The real political battle is now being fought in the central no-man’s-land between the Tory and Labour positions.
Each has its loyal supporters, who would vote for their party even if it adopted a flat-earth policy. But each needs to occupy this broad middle-ground – to attract the young men and women who are not bound by traditional ideologies and whose views cut across the stereotypes of left and right.
It is in this context that the discussion, revived by last week’s Liberal party conference at Scarborough, about some kind of Lib-Lab pact should be seen.
The mistake is to see this simply as an argument about whether the Liberals in Parliament should come to Labour’s rescue if Mr Wilson’s majority disappears – as it well may.
The real question is whether Labour can become the kind of party which the Liberals in the country – the voters – will want to support.
Key quote
“The basic danger involved in lead pollution is not simply that it may bring agony to us and shorten our lives, but that it may adversely affect the activities of the central nervous system”
Clair Patterson, American geochemist warns of lead peril
Talking point
“The basic danger involved in lead pollution is not simply that it may bring agony to us and shorten our lives, but that it may adversely affect the activities of the central nervous system”
Clair Patterson, American geochemist warns of lead peril
