Conservatism

  • Farage is seeking a fight

    The Reform UK ticket is predicated on a rise to prominence and a populist, straightforward path to power. It’s the idea, anyway. The reality will be different now the party has an actual Parliamentary presence. It’s also prone to controversy.

    Nigel Farage MP
    Nigel Farage MP speaking to a journalist in Whitehall on farming matters.

    Nigel Farage MP (Clacton/Reform UK) has a way that suggests he know’s what is to come. His focus on his own safety illustrates that a self-awareness many have said is necessary for politics exists deeply set in his mind. The portents for his career are laid there.

    The dimensions to politics that define the UK aren’t all perfectly suited to his personality. There are areas where he already struggles. However, his talent for speaking helps him pack a punch. The road ahead is going to need a lot of that, and whatever else his party can offer.

  • Christian conservatives have some advantage

    The advent of Christ’s birth came and went with no controversy to speak of, but Christians today find themselves at the wit and whim of everyone who has an opinion on something. The modern story of persecution against believers is littered with a spectrum of petty argumentation to serious attempts at destruction.

    The main culprits live in Africa, but the spread of it is a guilt that lives up to its name in other parts of the world. It’s copied and pasted here by any number – and any manner – of people who take to their pen as much as others take to their ‘sword’ to punch a hole in the safety and security of Church worship.

    President Obama speaking to a crowd on the night of his first election win in 2008 (Credit: @CNN/YouTube).

    The fact is, though, Christians have an advantage at present. The times have turned into a more conservative outlook, and even if leaders like President Obama and President Macron have liberal credentials, they both epitomise a way to look at things that’s calm and reasoned.

    In politics, then, ground is gained by those that pursue a similar type of engagement. The lacklustre feel of protest and the overwhelming pressure of hardcore litigation is something that can be left behind for a more serious handling that seeks community over conflict.

    The upswell of support for alternative parties is driven in part by a need to say a little along the lines of democratic needs. It supplements the warfare of tired dictators in the Middle East, and makes life feel much safer than those in crime riddled closed states. The option provides a way to say it like Jesus did.

  • European conservatives need to see the future

    The more negative the news stakes become for conservatives, the more prone these same people have been to strike out against news cycles in Europe to propose alternatives. This is interview-style politics and not the politics of a heritage or even of learning.

    In Europe, it takes time to build a movement. It needs people (or members) that are accountable for what they say and believe. Also, participation and funding is key to its real progress in the halls of power.

    However, too many are trying to find a way through bulletins and impending bad news statistics for people without providing guidance as to their real situation. The lack of this attention to detail and also ambition to do it is a telling feature of mainstream European conservatism.

    The failing, broken policy of one crowd has to be replaced by a foundation of reason and ideas built up by another. The departure from this scene in politics is already leaving huge gaps in the future. The less provision there is for actual participation, the worse it will be for everyone.

  • Revealed: MI6 considered Orban to be a dictator

    Viktor Orban has just lost power in Hungary, and so the suggestion that MI6 considered the European leader to be a dictator comes a little late in the proceedings. But it’s an important insight because some of the apparatus of the UK that responds to threats to security might have included this fact in its reasoning.

    The precise details are less facts on the ground than warnings from inside the country itself. In an effort to protect UK citizens – and its own assets – MI6 conducted a thorough review and it concluded that caution should be shown. It’s alleged Orban ruled from behind closed doors.

    The populist leader was not seen as so by many other conservative leaders, such as President Trump, but low level Intelligence activity is useful for planning beyond politics. It’s well known that MI6 acts with caution in the parts of Europe that know Orban well, finding Russia’s influence to be everywhere there.

  • Badenoch wants defence to do smart things

    Admittedly, Kemi Badenoch’s approach to politics isn’t thrilling, but it’s now beginning to appear to go places. The appeal of a quieter campaign to set out aspirations is likely gaining support from all of the right sources. Now, as the Prime Minister struggles to galvanise enough plaudits for his own agenda, Badenoch is finding herself capable of setting out her objectives in front of an attentive audience.

    Her latest outing at the London Defence Conference is just such an example of a circumspect and almost clandestine manoeuvre to get heard in the centre ground. She wants to pull in the doubters, objectors, and even naysayers to distil a vision that might just get us over the finish line, putting the frustrations of a faltering new Labour era behind us.

