Things getting better for tories abroad

With all the talk of Tony Blair losing his strangle hold on British politics and his popularity ratings down to his lowest yet in Great Britain, there is a growing feeling of optimism in the Majorcan branch of Conservatives Abroad and yesterday, Chairman Jill Climpson said “people are comfortable saying they vote Tory again.” On July 1, Lord Strathclyde, leader of the Conservatives in the House of Lords, will be travelling to Majorca to address Conservative Abroad and his visit will mark the end of a year of “consolidation.” Climpson said that there is a “happy feeling” in the party now and growing optimism that Hague has turned the Conservatives around by taking up and addressing the causes that people are really concerned about. “A year there was little or no hope of Hague winning the next election, but it's a different story now,” she said. Climpson was impressed by hague when he visited Majorca last September and praised his winning performance in the House, which she says is now getting noticed. She admits that hague and the party still have “a long way to go” but accused Blair of “breaking a number of electoral promises, in particular those made to the national Health Service,” and that Blair has spent too much time targeting the middle class. But Hague is winning the battle for traditional Conservatives voters by tackling issues like security in people's homes. “After three years in government people do not appear very pleased with Blair,” Climpson said.