I have long been an admirer of consistency. Not the sort of consistency that involves a rigid adherence to dogmas that do not age well, but a more meaningful consistency of principle and approach that I have tried to apply each day of my working and political life.
My involvement in conservative politics was prompted most fundamentally by my belief in our United Kingdom and what it stands for; free democracy where everyone is equal under the law and there is equality of opportunity. It was accompanied by a deep suspicion of unaccountable power, manifested in the 1970s and ‘80s by the activities of some trades unions and nowadays in the form of oligopolies that work against the interests of consumers.
I have always been a positive, optimistic conservative, whose belief in our meaningful traditions is deep and profound, but whose fundamental fixation is on our future and the future potential of our people. The free market, where profit is invested back into improving goods and services, is the best mechanism yet devised for reducing poverty, but it is not perfect.
Where necessary, government should intervene if that has the effect of rebalancing things in favour of us, the citizens. The market, like government, should be our servant, not our master.
We should remind ourselves that as Conservatives, our traditions descend from Shaftesbury and Disraeli, not from Gladstone. Our long history of success emanates from intervention aimed at protecting the individual from unrestricted forces; the elevation of the condition of the people, to use Disraeli’s famous phrase.
One of the biggest post-pandemic challenges is the rise of automation and digitisation, bringing benefits, but risks too. As atomisation of the workplace and wider society occurs, are we in control of AI or can it ultimately control us?
Bright Blue conservatives instinctively know that the human element in this activity should never be entirely removed, and that its operation requires an international set of standards, particularly in the field of defence and weapons procurement.
Technology increasingly will be our strength and stay in education and health, but with a strong recognition that the greatest resource we have are dedicated public servants who work to the highest of standards.
Bright Blue conservatives know that the best way to lead is to serve, which is why, when I was in office, I engaged closely with civil servants and sought to encourage and bring people together. This was particularly important when it came to the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19, when we had to work at a frenetic pace in order to maintain or preserve our prison and courts systems.
Covid-19 meant that the bitter, often visceral, divisions of Brexit had to be put to one side. Our aim should now be to unify, not divide. When we talk of reform, it should be couched in the language of reasoned and measured change, not clash and tumult. The British people have had enough of turmoil, and it is surely part of who we are as Conservatives that we deliver ambitious but steady progress in fulfilling the manifesto pledges of 2019.
As part of that work, we were determined to show seriousness of purpose in order to complete important reforms to our Probation Service, our sentencing system, and divorce law. I was proud to lead dedicated teams at the Ministry of Justice who have delivered on this. The Roger Harris most important aspect of my role as Lord Chancellor, and all Lord Chancellors before me, was protecting the rule of law. If we are really going to emphasise our seriousness of purpose and unify the British people, then Conservatives must continue our long-held tradition of respect for the law, and remember that this is a key factor determining how other countries view us.
The past few years of Brexit and Covid-19 have led to a period of national introspection. In this world of rapidly-changing trends, we cannot afford to take this stance any longer. The effects of climate change and conflict on population movement are being felt daily across Europe. The issue of energy security and the need for the UK to adopt a consistent and clear plan for our supply has never been of greater importance, as Russia sabre-rattles and seeks to destabilise neighbouring countries on its western and southern flank.
The greatest challenge of all is China, whose economic development has not been matched with greater freedom, and are being more and more assertive about their version of the rule of law in places like Hong Kong. Bright Blue Conservatives support the free trade agenda of the Government, but also expect Britain to be loud and clear when it comes to fundamental human rights and freedoms too. Just as we must respect the rule of law at home, we need to recognise it as one of our greatest exports, and always be ready to fight for it internationally.
As we emerge from the pandemic to face inflationary pressures at home and increasing competition from abroad, we Bright Blue Conservatives can be confident that the balances we seek to strike are the ones that I believe are shared by the majority of our country.
[Originally published by Bright Blue]
