William Hague: scorn for Labour's "high command"

Hague Predicts General Election Victory

The Conservative Party leader hailed the "terrific" Tory victory in the Uxbridge by-election as "a turning point for the Conservatives".

"We can put behind us the disappointments of this year and look to the future with confidence," he proclaimed in the News of the World newspaper.

He derided Labour, saying Tony Blair had "put his reputation on the line" to become the first Prime Minister in 30 years to visit a by-election campaign, and that Labour "high command" had ordered in dozens of Labour MPs to help. "They'd have done better sending in Dad's Army. At least Captain Mainwaring's men had some initiative," he said.

But he stressed the Conservative Party must not forget it was "hammered" at the last general election. He admitted to the paper: "After 18 years in power we were kicked out on our backside by the electorate. Millions of voters came to see us as divided, sleazy and arrogant. We lost touch with those we claimed to represent: the hard-working families of the country."

He said the party had already paid attention to that hard lesson, and he was setting an example by listening to the people, not "lecturing" them.

Mr Hague plans a series of tours around the UK this summer to meet local people and Tory activists. He restated the main principles of his planned "renewal" of the party, including his plan to put the policies on which the Tories will fight the next election to all party members first.

This echoes Labour's move to put its manifesto to a vote of the party before the last general election.

Mr Hague also pledged "gross misconduct" by an MP would lead to expulsion or suspension, so as not to let it "blacken the name" of the whole party.

He also urged the people of Scotland and Wales to reject the Government's devolution plans in September's referendums, and he claimed the Budget had introduced 17 new tax rises and amounted to "the Great Pension Robbery".