"Defections always pose a messaging dilemma for political parties. Heap too much ordure on the turncoat, and you invite the question of why you were happy to share a tent with them in the first place; praise them too highly, and you exacerbate whatever damage the defection is doing to you. In the Conservatives' case, this problem is compounded for journalists by the hyperinflation in key posts."
"Nadhim Zahawi held several cabinet-level positions under the previous government, but none of them for very long. The most sustained stint was education secretary (September 2021 to July 2022), and the most memorable event of that year was the dramatic scrapping of a schools bill that, it turned out, to the apparent surprise of ministers, would have rolled back much of the Tories' education reform agenda."
"At a basic level, all but the most unusual defection is bad for the party being left. Beyond the obvious optical problems it creates, even the departure of the most shameless opportunist says something about the direction in which they think opportunity lies. Moreover, the effect of these things compounds over time: the more people leave, the greater the overall impression of people leaving and the more people who start to think about leaving."
Defections force parties into a messaging dilemma: aggressive condemnation exposes past associations while excessive praise deepens current harm. Frequent ministerial turnover inflates the perceived significance of former officeholders, complicating assessments of individual defectors. Short-lived cabinet tenures, such as those held by Nadhim Zahawi, limit clear credentials for leadership on substantive issues. Departures create immediate optical damage and signal where political opportunity is perceived, encouraging additional exits. The cumulative effect magnifies over time, amplifying impressions of decline and prompting further considerations of defection among party members.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]