need to repeat the statistics demonstrating that? To make mention of the fact that the UK is set to endure a record breaking recession, sits above only Russia in the growth league tables produced by the OECD, is suffering through an inflationary surge the likes of which has not been seen in decades. The failure to address that is not “just politics”.

Do those busily plotting in the bars while swigging cut price booze even see this as a problem? Forget the statistics. Let’s take a look at those real world effects I mentioned earlier. People are struggling to make rent or mortgage payments. Energy suppliers are juicing their direct debits willy nilly, or remotely switching their billing plans, as Ofgem wags its finger ineffectually. Children are going to school hungry. Food banks are Britain’s only growth industry. You already know what I’m going to say next.

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Don’t tell me MPs are feeling it too. An annual salary of £84,144 plus expenses and generous benefits makes it a pretty good gig even for those who don’t engage in moonlighting. In that sort of income bracket, you’re tutting about the fuel bill rather than losing sleep over it. You can heat, eat and meet the cost of a nice holiday somewhere sunny.

We’re told that a substantial proportion of the governing party has checked out because they think they’ve lost. “Quiet quitting” is how it has been described. In the meantime, there’s still a country to run. Another two years is ample time for an awful lot of damage to be done by a party disconnected from its moorings and sailing into a sea of God only knows what.

Checking out is unacceptable when children are going to school hungry. A problem like that demands engagement; thought, creative solutions. Wait – does feeding children require much in the way of creativity? What it requires is food – and having people at the tiller who give enough of a damn to provide it.

If the Tories are too busy with their internal strife to govern, then they should halt their party games and call an election. Now.