    The plan is built on being smart, and the latest innovations are free flowing points in her pitch for a return to military strength. She strains to offer an integration of all the newer things into a classical British mindset that works. It’s not to please America, satisfy Europe, or placate powers further off, but just make ends meet. Her deal is for all that it promises us it can be.

    The fulfilment of this mission is a hard task even for a historic Conservative party that sees the UK has been pushed to the margins, principally by Labour, which seeks to just give anything away. The frustration over the Chagos Islands has followed nervous wrangling over the Falklands, Gibraltar, and even Northern Ireland – not to mention the Gaza Strip – in a litany of errors and rebukes. It’s left many people here in need of further clarity.

    The chances of Badenoch imminently winning an election are better but not greater than before. She has to find a way to build back her party so that it could win her access to Number 10. If events last, it could be on the issue of defence itself. It’s a popular move. Many people are looking for a strong sense of security in a volatile world. Her sensitivity to this may find a way through and secure her time in office.

  • Nigel Farage is a game changer

    Nigel Farage MP (Clacton/Reform UK) is a classic example of marksmanship in UK politics. He’s said to not be understood but polling suggests he’s understood by most people. The model of fitting paper thin accusations against the relevant days events allows for an ongoing, long-running narrative of decline. It’s not true, however, that Farage does this in our political system at all.

    He’s known as a sociable, affable chap amongst many different types of people. It’s hard not to be. There are many “decent” people in politics, as he usually says to me, and it never dims in his spirit. He’s always been a welcoming part of the Westminster folk, even if his prior platforms were European-based. He’s not been accused of racism by any of our major, leading institutions. It’s tattle that follows him otherwise.

  • Profile: George Orwell

    George Orwell was born in India, but raised in England and schooled at Eton College as a young man. His writing career began in earnest in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

    Orwell said, like many of his peers, he only found comfort in thinking about socialism. He said it made him feel better about life.

    However, privately, he stuck avowedly to conservative principles by himself, even if he disagreed with its ideas in practice.

  • Badenoch says Policy Renewal will change the game

    Today Kemi Badenoch launched a revised version of Renewal 2030, her flagship leadership campaign platform utilised last year, to boost her profile into the Conservative mainstream.

    Her style is more political morals than policy, as so far she prefers changing a narrative with her Policy Renewal Programme to backing funding digits. However, longevity is the question.

  • Reform launch Hull Mayor candidate

    The new Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority is getting a Mayor this May. The election is due to produce its first post holder. It covers a newly created devolved power made up of councils across the specified region.

    The attraction of new investment, as well as authority over local issues like transport, will bring a renewed sense of vision and purpose to the area. It’s also an opportunity for political parties to cut their teeth on a new office.

    Reform UK have announced Luke Campbell MBE, an Olympic boxer, as their inaugural candidate at an event this evening in Hulll. Cambell says he will take a personal line if elected, representing local concerns and not politics.

  • Westminster Week: Conservatives surge ahead

    Monday

    Monday is a rough start to a week in most cases, but Nigel Farage MP (Clacton/Reform UK) got off to a running start, as well as Richard Tice MP (Boston and Skegness/Reform UK). They both appeared at a branded and fronted press conference in London to launch a broadside against Greater Manchester Police. Their effort was to bring up the beating of a police officer or two in an airport there, and the leaking of subsequent video footage.

    Later on, they both appeared in a debate in the House of Commons over the Chagos Islands, sparing with David Lammy MP (Tottenham/Labour) Foreign Secretary, over the rights and wrongs of it all (the UK recently announced a handover of sovereignty back to the Islands). They obviously feel passionately about it.

    In the evening, they graced us with a launch of a relatively new feature in their repertoire – a party political broadcast. It’s novel for them because it doesn’t quite make sense circa a year ago. I get the sense they can’t believe, having been at it for so long, it’s now their opportunity to reach out on television cold turkey.

    Tuesday

    Tom Tugendhat MP (Tonbridge/Conservatives) was kicked out of the Tory leadership race. It’s not a bad end to a long-running, populous campaign that started with six. It’s now down to three.

