These two men are the most important Conservatives of our generation. They have transformed our party’s fortunes and look set to head the first Conservative government for 13 years (on the basis that the next election is held in May 2010)
Beyond skillful presentation, team Cameron are building a coherent scheme of ideas that offer the country a fresh alternative and a narrative for government. As a Conservative I think there’s a lot to be enthusiastic about.
I was impressed by last year’s Michael Oakeshott Lecture delivered by David Willetts at the LSE. The Times described it as ”an audacious attempt by the Conservative Party’s leading intellectual to relate a new Tory narrative”. I think it really spells out the essence of modern Conservatism based on man’s self-interest in stable co-operation through social arrangements and formal institutions that encourage our biological reciprocal altruism.
It’s a fascinating read which includes interesting applications of Evolutionary Biology and Game Theory. It is an early insight into the future of Conservatism.
30 years ago today on the 30th March 1979 Airey Neave, the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and one of Margaret Thatchers closest advisers, was assassinated in the Commons car park by an Irish Republican bomb planted in the front of his car. The reaction from friends and political opponents alike was one of deep shock at the loss of one of the most iconic politicians of that generation who in his military career managed to escape Colditz Castle. A visibly distressed Mrs Thatcher said: “He was one of freedom’s warriors. No one knew of the great man he was, how great a man he was, except those nearest to him. He was staunch, brave, true, strong; but he was also very gentle and kind and loyal. It’s a rare combination of qualities. There’s no one else who can quite fill them. I, and so many other people, owe so much to him and now we must carry on for the things he fought for and not let the people who got him triumph”
The despicable Irish National Liberation Army released a statement a few weeks later stating ”In March, retired terrorist and supporter of capital punishment, Airey Neave, got a taste of his own medicine when an INLA unit pulled off the operation of the decade and blew him to bits inside the ‘impregnable’ Palace of Westminster. The nauseous Margaret Thatcher snivelled on television that he was an ‘incalculable loss’—and so he was—to the British ruling class” The election of Margaret Thatcher to power just a few weeks later would see the terrorists, and all those who use violence as a political weapon, laughing on the other side of their faces…
My decision to come out against Stuart Wheelers explusion from the party has prompted much debate and gained much attention, both locally and nationally, which I am very pleased about (the blog has been rather flat lately!). The truth is having absorbed some of the criticisms I stand by my claim that the expulsion of Wheeler was morally wrong although I accept that sadly today morality and politics don’t seem to work in sync with one another and sometimes what is morally correct finds itself subverted by what is politicially prudent. Whilst I disagree personally with Wheelers (relatively insignificant) donation to UKIP, I fully support his right to do it and am frustrated that the Conservative Party could not just ‘let it slide’.
We have to remember that the real ‘villain in this piece’ is not Wheeler but the party leadership who have done more to villify UKIP as “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists” than recognise that their views resonate with a large number of our own membership and the country at large. A Conservativehome survey found that 43% of surveyed members of the Conservative Party felt that UKIP was the closest party to their views (apart from the Conservative Party itself) with 66% either supporting or sympathising with the Better Off Out campaign. These are statistics that cannot be ignored. Europe is an issue never far from a Conservative heart, whilst I recognise we have to focus on our broken society and applaud Cameron and his team for doing so, I believe more can be said in regard to Europe and Britains position in Europe needs to be seriously re-evaluated in the face of Lisbon.
My hostility toward Europe is well documented and I make no apology for it however I am certainly not alone in this party with my views and I fear that all the fantastic work that Cameron and his team have done could be squandered over his European policy or lack thereof. With Labour on the ropes, the country increasingly concerned in regard to European federalism in the face of the Lisbon Treaty, and the upcoming European elections this is a time when we Tories should be hitting the issue of Europe hard. We aren’t. Wheeler has lost patience and if we’re not careful he will not be the only one.
Moreover the fact is that this situation is indicative of another problem within the Conservative Party today. There is a feeling now that principle must play second fiddle to party and anyone who speaks out against the party ‘machine’ is disloyal. Don’t get me wrong I fully support this party in its stance on social policy and many other areas and I, like Wheeler incidently, will vote for the Conservatives in all the upcoming elections acutely aware of the fact that a Conservative government, Europe or no Europe, would be a hell of alot better than a Labour one! But I cannot pretent that I am not displeased at our party’s handling of the ‘Europe’ issue as closer European integration compromises the principles I, and I hope we, as conservatives hold.
True conservativism is more than a party or single ideology such as ‘Cameronism’ or indeed ‘Thatcherism’. Its principles. For the most part this party leadership adheres to the principles I hold dear. I would define my conservative principles as; less government intervention, social and individual responsibility, community, enterprise, strong defence, democracy, law and order, respect for tradition and heritage and nationhood. At least one of those principles is compromised in regard to the party’s silence on Europe.
