Never making the argument means never winning

Paul Goodman is making a somewhat anxious argument over at Conservative home that David Cameron is 16 points more popular than his party. ( It is perhaps a more nuanced peace addressing the popularity of David Cameron, rather than the lack of popularity for true Conservative policies, which many of us despair of ever seeing. )

This had me thinking - is it desperate stuff? Perhaps the high profile defections to UKIP have CCHQ and their buddies rattled. ( And they should be. )

Leaving aside the fact that in this world of presidential politics any half decent leader should always be ahead of the support of their party - whatever their politics - and lets look at what is really being said here.

Its the argument the 'modernisers' use to shut up party members. You can't argue for stuff because it scares the brain dead floating voter and/or Independent reader.

But of course if you never make the argument, no one changes their minds. If you never argue your case then the metropolitan elite wins by default - especially with their strangle hold over membership of the media class and political class.

If you never argue for an objective/policy you believe is right, you will certainly never achieve it.

And of course to the modernisers that's the whole point ... they like winning by default.