    The remaining candidates all put up a good fight, but James Cleverly MP’s campaign (Braintree/Conservatives) has surged ahead and may be the likely one to win. However, we have to watch this space.

    Wednesday

    Perhaps politics can be a bag of surprises, and considering James Cleverly MP (Braintree/Conservatives) was kicked out of the Tory leadership contest today, maybe we need to be reminded it sometimes happens overnight. It’s not to say his supporters are wrong but it’s a question of what Conservatives are looking for right now.

    Thursday

    President Zelenskyy visited London today, not to pay his respects to our political system, but to meet with the Prime Minister to allegedly discuss his “Victory Plan” in the war against Russia. As it happens, London is a busy day for a visit like this, so it’s interesting to see important-looking people in the usual hive of activity.

  • Reform UK is not fascist

    The emergence of Reform UK is a progressive alliance of conservative voices, and values. It hasn’t come about by chance. Its key figures are important people in UK politics. They have media legitimacy, cultural primacy, and a central role in democracy itself.

    The trouble is people in the media disagree. They write off Nigel Farage MP as far-right, and even something like a fascist. It isn’t true, of course, but they peddle such lies anyway. It sells copy, it boosts subscriptions, and helps promotionally because it’s outspoken.

  • Reform UK celebrate success

  • How Tory voters see Reform UK

    In many respects the views of Tory voters are key to the success of Reform UK because they are its natural bedfellows.

    In fact, much of what Reform UK says and does borrows heavily from a form of conservative politics it sees as lacking in mainstream conservatism in the UK.

    According to data compiled by YouGov, it appears Tory voters are divided on where things stand for Reform UK but are more hopeful for its future.

    In brief, more Conservative voters have an unfavourable view of Reform UK than favourable, but the margin is slight. A difference of 6% separates them between polar opposites.

    Alternatively on the question of influence so far in UK politics, 5% separates those Conservative voters who say they have not much or none and those that say a lot or a little.

    In terms of next steps, more conservative voters want Reform UK to have influence in future than don’t. The margin between is 11%, and a further 19% sit on the fence.

    It’s not a bad outcome for a relatively new party that’s only just made headwind in Parliament with its first big electoral win.

    The case is growing in the longterm.

  • Profile: Lee Anderson MP

    Lee Anderson is 57 years old and MP for Ashfield for Reform UK. He was reelected on 4 July having been an MP for the Conservative Party before he defected in March of this year.

    He’s an outspoken critic of immigration and actively seeks reform in this area in Parliament. He’s also a critic of what is now termed “woke” politics, since he prefers to take a harder line on social issues.

  • Is conservatism stuck in the recent past?

    A telling point about today is that it is indeed different from the past.

    It’s difficult for us not to argue this, if the argument needs to be made, although, there is a lot still present that speaks of our past.

    There is a bit of a misnomer about trying to define things, as if more things need to be said.

    It’s pretty clear what some believe by what they say, do, and, how they respond to what goes on.

    After a while, their reactions become second nature, almost.

    I am in no doubt how a developing story will affect the worldview – or narrative – of certain politicians; in absolutely no way, whatsoever. It’s not given to them to disagree with something that seems to affirm their worldview, or give in to a point that seems to contradict it, either,

    This is the case also with conservatives, who tend to stick to what they know, and ignore whatever they find contradicts their worldview.

    This is common in politics, when you’re trying to make an argument.

    It may be a politician has a point to prove, to a committee, or to another politician, or even a book to sell, and so on. In fact, their contributions in private and public dialogue will reflect this because it’s their politics as a politician.

    It’s not a case of a national debate, but ongoing point-scoring and rebuttal, that can make up the transitory career of someone trying to make a difference in life.

    If they are successful, or not, is another matter.

    I don’t think conservatism is ‘stuck in the past’, but it does have its own historic arguments to make, in response to overt triggering and point-scoring by leftists, who want to bring up all the old debates but without the lessons of the past.

    It’s not that conservatism has all the right answers, either. Yet, it has a presence, here, particularly when these issues mattered last time around. It proves that longevity has its benefits, still.

    While the ‘new’ and ‘improved’ struggles to fit in, other conservatives may look back in history for answers, as they too struggle over the same issues.