Leadership

  • Canadian politics hots up as Liberals surge defections

    If you thought the basis of a Mark Carney premiership in Canada was paper thin before, his case has gotten a lot more substantial since his election last year with the addition of some defectors to his benches.

    His Liberal Party has just had a fifth member cross the floor, boosting its chances of gaining a majority government, of which its short by just one.

    It’s a phenomenon that’s surprising some in Canadian politics, who didn’t see an upswell in support coming for such a politician who doesn’t seek to publicly stir the pot.

    The meaning may be in the method he brings to the table, surviving hard workers and lengthening their remit if they are successful. His pitch is as a Prime Minister, also, which gives reason to change.

  • Iran gets ready for more of the same

    Iran’s Supreme Leader is not yet a disclosed figure on the world stage, but when he is a new Ayatollah will have risen to the fore. This comes with a mission and its mandate, and as far as regional realities go, it begins to have its effect.

    The American drive for regime change isn’t necessarily a plan of action in such a circumstance as this because Persian identity is already understood like this and in the many other forms of community cohesion that exist in Iran today.

    The religious aspect of Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership position will come through, whom Iranians believe in large proportion to be the saviour of Islam in a world of vile influences. His is a political influence while Muslims wait for cleansing and their messiah.

    The defence of the temporal and spiritual is therefore tied up in this one man. It’s difficult to suggest an alternative because religion is a deeply held sympathy, and from the plains to the urban centres it’s kept to with an avid vigilance.

    But it’s business as usual because America won’t change its foreign policy, and the Middle East won’t change its ways. Progress is also lost so easily in a region that has competing agendas. Any plan for peace is ruined by further relapses to terror and acrimony.

  • Mojtaba Khamenei is a brutal opponent for us

    The new Supreme Leader of Iran is not to be messed with, and military games won’t work alongside any response to him. His angle is knowing how we work, and how things operate here is reputed as a special skill that he has.

    Iran has to come up from below because it’s in a poorer state than we are. It needs to try. It also works harder to impress, too, because it’s in a region that has room for powers like itself. It has a combative stance in the Middle East.

    The future direction is less bombastic because Mojtaba has more local concerns. He’s aware of his nation’s problems, and though he too is hindered by a strong desire for Islamic control, his intent is going to matter more to Iranians, and certainly less to us.

    The takeover of power is determined by a progress beyond the legacy of the last incumbent, and while he’s able to strike out on his own, Mojtaba struggles with a respect or reverence for his father that may be a problem for him in future as his status is firmly established.

    The Supreme Leader of Iran is beset also by a mysticism that guides public reaction to events. While protest is mostly seen as secular in nature, there are unpredictable undercurrents that create upward swell or pressure which can destabilise any form of power or control there.

    His position, however, is to react swiftly and he has proved he can deal decisively with these things – and much more. Iran is now a state of control, and glitches may present openings for more levels of unrest than seen before. But he is a leader who knows how.

  • Iran’s new Supreme Leader is a thorn among the brambles

    Mojtaba Khamenei has come out warring following the death of his late father, reiterating the Islamic world’s problem with much of the English speaking world, and further afield. Besides calling for revenge on the annihilation of Ali Khamenei, he says that Iranians will feel the warmth of his new rule.

    It’s unlikely. He sits in place, so far from the ordinary concerns of Iranians, who are less likely to be combative with the rest of the wider world over such matters that mean so much to Islamic scholars, such as Western media or attention to academic matters that vary from the doctrinal dogma of the ruling elite that they’ve got to love.

  • Asia offers complex opportunities

    Asia is a large continent and on the face of that fact alone it appears to offer many opportunities. It may be that many business envoys in the past have returned showing agreements that have been signed with their counterparts in the region. However, it’s not clear how many of these have actually been put to good use.

    The reality is that Asian countries are also highly advanced in their own way and they are very aware of the implication of approaches from other parts of the world. In fact, their Intelligence structures are known to be among the best in the world. This makes it a complex exercise to approach any Asian nation in terms of trade and political relations.

    The attempt of the Prime Minister recently to build further trade relations with China had a small measure of success only. It’s because every person has to play their part in order to satisfy the need of the Chinese leadership to trust people. It’s not always done by a UK delegation because it’s believed that one person can always lead the effort.

    A Prime Minister is obviously going to be the person who is going to insist that the UK benefits whatever the final decision is. But this does not determine how the negotiations go, or what is discussed, or what the final outcome is. It’s believed that a Prime Minister can focus on national security concerns when it comes to trade as they’re able to focus on this as a priority above others.

    This fits with the realities of the region because in the past such dialogue has resulted in conflict in real theatres of war. We don’t want to run that risk and we think that an intelligent Prime Minister is able to help us mitigate the problems of such nations being so clever. It’s a proper focus because it keeps a conscious level to any considerations.

    There would be those that disagree – of course – and they will still try to maximise returns based on a naivety that is inherent in some academic study here. It’s not part of the way we think collectively but it is the agenda that has funding and tries to make a way still for itself. It has to be kept on the outside, or at the periphery, so that we can do well overseas.

  • Prime Minister’s Questions

  • Thatcher knew about reality

    The truest test of character for a leader is a grip on reality. This is tried in politics by their recollection of what’s important by the questioning of those that believe it matters most to their very own lives.

    At least, this is what Margaret Thatcher – the former Conservative Prime Minister and first female in the position – said about the duty as she spoke about her time in Number 10 to me over a brief lunch.

    It’s not that I admired her at first, but I was able to put together what she said with what I had seen to gather that she was a real Conservative, a true libertarian at heart.

