But don't the modernisers think that you can't possibly win an election by being harsh and uncaring? And don't the traditionalists think that you can't win by being all trendy and cool?

In that respect I think your title is very accurate.

I could of course be completely wrong. It has happened before.

I suppose what I am getting at is that, right now, the attempt to win elections is doomed. The more that Conservatives try to be popular the more turned off the electorate becomes. Trying to be popular makes you unpopular.

Far better for the Conservative Party to decide what it is, what it stands for and then campaign on it. OK, so, in the short term, they lose half their members but I think that would probably be a good thing. The longer they indulge in transparent vote-grabbing policies like restoring the pensions-earnings link (for heaven's sake) the longer they will remain unelectable.

Right, I think I'm with you. I'd also like to agree with you. However, I'm not sure you're right. Labour kept to its principles and never got anywhere until Tony came along and ditched them. If you want power, maybe all you gotta do is give the people what they want. I mean, this pensions thing might get all the greedy old folk living in their cockroach-infested slums voting Tory for the first time. You never know.