But here’s a hopeful sign for the Republicans: In recent years, British conservatives have managed to make social conservatism socially acceptable again.

They’ve done it through three key moves: enthusiastically signing on to Britain’s liberal settlement on homosexuality, recasting pro-family policies as part of an anti-poverty crusade and tying support for the family into a broader recognition that people aren’t motivated by profit alone.

As a result, in the past few decades, social conservatism has not been the political force in Britain that it has been in the United States. Most British voters don’t know their MP’s position on abortion or gay rights, and no politicians have had to embark on Romneyesque shifts in their social positions before every campaign.