ConservativeHome's Dictionary

Decontamination

Even during the most difficult period for the Conservatives - when Tony Blair enjoyed very high opinion poll ratings - there were plently of Tory policies that voters liked.  Core Tory policies on immigration, Europe, tax and crime all scored highly but the Conservatives weren't trusted to deliver them.

Under David Cameron the Conservatives began a process that became known as "decontamination" to change voter perceptions of the party.  It had a number of ingredients:

• The ending of certain Conservative policies including new grammar schools and the patient's passport - that uber-modernisers believed communicated an out-of-touch and elitist Conservative Party.
• A gentler tone to political discourse including 'an end to Punch and Judy politics' where knockabout and personal campaigning trumps serious focus on the issues.
• Not constantly obsessing about the same issues but also talking about other issues - particularly the environment and social justice.
• Zero tolerance of racist or homophobic attitudes.
• Changing the look of the Conservative Party through the A-list and its drive to increase the number of ethnic minority and female Conservative MPs.

The decontamination strategy as it was pursued had two main opponents.  Some opposed any need for serious change.  Others questioned the emphasis that was placed upon it.  This second set of opponents believed that some form of 'decontamination' was necessary but that there should have been more balance in the Conservative appeal so that the change looked credible and not an abrupt break with the past.  Defenders of the approach as it was pursued believed that only a dramatic process of decontamination would convince voters that the modernisation of the party was deep and significant.

Sat-Nav politics

'Sat-Nav politics' was perhaps the one half-memorable expression to emerge from the 2007 LibDem leadership contest between Chris Huhne and the just-victorious Nick Clegg.  At the start of his campaign, Mr Clegg offered this soundbite:

"The result is the 'Sat-Nav' politics we are seeing today: Turn this way to shore up the core vote, that way for the floating vote. Go left for the approval of the Mirror, right for the Sun."

YouGov's Peter Kellner has also spoken about this tendency.  He has noted that with political parties all using the same opinion polling and focus group systems they are all converging on similar themes and tactics.

It's one of the more interesting debates in politics.  What do voters really want?  Politicians who are simple delegates or politicians who think for themselves?  "Authentic" politicians like Tony Benn and Ann Widdecombe - who eschew fashionable opinions - tend to be amongst the most popular.  Benn has divided the world's politicians into 'weather vanes' and 'sign-posts'.  Ultimately, sign-post politicians succeed, he argues.  Tony Blair, however, enjoyed his best approval ratings when he judged every move according to focus groups.  Things started to go wrong for him and New Labour when he tried to lead public opinion on issues like the war in Iraq.

Iron triangle of political success

The iron political triangle was, according to Bob Worcester of MORI, designed for Harold Wilson in the 1970s:

1. ‘Leader image’, according to Worcester "accounts for between a quarter and a third of the forces that might cause the swing voter to consider moving from one party to another."
2. Economic competence is another point of the triangle and was popularised in 1992 when James Carville, Clinton election stategist, made 'It's the economy, stupid' the defining motto of his election war-room.
3. Party unity is the third point of the triangle.  Unity was once the Tory party's secret weapon.  Margaret Thatcher appointed the centrist William Whitelaw as her deputy in the early years of her premiership as part of her determination to keep the party balanced.  But the party became increasingly difficult to manage and unity collapsed after the regicide of 1990.  Under David Cameron the party has begun to look united again.  All three of his immediate predecessors are loyally supportive of the Tories' fourth Leader of the Opposition since 1997 and as figures as diverse as John Redwood, Peter Lilley, Michael Heseltine and Ken Clarke are helping formulate future policy.

WebRoots (or The NetRoots)

An internet-based grassroots movement.

Wolves-in-sheep's-clothing

The BBC, the Liberal Democrats and the NSPCC may look and sound moderate but their agenda can be anything but.

When-I-visited-Manchester-it-didn't-rain arguments

Anecdotes can bring arguments alive but they’re not the basis for sound policies.

Values voters

Values voters are motivated by issues like fox-hunting and the arms trade - rather than conventional economic concerns.

Valence and position issues

Position issues, like abortion and the level of tax, tend to divide voters. With valence issues, like prosperity and healthcare, all voters want to know which politicians can best deliver.

Flip-floppery

Do changes of opinion show that an individual is pragmatic or devoid of convictions?

Followership

The tendency to follow rather than lead public opinion.