Love bombing is not, as Tim Montgomerie wrote, about ‘appearing to agree with the electorate who vote Liberal Democrat’. It is a much more substantive strategy - and less cynical - than that.
‘Love bombing’ means distinguishing between the extremism of Liberal-Democrat party activists and the moderate views of those members of the public, who are not members - but often vote for them. The difficulties Conservatives have always had to contend with, is responding to the often hard-faced and extreme tactics of the Liberal-Democrat activists, particularly fighting in local and parliamentary By-elections.
In the past, Liberal Democrat shenanigans on the ground has provoked Conservatives into tarring all Liberal Democrat voters with the same brush and attempting to fight fire with fire. As I understand Mr Pickles, ‘Love bombing’ means that, whatever the provocation, we should ignore machinations of the Liberal Democrat activists and go over their heads to woo moderate voters. These voters will appreciate our stance on issues like Heathrow and Civil Liberties. Far from being a cynical approach, it is one which reaches out to mainly floating voters, and shows the Tory party to be speaking for them rather than responding to the petty politics that emanate from the Cowley St political machine, which, incidentally, is not nearly as good as it once was.
