ABSTRACT
Thatcher influenced the emergence of New Labour, so Conservative thinking was influenced by Tony Blair. The two leading Conservative figures from 2005 were David Cameron and George Osborne, both of whom admired Blair; some even suggested they were the ‘heirs’ to him. Cameron and Osborne greatly admired Blair and noted how, under him, Labour had managed to gauge the tenor of contemporary society correctly regarding homosexuality, race relations, the environment and questions of equality. Modern Conservatives happily drew upon New Labour ideas when it suited and, again, crucially, when they worked. Both New Labour and Cameron Conservatism had failed to solve problems caused by the 2008 economic recession. When Labour chose its new leader in the wake of Ed Miliband’s resignation, members opted for the hope and energy of the socialism rejected by Blair and Brown.
