There are many ways of expressing Conservative principles. Here are the ones that I believe are the core of our beliefs.
The first duty of government is the security of its people… And it’s not just about money. It’s also about judgement
When Putin made clear his intentions with his actions in Chechnya, Georgia and Crimea, some of us warned that was the time to arm the Ukrainians to deter a full scale Russian attack. European leaders put wishful thinking before critical analysis. Hope is not a sound basis for security.
There is no such thing as government money
There is only taxpayers money. It may sound like a cliché, but it’s the essential truth about our fiscal reality
No one should be better off not working and working… And it’s not just about economics
It’s about pride, self respect and playing a full share in society.. If the only value that any individual knows about themselves is the value that the state gives them not to work, how can they ever know the potential they could bring to themselves, their family and the community.
If we celebrate only diversity and not commonality, we will not get diversity, but fragmentation
The state should only do what the state can do best
Leave the rest to individuals and civic society
The state should only raise in taxes what it needs for essential functioning and financial stability
But lower taxes can only be sustained with limited spending and a limited state.
There is a difference between growth and wealth creation
Wealth creation is when we translate someone’s unique ideas (IP) into new goods and services that can be sold or better goods and services than currently exist. That is how prosperity is generated and should be an absolute priority.
The country has no divine right to prosperity
No generation has a right to be better off than the previous generation. These have to be earned in a competitive world.
Globalisation has made is more interconnected and interdependent than ever before
We need to find the mechanisms to maximise the opportunities and minimise the risks in our foreign policy, security policy and in the conduct of international institutions. There are too few Brits in the places that are most influential.
Education is the key to opportunity and meritocracy
The point of education is to maximise the potential of society by maximising the potential of each individual within it. This requires us to see the unique needs and talents of each individual and ensure that the education they receive is appropriate to them. Vocational aptitude needs to be as valued as academic skills.
Conservatives believe in equality of opportunity, socialist believe in equality of outcome
Conservatives provide access to social mobility, socialist produce equal access to mediocrity.
Capitalism’s main product isn’t profit but hope and opportunity
But you can have capitalism without capital, which is why we must believe in free trade and free markets.
Competition is essential in a free society
It is the way in which we measure our talents relative to one another without fear of conflict.
You avoid external coalitions by maintaining an internal one
When the Conservative Party is a broad church, it is at its strongest. When it becomes fragmented, seeing itself as a group of different factions it’s grip on office is weakened. Successful leaders keep a big tent. Those who play winner takes all and surround themselves only by their acolytes tend to fail.
The union of the United Kingdom is a precious resource worth preserving
It is not just an agreement in treaty, it is truly a family of nations who have married together, work together and fought together for our freedom.
The United States is a force for good in the world
The bedrock of NATO (our security guarantee) and our most important ally. The special relationship was too important to be owned by any parties or individuals.
Our values of free speech, individual liberty, human rights and respect for the rule of law are what define us internationally
And we should seek to ensure that our fellow human beings everywhere can benefit from those things that we, all too often, take for granted.
