The usual suspects signalling their virtue hard on facebook :hehe:

[Burney]

Not really sure what you mean.....

I mean that Labour had spent nearly 20 years getting itself into electable shape for what its leaders believed was best for the country and then spent much of its time in power ruthlessly enforcing internal party discipline in order to stay there - because they believed that was what was best for the country.

In other words, parties act in their best interests because (we must assume) they sincerely believe that is how they best serve the interests of the country.

[Peter]

I mean that Labour had spent nearly 20 years getting itself into electable shape for what its leaders believed was best for the country and then spent much of its time in power ruthlessly enforcing internal party discipline in order to stay there - because they believed that was what was best for the country.

In other words, parties act in their best interests because (we must assume) they sincerely believe that is how they best serve the interests of the country.

Its merely how you win an election and how you govern. I'm not sure you can read too much more into that. Or what May is doing.

My only point is that the interests of party and country should not be considered to be the same thing.