There are no words, there really aren’t. Theresa May’s speech was an absolute disaster. Forget the content, because it won’t be remembered for that. In fact many delegates interviewed after she had finished coughing and spluttering her way through it admitted they could barely remember what she said. It was excruciatingly embarrassing – and the look of horror that was etched on the faces of various cabinet ministers spoke volumes.
This was meant to be a fightback speech when she reasserted her authority over her party and her cabinet. She did no such thing. One of the most defining images for me was when she left the conference hall. Normally leaders are swamped by adoring supporters as they struggle to make their exit, shaking hands left, right and centre. No such adulation was shown to Theresa May.
Content contradictions
I say forget the content. But, it’s worth pausing over that for a second because, whatever your political persuasion may be, it’s hard not to be critical of that too. On the one hand she gave a strong defence of the free market, but then promptly announced draft legislation to impose a price cap on energy prices – something first proposed by Labour’s Ed Miliband.
She called for greater property ownership but presented building more council houses as the answer. How can you promote the free market but demand price-fixing and state direction?
The speech was intellectually incoherent and contradictory. Labour could have a field day. Perhaps it’s just as well she had that hacking cough because nobody will remember what she said, and everybody was probably so distracted by the stunt delivery of a P45 and lettering falling off the slogan on the stage set behind her, that they didn’t pick up on it.
There is only one thing that can save her now – the fear within the Conservative Party that a change of leader so soon after the June general election will make a demand for another snap election almost impossible to resist, and with that the real prospect of Jeremy Corbyn gaining the keys to No 10 and the UK having its first avowed Marxist as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Good news for buses
The news for bus operators is that in his conference speech Chris Grayling made absolutely no mention of buses. Trains got a good look in as they always do, as did road building, ports, Heathrow and the collapse of airline Monarch. But the bus, the life blood of our public transport network, got no mention what so ever.
I have only one thing to say to Chris Grayling about that – thank you very much indeed. The bus industry will be – or should be – most grateful. No mention in a conference speech means no new policy stunt and no new meddling in bus operators’ businesses.
