Meanwhile, in the U.K….

In Britain, the Labour Party has taken the political hit for that country’s weak economy. Worse, it is engulfed by scandal: revelations about Labour MPs’ improper charges to their Parliamentary expense accounts have disgusted the electorate. Thus, current polling shows Labour’s support at only 21 percent, the lowest yet recorded. Everyone expects that the Conservatives will be swept back into power at the next election.

Good news as far as it goes. But I’ve wondered whether there is any real conservative movement left in the U.K. The Tories’ leader, David Cameron, is no conservative by American standards, and certainly no Margaret Thatcher. So I was heartened by this assessment of the new Tory candidates who likely will form the majority in the next Parliament:

Mr Cameron has told close colleagues that he believes he is on course to win 140 new Tory MPs after the next election, The Times has been told. While such a net gain would give Mr Cameron an overall majority of about 15, it could place him to the left of most of his parliamentary party, in which the majority will be new to the Commons. …

[T]hose most likely to be new Tory MPs are, in general, less concerned about climate change than terrorism, oppose green taxes and are hostile to gay adoptions. A majority oppose the party’s official policy of raising green taxes to reduce the taxation burden on families, according to a survey of 148 Tory candidates.

The survey, carried out in seats on a list of the 100 most-winnable constituencies and those already held, also finds that only 15 per cent believe climate change is a more important issue than terrorism. The survey suggests that an overwhelming majority of candidates in winnable seats – 83 per cent – support a significant expansion of nuclear power. …

He will be less worried that 94 per cent of candidates believe that too much power has been transferred to the European Union. It is his own view and, as even Ken Clarke acknowledges, the “settled will” of the Conservative Party.

That is excellent news, especially the fact that most younger-generation Conservatives are willing to stand up to the eco-bullies who are even more powerful in Europe than in the U.S. Who knows? Perhaps a real conservative revival in Britain is still possible.

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