Charles Moore is right: the Conservatives will not beat Reform by becoming louder, angrier or less serious. The opportunity is elsewhere. A centre-ground politics that is practical, pro-growth and prepared to make hard choices. Radical where needed. Credible enough to govern. telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05…

Reform has done well and taken votes from the Conservatives, no doubt about that. But these results also show Conservative resilience in urban areas, while Labour looks set to drift left and the Lib Dems have failed to break through. The route back means leading with the economy and the everyday issues that matter most to people.

Recovery will not come from chasing Reform alone. The Conservatives need an offer for young people, public sector workers, business owners, and the voters who went to Labour or the Lib Dems. That is how the centre-right gets back on the pitch.

The Liberal Democrats are not making the progress they need to make. The latest results do not show a national party on the march. For the Conservatives, that matters. Many of those seats were once Conservative, and many of those voters could be tempted back. The route back to Government is building a of broad coalition around the economy, competence and trust.