Call us Conservative to avoid confusion, say Tories
The Conservative Party wants journalists to refer to it by its formal name instead of the oft-used Tory Party, in a bid to avoid confusion among voters.
In an email leaked to The Evening Standard, Michael Salter, head of broadcasting, asked TV executives to refer to Conservatives in the first instance as “it would be nice if in reports people could remember to call us Conservative at least once”.
Mr Salter said it was important voters understood Conservative was the name its candidates would be contesting the election under.
Even if voters understood the labels referred to one party, using Conservative in first reference would “remove any sense of confusion”, he added.
Labour leapt on the story claiming the official opposition had become the party that “dare not speak its name”.
Campaign spokesman Fraser Kemp said: “The Tories have became the party that dare not speak its name. Maybe the Tories hope to hide their past, but it is going to take more than a change of names to cover the record of the Tories.”
The Conservative Party emerged out of the late 18th century Tory party.
The name Tory is derived from a 17th century Irish word “toraidhe” meaning outlaw or robber.
