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19 May 2015

Robert Halfon wants to rebrand the Tories as “The Workers’ Party” – but what would YOU call them?

“When we knock on people’s doors, I want people to know we are on their side – on the side of the workers, that we are the workers,” said the MP for Harlow.

By Media Mole

Robert Halfon, the MP for Harlow, has said the Conservative party should change its name to The Workers’ Party. He told the Sun the party had “an incredible opportunity” to claim the mantle of championing workers’ rights from Labour, and turn the party into “the modern trade union movement for working people”. Their tree logo – which replaced the older torch – could now be exchanged for a ladder, he suggested.

“We are the party of the ladder, it was Churchill who first said that, said Halfon. “The ladder symbolises everything we’re about . . . It’s not just leaving people to climb up it themselves, we hold that ladder for them. Labour on the other hand are the party of dependency and the welfare state, and that’s why they didn’t get in.”

He added: “When we knock on people’s doors, I want people to know we are on their side – on the side of the workers, that we are the workersThe Labour Party have demonised us, and unsuccessfully as it turned out – as 11 and a half million people still voted for us.

A few days ago, Tim Farron suggested his party, the Liberal Democrats, should rebrand themselves as the Liberals. (He didn’t mention the potential fate of Libby, the Liberal Democrat bird, although some activists are calling the party’s attempt to rebuild itself “Operation Phoenix”.)

During his time as leader of the Labour party, Ed Miliband dropped the “new” label adopted by Tony Blair.

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THANK YOU

This mole can think of a few alternative names for the Tories, and none of them include the word “work”. How would you rename the party? 

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