The Conservative leadership yesterday launched itself into a frenzy of self-reproach as it struggled to shed the image of Britain’s “nasty party” which has sunk into corruption, incestuous feuding and the electorally disastrous exclusion of women and minorities.

As Tory activists gathered in Bournemouth for what Iain Duncan Smith regards as his make-or-break conference as leader, his newly appointed chairwoman, Theresa May, set the tone with a remarkable de nunciation of the party’s past sins – still “unrepentant, just plain unattractive”.

“Yes, we’ve made progress, but let’s not kid ourselves. There’s a way to go before we can return to government. There’s a lot we need to do in this party of ours. Our base is too narrow and so, occasionally, are our sympathies, You know what some people call us: the nasty party,” Mrs May told a stunned conference.

As a shadow cabinet colleague, Oliver Letwin, denounced the read more

 

Okay, this was just a reminder from 2002 that things can be, and have been, turned around by both English & Welsh Conservatives.  Scottish Tory’s need to roll their collective sleeves up and do the same.