A Very British (National) Coup
Obtaining a definitive strategy for the next election and, thusly, a final position on Brexit had been a long drawn out process for the Conservative Party. William Hague and the other higher ups in the Shadow Cabinet had spent long and hard hours deliberating if David Cameron’s plan of a SDP-Liberal voter courting policy or if Nigel Farage’s BNP electoral pact was the way forward. The meeting grew tense as ambitious men waiting for their chance at the upcoming leadership election voiced their views strongly.
August 2009 - Millibank, CCHQ
Michael Howard: William, we must iron out these holes in our strategy. As Party Chairman, it’s my job to put forward our campaign in the next election. I can’t do that if we continue dawdling with this indecisiveness!
William Hague: Quite right, Michael, quite right. Do we have a consensus on our electoral strategy yet? Cameron?
David Cameron: Well, if I may argue again for my plan. Studies have been pointing to a large overlap in policy with the Liberals and a smaller but still notable one with the SDP. The Economy, Education, the Environment to name a few!
David Davis: I must agree with David here, the Liberals are our natural allies. If only we had courted them before.
Chris Grayling: There is far more potential in trying to win the centre ground than there is drifting to the fringes of the right.
Michael Gove: You would say that, wouldn’t you? Given your little stint in the SDP.
William Hague: That comment really wasn’t necessary, Michael. Anyway, I see the point you’re all making but how do we know they’ll come back to us? They have the choice between the SDP and the Liberals. Hell, some of them are still voting Labour. Why would they opt for us?
Boris Johnson: Ah! But that’s the point! They aren’t
natural Liberal or SDP voters, per say. We’ve well... scared them off, Osborne wasn’t exactly the right chap to win them back because it was too close to 2000 still. If we put on a proper fresh coat of paint, stick to our guns and dare the awkward squad to face us down, I reckon we’d be in for a good chance.
Jacob Rees-Mogg: I voted to leave, I stand by that decision. Enthral me as to why I should support this.
David Cameron: I assure you, we would make concessions in other areas. Besides, we aren’t advocating to remain here. Just a few sweeteners to make our deal seem like the better option for those that voted Remain whilst keeping committed to leaving.
Michael Gove: The next election isn’t until 2012! It’ll be too late to do any of this!
David Cameron: That’s what makes it better. We can say these Liberal friendly things now but that doesn’t mean we’ll get the chance to act on them and split the voters like a BNP electoral pact would.
Michael Howard: I do see the logic in that. By “a fresh coat of paint” I presume you mean a new leader?
David Cameron: Well, yes.... not that I wish to hurry you along William.
William Hague: No, don’t worry. I understand what you’re saying. Besides, I’ve been in the Shadow Cabinet in some capacity for nearly 15 years now. It’ll be nice to have a break on the backbenches. I’ll resign early next year, hopefully my last conference helps me go out on a positive note.
Michael Howard: I’m sure it will, now. Let’s vote on David’s proposals, albeit with a slightly more subtle approach. All in favour say aye?
For: 17
Abstain: 2 (Rees-Mogg and Gove)
Against: 1 (Iain Duncan-Smith)
The News of the motion quickly filtered it’s way down to the backbenches. Farage was furious at the near unanimous rejection of his plan for a BNP electoral pact. His support amongst the backbenches, although not as strong as previously, still gave him the loyalty of several mps. Deciding that his second chance for the Conservative party had been misguided, he rounded up his supporters and called for a defection to the BNP in protest of this apparent “betrayal” by the leadership. In the end however only a few followed him.
Late August 2009: Conservative defectors to the BNP
Nigel Farage (South Thanet)
Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood)
Paul Nuttall (South Holland and the Deepings)
Steve Crowther (Torridge and West Devon)
These defections took the Conservatives to 222 mps however, as many more had been expected like the SDP before, actually helped to undermine the BNP in this case. Nevertheless, the BNP were jubilant at this news and Nick Griffin held a victory speech in Barking, a target seat for the party. However, the speech was met with an organised anti-BNP group heckling Griffin from the back. The crowd quickly turned violent on eachother and prove were forced to be sent in in order to quell the conflict. While Griffin was being escorted away from the scene, a man egged him and in a moment of stupidity and rage the BNP leader resorted to violence to deal with this egger. The man was caught off guard by Griffin lunging at him and several BNP supporters nearby also joined in on this attack. The man was critically injured from the beating and the aftermath did not look good for the party on what should have been a time to show off their 4 new mps. Robert Kilroy-Silk, who had been building up his influence in the party along with ally Tim Congdon, seized the opportunity and called for a vote of no confidence in Griffins leadership of the party. The influence of the two men, the incident that had occurred and the influx of Thatcherites to the party allowed the vote to decisively pass in favour of the vote of no confidence. Kilroy-Silk moved quickly and secured himself and Congdon as leader and deputy leader respectively. Farage had actually been plotting with the two men to dethrone Griffin for several months now. Farage had previously refused to join the party as long as Griffin remained leader although the situation turned out in his favour after he chose to defect anyway. With the rise of the Thatcherites to the leadership came a further expulsion of fascists from the party including, eventually, Griffin himself on the grounds of “poor conduct”. The old BNP had been toppled, but much more was to come for this new leadership.