For the last 14 years we have known nothing other than the Tory dictatorship. Fourteen solid years of broken promises, disappointment and corruption. Everything from u-turned promises to illegal parties - the Tories have really and truly deteriorated the state of the U.K. Five prime ministers in fourteen years all of whom left the nation in a worse state than their predecessor. Everything from housing to the economy is on the brink of collapse and we have the government aka the Tories to thank for it.
Let’s start with David Cameron in 2010, kicking things off wrong and strong. When the Tories came back into government in 2010 under Cameron, they pledged to “fix broken Britain,” but since then they’ve dismantled the political and economic state of the country. With the rise of the Tories, came the rise of austerity.
Austerity is a set of political decisions made by the government to reduce public spending, which automatically decreases the quality of said services. As public services are predominantly used by people from lower socio economic backgrounds, it was the poor and working class that saw the biggest impacts of austerity.
David Cameron’s time in power also saw the introduction of Brexit, otherwise known as Brexshit considering the utter disaster it came to be. Following his referendum loss in 2016, David Cameron resigned leaving the nation worse than he found it. This allowed Theresa May to come into power, she “promised” an end to austerity, yet years later and we’re still waiting.
Theresa May’s downfall was bought upon by herself, one of the most notable political mistakes was her call for a snap general election in 2017. However, May’s three most notable mistakes in my eyes were her: poor handling of Brexit, her hatred of immigrants which she made obvious through the hostile environment she created and her disgusting approach to the Grenfell disaster.
Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson’s time as Prime Minister contributed as one of the biggest downfalls to the Conservative party. One of Johnson’s most controversial decisions was his handling of the Brexit process. His approach, characterised by his insistence on a hard Brexit, led to significant economic and political uncertainty. The prorogation of Parliament in 2019, aimed at forcing through his Brexit deal, was deemed unlawful by the UK Supreme Court, undermining his authority and raising questions about his respect for democratic processes.
Johnson’s management of the COVID-19 was yet another disaster under his belt, and drew widespread criticism. Initially downplaying the virus, his government was slow to implement lockdowns, contributing to a higher death toll. The “Partygate” scandal, where Johnson and his staff were found to have breached lockdown rules by holding social gatherings, severely damaged public trust. This perceived hypocrisy, while your average Joe was unable to see his dying family members in the hospital, the Tories were throwing parties at number 10.
Not to mention the millions of pounds lost to crony contracts between the government and their friends. This highlighted Johnson’s willingness to bend rules for political allies, further tarnishing his administration’s reputation.
In conclusion, Boris Johnson’s term as Prime Minister was marred by several significant mistakes. From his controversial Brexit strategy and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic to ethical scandals and diplomatic missteps, these errors collectively undermined his credibility and led to his eventual resignation.
Liz Truss’s otherwise known as the shortest serving UK Prime Minister, lasting a mere month from September to October 2022. Her time in office is largely defined by her handling of economic policy, political strategy, and leadership style.
One of Truss’s most glaring mistakes was her approach to economic reform, particularly the introduction of the “mini-budget” in September 2022. This budget, proposed by then-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, included substantial tax cuts for the wealthy and businesses, funded by increased government borrowing. The announcement triggered a sharp decline in market confidence, leading to a rapid fall in the value of the pound and an increase in government borrowing costs. The resulting market turmoil forced the Bank of England to intervene to stabilize financial markets, undermining her credibility and that of her government.
Another critical error was Truss’s lack of political acumen and failure to secure broad support within her party. Her economic policies alienated significant factions within the Conservative Party.
Rishi Sunak was the last straw for the Tory party his handling of economic policy amid a cost-of-living crisis further rooted the country in poverty. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout from Brexit left the UK economy in a fragile state, thus Sunak’s decision to continue with austerity measures, including cuts to public spending and welfare benefits exacerbated economic inequality and failed to address the immediate needs of struggling families.
His reluctance to introduce substantial measures to alleviate the cost-of-living pressures led to widespread public discontent and just meant that no one really liked him.
Sunak’s approach to energy policy also drew criticism. Amid rising energy prices and growing concerns about energy security, his government’s slow response to subsidize energy bills and invest in sustainable energy solutions was seen as inadequate.
Politically, Sunak’s leadership faced significant challenges within his party. His efforts to unite the Conservative Party, which had been deeply divided following the tumultuous tenures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, often fell short.
Rishi Sunak can be remembered for his economic mismanagement, inadequate energy policies, and internal party strife.
So what can we expect from Keir Starmer, the left wing centrist leader? His leadership marked a shift towards the center-left, aiming to make the party more electable following two general election defeats under Corbyn.
Starmer has spent most of his efforts proving to the rest of the country that he isn’t Jeremy Corbyn and turning his back on left wing policies, which in theory means turning his back on the working class. According to YouGov, 33% of all Britons expect Keir Starmer to be a “terrible” PM, but only time will tell.
According to the Labour Party manifesto, their main aim is to kickstart growth by:
Restore economic stability
Unleash investment
Reform our planning rules
Reform decision-making to shift power away from Westminster
Reform our jobs market
Reform the immigration and skills system
Introduce a modern industrial strategy
Despite the ideological approach of their manifesto, whether or not they stick by it is a different story. Starmer does have a previous record of breaking promises and u-turning on policies. Although Starmer’s leadership style is yet to be determined, one thing is certain and that is that for the first time in 14 years, we will see something other than Tory leadership and that in itself is a breath of fresh air.
When asking yourself what exactly was the Tory downfall? There is no one specific thing to pin point. It's been an obvious series of unfortunate events, or more accurately a series of poor decisions made at the hands of the Tories. To put matters into perspective, according to an analysis of disposable incomes by the nonpartisan Centre for Cities research institute, British people had £10,200 less to spend or save between 2010-2022 than they did when compared to 1998-2010. And this is just the Tories impact on the economy.
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