An article in the Sunday Times tells us excitedly that it's now cool to be blue. Conservatism is, apparently, the hottest button on the fashionista circuit. Repelled by the stench of decaying Blairism, bright young things now think the Tory party rocks. New model young Tories aparently hold hands -- if they're men, hoho -- rail against the 'fascist state' for failing to legalise cannabis, and put the boot into the Socialist Workers on the demo against tuition fees.

Uh huh.

Those who think this is an unqualified advance for civilisation might care to digest the following from Melissa Bean, 20, who was converted to Conservatism by an email from a friend:

'"He said, 'Labour thinks the state is best for you, the Liberal Democrats think local government is best for you, and the Tories think you are best for you.' And I thought, 'That is spot on, the Tories want to hand power back to the individual.'

In other words, the appeal is to the extreme politics of the self. As David Ruffley, a 'cerebral Tory MP' observes:

'Since Thatcherism, Conservatives have been libertarian on the economy, but groups like Conservative Future are encouraging us to be libertarian on social issues, too. As Labour is now so authoritarian, there is an opportunity for Conservatives to appeal to young people here. I think that’s great'.

It was, of course, Blairism that took the self-interest of the Tories' economic market and reproduced it by a free-for-all in the sexual, moral and cultural spheres. Now young Tories are apparently closing the circle. Their homage to Blair is complete. So what if morality, duty and social order are consigned to the scrap-heap? They just aren't cool.