By Lord Ashcroft
This year, party politics will be dominated by the European elections. Though for most normal people the event will go all but unnoticed, one question will preoccupy the political class: how well will UKIP do, and at what cost to the Conservatives? But whatever tactical moves the Tories are tempted to make to minimise losses, they must keep their eyes on the real prize: the 2015 general election, now just 16 months away.
If the Conservatives want to govern without needing a coalition of parties, they are going to need a bigger coalition of voters. (more…)