Where a core conservative principle is compromised then we should not be afraid to speak out against those that have compromised it. That doesn’t mean that we have in some way defected or lost support for the party in question, it means we have a democratic right to air our concerns in the hope the ‘powers that be’ will take it on board. Debate is a sign of healthy internal democracy. Then we can be a party all conservatives can be proud of.
The video below shows 13 year old Jonathan Krohn, who has written… yes written… a book called ‘”Define Conservatism’ and he shared his thoughts on conservatism at the CPAC conference. Whilst I do not agree with everything he says I think he does hit on some interesting points.
I want to make it abundantly clear that the views expressed in this post are mine and mine alone. In no way do they reflect the collective view of BUCF nor the Conservative Party…
I have just found out that one of our most prominent donors, Stuart Wheeler, has been expelled from the Conservative Party after donating £100,000 to UKIP. I for one am outraged by this action. Mr Wheeler has a democratic right to express his financial support for any party he so chooses and the Conservative Party has no right reacting in this way to a man who has given us such vital financial and loyal support over the years. Mr Wheeler’s contributions to our party run in to the millions and we react at what by comparison is an insignificant donation to a party such as UKIP, which in terms of European policy is not the far removed in its views from much of our own membership, in such an outrageously dramatic way.
Cameron and the Conservative leadership need to take note that there is genuine displeasure amongst the party faithful and the country at large at the way they are handling our European policy. We as a party and they as a leadership need to acknowledge this criticism. We need to be more direct, one way or another, in regard to our European policy. I personally, Chairman or no Chairman, have never been one to sit on the sidelines if something displeases me enough in regard to Tory party policy, and I too am nearing the end of my patience in regard to our European policy. Its about time we remember that we are a Conservative Party and we cannot stand idly by while the powers that be in Europe take an increasingly federal route. We need to stand up and speak out for what we believe to be right even if it flies in the face of party policy or lack thereof.
I have no doubt that Stuart Wheeler is as much of a conservative as you or I. I believe he donated to UKIP to give the Conservative Party a short sharp warning that they are starying off track in regard to the upcoming European elections when they should be hitting a harder tone. We need to remember we have a duty to be true to our conservative values. But in regard to this situation, when such a prominent and longstanding donor has been reprimanded in such an unustifiable and unforgivable way, we have to remember we have a duty to the people who make us what we are as a party. Stuart Wheeler is by no means alone amongst our membership in regard to his views on Europe. Cameron and his team will ignore that fact at their peril. We Conservatives have never been afraid of competition and we should not act out in such a Stalinist way against a man who has shown us more invaluable support as a party over the years than most of us could ever manage to do in a lifetime…
To interrupt briefly the ‘Most Iconic Speeches’ I couldn’t miss the chance to share with you a speech made by the fantastic Dan Hannan MEP on Gordon Brown’s recent visit to the EU. Pure gold.
This week I shall be publishing a list of what I regard as some of the most iconic speeches of our time. All of these speeches I have chosen because in my view they changed Britain and indeed the world.
As many of you will be aware BUCF’s relations with the Guild have never been easy. Weve had our ups and downs (mainly downs!) but in the last year there has been a real effort on both parts to find some form of common ground. However there remains a great many difficulties and political/ideological divisions which I can’t see being entirely overcome anytime soon. Having said this may I on behalf of the committee and I’m sure all members of BUCF, congratulate the newly elected Guild Executive following the results of the Guild Elections which were announced over the weekend. Any elected official is all too aware of the burden of responsibility placed upon them, responsibility not neccessarily to themselves but to those who elected them. They have all recieved a valuable vote of confidence from the student body and I’m sure that this will not be something they undertake lightly.
In that light it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the success of the BULS contingent in these elections who conducted their campaigns professionally and with great enthusiasm. I congratulate all the BULS candidates and sincerely hope that they use their new roles to positive effect. However I particularly want to congratulate the incoming President Fabian Neuner and VP Housing and Community Ed Sparkes whom I know many members of BUCF will be farmiliar with. Although there remains certain political differences between us I know first hand that both Fabian and Ed are decent, approachable guys and both understand that their official role requires a degree of impartiality. Their election (amongst others) in particular gives me great hope for the future relations between BUCF and the Guild and Guild politics in general.
I would also like to pay tribute to all those who stood in the elections who were unsuccessful in their efforts. Its an old cliche but elections such as this really aren’t just about the winning, indeed it is the taking part that is of paramount importance. In this day and age it is becoming increasingly rare to see young, passionate, aspiring politicians and I was truly impressed to see the competence, committment and skill of certain ‘unsuccesful’ campaigns particularly BUCF’s Timm Smith. I know first hand how much effort Timm and his team put in to the ‘Tim’ll fix it’ campaign and the sheer closeness of the actual result (less than 50 votes!) was testament to his and his teams dedication and enthusiasm in which they should take great pride.
