Don’t call us nasty

THE Tories need not despair. Their problems, though grave, are less serious than a superficial reading of the opinion polls would suggest. Anyone trying to make sense of current British politics ought to seek guidance from two unorthodox sources, F.H. Bradley and Greg Dyke. Bradley wrote a book called Appearance and Reality; in politics, the gap has never been greater, one reason why Mr Dyke wishes to debase the BBC’s political coverage.

As for appearance, everything seems clear. Mr Blair has marginalised the opposition to the extent that he virtually controls the language of public debate. The Prime Minister’s hegemony has persuaded much of the media class, including Mr Dyke, that his position is unassailable.

But Mr Dyke also has to find an audience for his political purposes, which is where reality intrudes. No one seems interested in politics. It could be argued that the BBC has a duty to elevate public taste instead of anticipating its further decay, but Mr Dyke feels it necessary to operate in a world in which general election turnout has fallen below 60 per cent and traditional affiliations are crumbling.

So, at moments, does Tony Blair, which is why he can often seem insecure. He would like to believe that he was returned to power on an afflatus of adulation. He is uneasily aware that it was more a matter of tolerant cynicism. According to reports from No. 10, the PM is also aware of the deficiencies of his domestic reforms. He worries whether he can keep the voters content with promises and gimmickry.

Acutely sensitive to the electoral mood, he knows that it could change rapidly. There could come a moment when the public says: ‘We did not elect you to schmooze with Bill Clinton or entertain the England football team.