    It didn’t just matter if some said it, she felt it was also necessary to reason it through, too, and this point, I considered, had helped her to deepen her understanding of all that she needed to know.

    Her gift was for getting to know people well, or at least getting into their company to find them out and start it off.

    She had principles – or rules – in mind that helped her to do it. “There is nothing to be gained by being familiar,” she said, “everything is lost in that way, always.” She retained a moderate approach to doing this always.

    The practice helped build up a knowledge base of what it is people wanted. It stopped her assuming it and led her into the “realm of knowing,” as she put it. It’s how most of her assumptions were road tested before going to print.

  • The Queen & her people: A private mission

    The Late Queen wasn’t someone who took a person’s definition lightly, or definitely. If someone said to her that her position was just ceremonial, for instance, she’d think about what they meant.

    Her usual conclusion is alleged to have centred on the ceremonial positions that are replete throughout the UK, “and on every doorstep”, and this reassured her that at least she had a place.

    It’s believed, however, that she saw her role as much more practical than purely presentational because of some sage advice that she was given by others.

    They knew that she struggled in a society that was deeply embroiled in all different types of histories, and this meant her life might be lost to the crowd or in the general times.

    She didn’t pass over the needs of her people. She still played a huge role, if not a political one. Her approach had been to set politics in the place it wanted. She acted around it as if it meant no harm.

    This is exactly how experts see her. They see it in a general setting with other people. She travelled overseas in her own right. She spoke to people about their matters. It wasn’t just about issues that are political all too often.

  • Thatcher knew the potential of close working

    The Conservatives are said to have had a strained relationship with most public bodies. In fact, Margaret Thatcher said she liked to see it as a “partnership” so that she could explore it further. If she could get into a boardroom, she’d get into their heads. This helped her to “understand their thinking, and to know them better,” she once concluded. It’s a belief that served her well.

    In our time, we’ve got to keep going with what she started. All the public bodies that make up our lives are meant to be aligned with our purposes. It’s important that we keep them close, and never push them too far away. It minimises harm and increases the potential of true leadership. This is something we’re desperately in need of.

  • We must keep to strong leadership

    The fourteen years of Conservative ‘rule’ that the now Prime Minister says he hates actually constituted an era of strong leadership.

    It helped prove us through trying times that had erupted on our landscape.

    The housing crisis in which people tried to steal our houses. Such housing insecurity indirectly led to the public emergencies in some parts of the UK.

    A schools infiltration program run by poor quality graduates and non-University educated citizens that led to a national program of warnings and exercises in part.

    The rapid crimewave that is the small boats crossings crisis that erupted and led to a response across the UK that is still ongoing.

    These are moments of strong leadership by democratically willed men and women. It may be we need them back one day.

  • Macron backtracks – for now

    The re-instatement of Sébastien Lecornu to the office of Prime Minister is President Macron’s backtrack for the present moment in French politics.

    He’s in retreat – despite protests as to the cause or value of the returning politician – because he feels the inclement weather in the real world of widespread confusion.

    His electorate sees the disarray and wonders how a further change of leader would alter it. They perceive a lack of direction in particular matters and question the need for a package of reforms.

    In fact, a large measure to restore law and order is more urgent. The world isn’t blind to the chaos along the West coast of France. It’s not voiceless either, and there’s no illegitimacy in bringing it up.

  • Macron loses his 7th PM

    Just under a month into the job, President Macron’s seventh Prime Minister has now resigned.

    It shows a deep problem set into the heart of French politics.

    While some may wish it away as part of the era, it’s not easy to do so.

    The tumult that French people endure is not easy to embrace, and this makes it difficult to justify or to even defend leadership.

    The social discord at the heart of the problem is more than just protest, and the causes of it, but also the entanglement of migration into the very core of the jurisdiction of the French Republic.

    It’s not a straightforward matter, and French voters want the representation of it to be fair but also open.

  • Caught: Anti-State censor

    In a stunning exclusive for Conservative News Site, a suspect in anti-State censorship activities primarily aimed at Asian countries has been spotted loitering in Reading, Berkshire.

    A suspect seen in Reading, Berkshire and alleged of anti-State nefarious Journalistic activities.

    He’s accused of intimidating politicians and political leaders of all stripes. He seeks to censor speeches. He’s alleged to force cancellation of speaking engagements by making false accusations.

  • Badenoch is looking for the blue brick road

    The issue worrying the leadership of Kemi Badenoch is a crisis in support for the purpose of conservatism in the UK.

    Its storied history is not the only point now but its engagement with the modern world.

    Its survival relies on getting the votes to make itself into a party of governance.

    In a conservative world your base counts as your source for ideas, resilience to opposing values, views, and visions, and the strength to carry through big changes to the political system.

    While Reform UK has the potential, it falls short in having the clout. The trouble Badenoch has with her party is the ‘brand’ suffers for not being supported widely.

    The work of the party is not seen as pervasive anymore, and its preeminence is damaged by the furtive activity of others.

    It means it lacks clarity in its pitch.

    To see success and return to real influence in UK politics, the Conservatives need to drive enthusiasm for more of what they did before, marking out large schemes for the entire country.

  • Robert Francis Prevost announced as Pope

    A US Cardinal has been revealed as the new Pope in Vatican City. The appointment of Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV is a shock. He’s the first American to make it to the highest office.

    Via Times News

    His future is laid out in the coming days as he settles in. The Roman Catholic Church is said to be at a crossroads within itself, and is at war with liberals outside of it. Many hope he’ll work for peace.