Heirs to Blair's third way? David Cameron's triangulating conservatism

Abstract

This article examines the ideological direction of the Conservative Party under the leadership of David Cameron. In so doing, comparisons are made between the rhetoric, discourse and ideology of Cameron and that employed by New Labour, in particular the ‘third way’ perspective which was strongly associated with Tony Blair. The first section analyses the Conservative leadership's attempts to ideologically position the party, highlighting strong similarities with the narratives and techniques used by new Labour. It argues that Cameron's rhetoric mirrors New Labour's efforts to create an inclusive discourse that transcends traditional political dividing lines. The second section of the article investigates to what extent such efforts at political ‘triangulation’ may be underpinned by distinct philosophical positions. Again, comparisons are drawn with the ‘third way’ ideology of New Labour. However, it is suggested that it may be misleading to speak of a new ideological consensus in British politics, particularly given the Cameron leadership's expressed antipathy to the state and self-styled approach to promoting ‘social justice’.