I have every faith that the new Guild Executive and the current and incoming BUCF committee (to be elected in May) will be able to find even greater common ground in the coming months. I know from personal dealings with certain members of the new Guild Executive that there is a real hunger for change in the Guild corridors and the BUCF committee, both present and future, will be more than willing to support any and all members of the new Guild Executive in bringing about the change that Guild politics sorely needs. So finally on behalf of everyone at BUCF congratulations to all who stood in these elections, we wish you the best of luck…. oh… and… WE’LL BE WATCHING YOU ;)
I was recently asked to do a guest blog for the influential conservative blog ‘Tory Bear’. The topic I was asked to speak about was how to create a successful CF branch such as BUCF and how we managed to balance being both a strong ‘local’ conservative society and a strong student society. The full blog can be found here.
If the above masterpiece is anything to go by we Tories have massively under-estimated the Labour Party. It seems that their campaigning techniques and catchy slogans are getting better by the day and we should take note. In this light we now feel compelled to respond in kind as they have clearly raised the bar… so here goes BUCF’s new anti BULS campaign slogan:
This weeks edition of Redbrick, the University of Birmingham’s main newspaper, contains an article regarding BUCF’s recent event with Shadow Chancellor George Osborne. The article can be found here and it is pleasing to see BUCF’s ever increasing profile on campus being raised in this way.
It has been announced tonight that David Cameron is to fulfill a long term pledge and pull the Conservative Party out of the European People’s party (EPP) which backs closer economic integration and opposes a UK referendum on the Lisbon treaty. Instead the Conservatives and other likeminded politicians will form a new grouping of MEP’s after the European Elections in June. The new group, expected to be called the European Conservatives, is likely to include representatives from other European countries including the Czech Republic and Poland. I am delighted by this announcement and pleased to see some good old fashioned Conservative Euro-scepticism back on the board. Although I must add one final note; I will be looking on with interest to see how the big beast aka Europhile Ken Clarke reacts to this announcement…
Guild Elections kick off once again today as another bunch of student hopefuls look to try and getting elected to a sabbatical or non sabbatical position.
Que my media lecture this morning, ‘oh none of them make a bloody difference anyway’ says an individual who had just given a presentation arguing that people should take more interest in voting (!) (This follows such wonderful claims in this lecture in previous weeks that ‘there are no left-wing newspapers in Britain’ and ‘we should live in a communist state as this would provide free speech instead of Murdoch dictating it all. One word-worrying)
I digress, for what it’s worth the Guild try to do a lot of good and like politicians most of them are in it for the right reasons. The problem is they have an horrific perception problem, no-one thinks they care and are just in it for themselves. This is the same at almost every Guild/Union in the country.
Nottingham University SU President exmeplifies this problem, Mr. Edung has taken the biscuit this time. He went to China to establish ‘cultural ties’. However, he has written on a friends facebook wall and said he is having, “totally inappropriate time”.
There we are as mere students, facing the highest debts in history for graduates combined with the worst graduate job prospects since the second world war, and Mr. Edung is taking this matter on by aiming to “check out some house parties, ruin diplomatic relations and spend a night in a Chinese cell.”
I am sure no-one at Birmingham would ever participate in such activities.
Today BUCF had the pleasure of attending an event with Shadow Chancellor George Osborne at a prestigious central Birmingham location. George was addressing business leaders and members of the Chamber of Commerce in a speech outlining what they could expect from a Conservative government. It was wonderful to see such a smashing turnout from members of BUCF which totalled well over 20. We also had the pleasure of meeting 2 members from Leicester University CF who came along to show their support. As always with events of this magnitude (which is becoming rather regular with BUCF!) it was very hard to muster everyone for the photo but we did manage to get a few members in a photo with the Sahdow Chancellor. All in all it was a smashing event which recieved rave reviews from all who attended… apart from the poor President who had to duck out 10 minutes in to the speech with a bad case of food poisioning!
A private funeral was held today for Ivan Cameron the much loved son of David and Samantha Cameron. As Dan has already stated at times like this there is nothing anyone can say so instead we’ve decided to post a picture to mark the occasion. They say a picture says a thousand words and this one says it all…
Daniel Cowdrill, former BUCF committee member, today argues in the Bow Group magazine that despite the financial crisis we’re not quite back to the 1970s. Britain remains in a much better state and no one wants to return to the politics of the 70s. Those who argue for nationalisation, intervention and higher tax, will lose.
Posted by BUCF Editor 
Posted by BUCF Editor 
Posted by BUCF Editor 
