No clear scapegoat when they fail I would imagine.

Always somebody else, someone who looks a bit different

In all seriousness it’s because their supporter base leans heavily retired. They are already relatively prosperous where it matters in the uk (home equity). I would love to see a genuine offering on the centre right for working aged people

Because it's funded by people who only want to take profit or steal. Breaking and taking is its only mission.

Most likely they no longer think it's possible, partly of course because of their earlier policies.

Only ever a short sprint from being Janan Ganesh

Oh dear!

In other news I’m in a bar and someone has just appeared wearing the most fantastic jeans

Was it Sydney Sweeney?

The jean genie

Because they don't give an iota of fuck about anyone but themselves? It's all a giant grift.

Because that requires thinking/planning/strategy?

I think some of it follows from the age of influencial people. Back when senior politicians were at school and university there had been such a comprehensive intellectual & political victory by Thatcherism - which then glided on, not challenged much by Blair etc - that focus increasingly turned to

tactics about how to win or retain power. It was so taken as read that the political and policy aims were 'right' that it was silly wasting effort thinking much about them. No point being in opposition. It's not far from their to outright cynical opportunism.