The Guardian view on Tory splits: doctrinal differences | Editorial

MPs in the Tory party have to realise that voters have grown up in a culturally permissive era and are not aroused by the holy anger of the rightBig as the blow was to Theresa May at the general election in June, worse has followed. Not only was the election an unnecessary fight for Mrs May to have picked, she has emerged a diminished figure. Her cabinet is united - but mainly in their desire to succeed her. On the day of Mrs May's big speech at the Conservative party conference this week, everything that could go wrong, did. Then Grant Shapps, a former party chairman who once led a double life as a "multimillionaire" web guru, was unmasked as a parliamentary general aiming to topple Mrs May for her shortcomings. Despite boasting the backing of 30 MPs, none of Mr Shapps' troops were prepared to follow their commanding officer over the top. Mrs May is hurt and the consensus is that she will stagger on. But the crisis in the Conservative party is here to stay: a toxic brew of personal ambition, ideological visions and electoral panic.This at a time when Britain's productive forces are stagnating and the biggest foreign policy issue of our times - leaving the European Union - is met with the political posturing of a clown wearing the mask of a roaring lion. The Conservative party was once steeped in pragmatism, dominated by the wish to win elections and to be in power. There always were differences of opinion. These differences in dispositions have now curdled into doctrinal differences. Continue reading...