Capturing the Centre
SIR,--Alan Watkins's anticle 'Capturing the Centre' Provides a most succinct analysis of the Conservative p‘LartY's problem in finding a new identity. And from ' I would like to suggest two fundamental require- ments for the party's future strategy: ' I. On whatever basis the party's identity is founded, it must be essentially positive and essen- tially simple. In the present mood of the electorate, and in the present state of mass-communications, it Is not enough for an opposition either merely to Oppose, or to catalogue its attitudes on detailed and technical problems. 2. To build this identity is in principle a long- t" job (I say in principle because only a fool Would rule out the possibility of a rapid improve- Ient in the party's acceptability that might arise fn rturi some unforeseen circumstance). But unless it is seen as a long-term problem it will not receive the attention it deserves. 1 Of course these requirements are connected: the nfl,ger the Government (any government) stays in o ance, the more of a bore it becomes to the elector- „,Le (and especially to the centre); and the rosier ""Id more positive) the alternative appears.
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