Will Australia becomce the first Western democracy to confine socialism to the dustbin of history? It would be marvellous if this happened. For over a decade, Australia's Prime Minister was the excellent John Howard, who shared not only Margaret Thatcher's Methodism but also much of her ideology. He was eventaully defeated by Australia's Labor Party, led by Kevin Rudd, in 2007. Six years on, opinion polls suggest that the Australian electorate have fallen out of love with Labor and especially the present prime minister Julia Gillard, with a heavy defeat looking likely in the forthcoming General Election, due in six months' time.
Gillard became Prime Minister after ousting Kevin Rudd in 2010, but her tenure of office has seen her party riven with strife. Rudd attempted to regain the leadership last year, but lost by a substantial margin. A few weeks later, Labor suffered a wipe-out in Queensland's state elections, losing 44 of the 51 seats they previously held. Fear of a smilar wipe-out at national level saw Simon Crean, a senior member of her cabinet call for another leadership contest yesterday, as he felt that Labor could not possibly win under her leadership. Rudd declined to stand, so Gillard, the only candidate, was declared the winner.
So Austraiia's ruling party faces an election in a few months' time riven by in-fighting and led by a no-hoper. Is this a foretaste 2015 in the UK? I fear so. A party seen as both divided and panicking six months before polling day are not going to convince the public that they are fit to govern. There are therefore some lessons from Australia for those Conservative MPs and activists who scent defeat if Cameron remains Prime Minister: it's time to act now, or at least pretty soon. Do you need to wait for the local elections in May, which are likely to be another kick in the teeth for Dave's touchy-feely "rebranding" of the Tories? or another by-election in a Tory target seat, which you fail to win? Next year comes the European Parliamentary elections, with UKIP poised to return more MEPs to Brussels than any other party. Time is ticking away fast. Save us from the ghastly Labour monster with two Eds, please! For the good of your country, true Conservatives, choose your man (not Boris, please!), sharpen your knives and strike before it's too late.
Gillard became Prime Minister after ousting Kevin Rudd in 2010, but her tenure of office has seen her party riven with strife. Rudd attempted to regain the leadership last year, but lost by a substantial margin. A few weeks later, Labor suffered a wipe-out in Queensland's state elections, losing 44 of the 51 seats they previously held. Fear of a smilar wipe-out at national level saw Simon Crean, a senior member of her cabinet call for another leadership contest yesterday, as he felt that Labor could not possibly win under her leadership. Rudd declined to stand, so Gillard, the only candidate, was declared the winner.
So Austraiia's ruling party faces an election in a few months' time riven by in-fighting and led by a no-hoper. Is this a foretaste 2015 in the UK? I fear so. A party seen as both divided and panicking six months before polling day are not going to convince the public that they are fit to govern. There are therefore some lessons from Australia for those Conservative MPs and activists who scent defeat if Cameron remains Prime Minister: it's time to act now, or at least pretty soon. Do you need to wait for the local elections in May, which are likely to be another kick in the teeth for Dave's touchy-feely "rebranding" of the Tories? or another by-election in a Tory target seat, which you fail to win? Next year comes the European Parliamentary elections, with UKIP poised to return more MEPs to Brussels than any other party. Time is ticking away fast. Save us from the ghastly Labour monster with two Eds, please! For the good of your country, true Conservatives, choose your man (not Boris, please!), sharpen your knives and strike before it's too late.