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Four key issues are identified necessary to a Conservative Party recovery: political circumstances, organization, policy, and leadership. These are discussed along with historical parallels and present-day objectives.

The futile attempts faced by the conservatives from 1997 to 2001 in the elections are discussed. There were possibilities that the bleak period at that time could be largely avoided with a steadier and clearer strategic direction.

Since 2001, the Conservative party has found itself in turbulent times. Yet the party has survived similarly difficult periods in the past, eventually recovering its strength and returning to power. Can it do so again? The problems for today's party exist along four key dimensions: leadership, policy, organisation and political circumstances. How grave are contemporary difficulties in each of these areas in comparison to past experience? To what extent is the party now in uncharted waters? Where are there valid historical parallels? The article offers a brief sketch of the lessons that the party needs to learn to recover its election winning formula - an appetite for power and an impressive ability to adapt to changed circumstances. Today's problems are not insurmountable, but the party still has a huge mountain to climb if it is to return to government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]