All entries for Sunday 19 June 2005

Conservative Leadership Election

The number of people mentioned as possible candidates for the Conservative leadership is quite ridiculous. Damian Green has now indicated he won't take part, but the following remain:

David Davis (the current front-runner)
Malcolm Rifkind (Tory centrist who served in the Thatcher/Major government's)
David Cameron (38yr old yr old Shadow Education Secretary and apparently backed by Michael Howard)
Liam Fox (possible right-wing candidate)
David Willetts (intelligent Tory moderniser nicknamed 'two brains')
Alan Duncan (again a moderniser and the only openly gay Tory MP)
Andrew Lansley (current Shadow Health Secretary – key moderniser)
Ken Clarke (left-leaning former Chancellor, the most popular candidate with the public)
Tim Yeo (another moderniser – he recently resigned from the Shadow Cabinet)
Michael Ancram (Tory grandee)
John Redwood (hard-line Euro-sceptic)
Theresa May (who some think may stand on the grounds that there needs to be a female candidate)

I remain to be convinced that David Davis understands the extent to which the Conservative Party will have to change if they are to form a Government again. They need to reform and modernise as radically as Labour did in the late 80's and 90's. They must become a party that looks and sounds like modern Britain. They need to be diverse in character and generous in outlook, a party that combines the best of the 'one-nation' paternalistic Tory tradition with the social liberalism necessay to put them back in touch with the Britain of today. As Alan Duncan has put it, they should be a party of liberal economics and liberal attitudes

It is vital that a reinvigorated 'new' Conservative Party not only occupies but dominates the centre ground. This does not mean becoming identitical to Labour. Conservatives should care just as passionately as Labour about poverty and injustice but use different means to conquer it: such as taking the poor out of tax, and promoting a partnership between government, business and voluntary groups to help the most disadvantaged. They should care just as much about the environment as the Liberal Democrats but focus more on market orientated solutions. They should be 100% committed to state funded health and education but rely on decentralisation rather than a target driven approach. They should take a tough line on law and order but combine it with a strong defence of civil liberties and a genuine respect towards everyone in society, regardless of sexuality, gender, race or religion

The Conservative Party are still seen by many as 'the nasty party'. They must now lead the intellectual debate and show how they can promote both economic prosperity and social justice in the 21st century. They must stop their obsession with Europe and immigration and provide a broad agenda for multi-cultural Britain.

Justin Greaves : 19 Jun 2005 21:23 |  Tags: Politics |  Comments (5) |  Close comments |  Report a problem