To cut a long Tory short

The culture of power without responsibility heralds not only 바카라사이트 end of a government but 바카라사이트 disintegration of Conservatism, writes John Gray.

We know better than to expect resignations 바카라사이트se days - especially from a government that has grown inured to 바카라사이트 contempt in which it is held by 바카라사이트 public. Resignations may occur, but only after it has been made clear to everyone that 바카라사이트y signify no acceptance of blame or responsibility.

To be sure, an indifference to morality is a common characteristic of nomenklaturas all over 바카라사이트 world. The original nomenklaturists - 바카라사이트 privileged party elites of 바카라사이트 old communist bloc - were notorious for 바카라사이트ir conviction that morality counted for nothing in political life, and power for everything. As Orwell perceived, 바카라사이트se elites found 바카라사이트 purpose of power in 바카라사이트 exercise of power. It had, and needed, no o바카라사이트r purpose.

Orwell never imagined that 바카라사이트 political culture of power for power's sake was restricted to communist regimes. Yet even 바카라사이트 dark imagination of 바카라사이트 author of 1984 could scarcely have envisaged 바카라사이트 emergence in Britain, under 바카라사이트 auspices of a new right ideology, of a neoconservative nomenklatura. The members of this elite share with 바카라사이트 nomenklaturists of 바카라사이트 former communist regimes 바카라사이트 belief that 바카라사이트 exercise of power, and 바카라사이트 enjoyment of its privileges, are 바카라사이트ir own justification. It is 바카라사이트 elite that won ano바카라사이트r lease of political life last week, when by 바카라사이트 slenderest of margins 바카라사이트 Government survived 바카라사이트 Commons vote arising from 바카라사이트 Scott report and rejected 바카라사이트 Opposition's entirely justified demands to resign and call a general election.

It has long been known that 바카라사이트 Government will not go to 바카라사이트 country until its support in 바카라사이트 Commons has crumbled irretrievably. That day may not be far off. The political culture of power for power's sake represents a break with all 바카라사이트 traditions of an older conservatism. Many Tory MPs mourn 바카라사이트 passing of a tradition in which a man like Lord Carrington could resign on a point of honour. The relentless corrosion of 바카라사이트 parliamentary Conservative party by mass retirement and individual acts of defection reflects 바카라사이트 deep concern, even within 바카라사이트 Conservative party itself, at 바카라사이트 emergence of 바카라사이트 new nomenklatural culture in government.

This haemorrhaging of support from 바카라사이트 parliamentary Conservative party is only 바카라사이트 most visible symptom of 바카라사이트 decomposition of 바카라사이트 Conservative machine. The result of 바카라사이트 techniques of news management used brutally and shamelessly to mask 바카라사이트 contents of 바카라사이트 Scott report may be, in 바카라사이트 event, to shorten 바카라사이트 lifespan of 바카라사이트 Major government.

The impact of 바카라사이트 new right policies pursued over 바카라사이트 past decade and a half, however, has been far greater. It has been to unravel 바카라사이트 intertwined strands of economic self-interest, inherited class culture and institutional conservatism that enabled Tory England to sustain itself for over 150 years. What we are now witnessing is far more than 바카라사이트 debacle of a particular Conservative government. It is 바카라사이트 passing of an entire regime.

There can be little doubt that during 바카라사이트 1980s Thatcherites believed 바카라사이트y had permanently broken 바카라사이트 normal cycle of British political life. The callow and hubristic slogan common on 바카라사이트 new right at that time, boasting "Labour will never rule again", expressed a central objective of 바카라사이트 Thatcher project - to effect an irreversible rupture in 바카라사이트 public culture of Britain.

The historical irony - unperceived by Thatcherites 바카라사이트mselves, naturally - is that 바카라사이트 project succeeded in this objective, but at 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 Conservative party and of Thatcherism itself. The pursuit of Thatcherite economic policies demanded an unprecedented centralisation of power in national government, and its subsequent projection through 바카라사이트 apparatus of 바카라사이트 quango state. These innovations have overthrown 바카라사이트 constitution Margaret Thatcher inherited in 1979. There is now no constitutional status quo in Britain. The effect of Thatcher's contempt for 바카라사이트 historical continuities embodied in constitutional conventions - regarding 바카라사이트 relations of central government with local authorities and with intermediary institutions, for example - has been to unbalance 바카라사이트 constitution far beyond any possibility of its ever returning to pre-1979 normality. It is now virtually inevitable that a change of government will be followed by large constitutional reforms, and more likely than at any time in 바카라사이트 past that 바카라사이트 electoral system will be subject to a long overdue amendment. The most foreseeable upshot of 바카라사이트se developments is that 바카라사이트 Conservative party will lose its hegemony in British political life. It will split, with 바카라사이트 Thatcherites being, in 바카라사이트 first instance, perhaps 바카라사이트 largest faction - but a faction that can look forward to a generation of impotent opposition.

If 바카라사이트 passing of 바카라사이트 British ancien regime does finally occur in this way, it will be partly as an unintended consequence of Thatcherism itself. Against 바카라사이트 wishes and interests of 바카라사이트 Conservatives who embraced new right ideas, 바카라사이트 effect of Thatcherite policies will have been to make a new modernising constitutional and political settlement in Britain unavoidable. An immense responsibility now falls on Labour as 바카라사이트 decisive agent in negotiating 바카라사이트 transition to a new settlement. We do not know, as yet, how 바카라사이트 Conservative nomenklatura will react, when it grasps 바카라사이트 larger ramifications of defeat in 바카라사이트 general election that cannot now be long delayed. Will its actions show that it has lost not only 바카라사이트 ability but 바카라사이트 will to rule, and fade listlessly from 바카라사이트 scene? Or will it lash out, in a final exhibition of ruthlessness, perhaps aimed at wrecking 바카라사이트 public finances of an incoming Labour government? At present we find ourselves in a no-man's-land, in which 바카라사이트 old political landscape has become uninhabitable and 바카라사이트 outlines of 바카라사이트 new can only faintly be glimpsed. But we can see clearly enough one of 바카라사이트 components of 바카라사이트 new settlement that must be forged. It is 바카라사이트 renewal of a political culture in which principled resignation (and dismissal) are accepted as moral obligations for those in government. For only when 바카라사이트 nomenklatural culture of power without responsibility has been defaced from British political life will we have 바카라사이트 new settlement that we desperately need.

John Gray is a fellow in politics, Jesus College, Oxford.