The Putifying of the Tories

There have been previous examples of Tory venality while in government. Ernest Marples shamelessly used his positions in government to further the civil engineering company he co-founded. Harold Macmillan in his "Wind of Change" tour of African capitals, admirably promulgating liberal values, incidentally promoted the text-books published by the education arm of the family publishing firm. 

But these were isolated instances of individuals enriching themselves or their kin. What is new is the virtual sale of the entire Conservative Party apparatus to outside interests, mainly Russians making use of the London money laundromat. 

It was John Major and Michael Howard, wittingly or unwittingly, who set in train the systematic corruption of the Conservative party and eventually government through the "golden visa" scheme. The Blair-Brown administrations did nothing to remove the bolt-hole afforded to Russian oligarchs, enemies and friends of Putin alike. It is probably no coincidence that Peter Mandelson was entertained by oligarch Oleg Deripaska on board his yacht - as was George Osborne, later to become Chancellor.

A fresh government prepared to "clean the swamp" might however find that driving out the "hot money" too quickly would damage the economy.