By Ben Gadsby

There is a temptation, I think, amongst Conservative supporters and campaigners to think the game is won. We’re consistently over 10 points ahead in the polls (17 this morning), the Labour Government is dogged by scandal – how can the next election not be a Conservative victory?

But we cannot afford to be complacent. Below the headlines, the opinion polls repeatedly show that the position is not as strong as it seems. Just 21% of people trust Cameron to keep his promises. The top team is still prone to accusations of being toffs. The traditional Tories still seek tax cuts and a harsh line on crime. They are placated by the size of the lead. As it shrinks, and policies are announced, there will be murmurs.

We have a unique opportunity. People who used to shut their doors as soon as the word “Conservative” was used no longer recoil, they even engage. Time and time again, the people who propelled Blair to power and condemned us to the political wilderness are saying the same thing – I’ll never vote Labour again.

How do we capitalise on this? Hit the streets. It’s all perfectly well discussing the merits of Thatcherism and sipping on gin, but the election will be won on the streets, not in the Bateman Room. Whether you deliver leaflets, canvass, or tell, you can do something to bring us back to power.

It’s tempting to look at the opinion pools, and the papers, and conclude that the election is won. It’s not. This Wednesday’s budget is the election budget. The European elections are the final dress rehearsal. The general election is not won. The campaign is only just beginning. So get involved now – and help make history.

Tags: Blogs, Campaigns, Labour

This entry was posted by Admin on Sunday, April 19th, 2009 at 9:53 am and is filed under General, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.