The Tea-bagging of the Tories

They attend a self-described "madrasa" where they are schooled in radical extremist ideology. They travel to foreign countries to learn to shoot automatic weapons. A group of would-be-terrorists? Nope - just the UK Tories:

Tory parliamentary candidates have undergone training by a rightwing group whose leadership has described the NHS as "the biggest waste of money in the UK", claimed global warming is "a scam" and suggested that the waterboarding of prisoners can be justified.

At least 11 prospective Tory candidates, an estimated seven of whom have a reasonable chance of winning their seats, have been delegates or speakers at training conferences run by the Young Britons' Foundation, which claims to have trained 2,500 Conservative party activists.

[...]

Blaney has described the YBF as "a Conservative madrasa" that radicalises young Tories. Programmes have included trips to meet neo-conservative groups in the US and to a shooting range in Virginia to fire submachine guns and assault rifles.

This is teabagger stuff - and the Conservative Party officially backs it, sending frontbenchers along to speak at its gatherings, and recommending activists and candidates attend. But while it may radicalise the base (or more relevantly, serve as a dominance / mating display among posturing young activists, who seem to regard viciousness and barbarism as somehow attractive), it is utter poison with the UK electorate, and ought to be deeply embarrassing to any "mainstream" party. Which is why the Tories are suddenly running a mile.