Cocktails & apprehension
Matthew d'Ancona 11:10pm
At the CNN party in Marylebone, Andrew Marr, James Purnell, Dame Sue Tinson, sundry BBC chieftains, Whitehall officials and Labour apparatchiks galore down cocktails, watch the huge screen, and dig in for a long night. The sense among centre-Left guests is one of superstitious apprehension. 'It all looked safe in 2000,' says one Blairite. 'And then it all went wrong the next morning and we ended up with eight years of Bush.'
For the McCainites - a small band of brothers huddling in a corner - Palin looks like being the Fall Gal. But that won't quite do. Conservatism in America has conspicuously failed to rise to the challenge of the new economic disorder. How will British Conservatives respond? They will, of course, claim Obama's mantle of 'change' as their own. But that will only get Dave and co so far. At the Tory conference in Birmingham, Cameron said he was a 'man with a plan'. Is he? That, and many other uncomfortable questions, will be occupying all thoughtful Tories as dawn breaks on a new geopolitical landscape.
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Paul B
November 5th, 2008 9:07am Report this commentPutting aside the economy as an issue for a moment, what has impressed me most about the American Election is the depth of their democracy, they seem to vote for every of public responcibility- which makes that person directly accountable to the people. I belive that can only be a good thing. DC has mooted bringing in elections for Chief Constables, I say bring it on. Bring on elections for Judges, for Chief X`s of NHS trusts, for head of CPS and so on. If nothing else it will stop these people treating the little person with contempt, it will take away, the "they know best attitude".
Spotty Muldoon
November 5th, 2008 10:57am Report this commentYou're the historian. You tell us when an incumbent party has ever been the electoral benficiary of economic disorder.
You'll have to do better than this to get thoughtful Tories quaking in their boots.
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