Modern Conservatism - In Thought And Action
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The Conservative Party is well blessed with an independent website in Conservative Home that often provokes debate within the party and allows the outsider to see how conservatism is shaping and shifting on the current political sea. There are two articles currently on it that are worth investigating. One, by website editor Tim Montgomerie, discusses how a right wing party “with a heart” can position itself to govern more universally than is often perceived to be the case with the Conservatives. Highlighting key areas of current policy, including Michael Gove’s radical education agenda, he argues the case for a modern, ‘compassionate’ conservatism that could bring electoral victory. In so doing, he covers the ground of where the Conservative Party currently stands in a way that can certainly help any students and teachers looking to analyse what the ideology of the modern Conservative party really is.
The second article is a paean of praise from veteran journalist Bruce Anderson to the upper echelons of Conservative governors. Mr. Anderson has always had a penchant for the nabobs of the Conservative Party, but in this detailed article he identifies the key players, both elected and unelected, and argues that there has never been such harmony and unity of purpose at the top of government (and certainly the Conservative Party) since the days of, well, Walpole actually. He notes of the troika of Cameron, Osborne and Hague for instance, that:
They enjoy each other’s company. There is a lot of laughter, but also a lot of serious business. There is no rivalry and total mutual confidence. In the entire history of British government from the time of Robert Walpole, I cannot think of a moment when relationships at the top were so harmonious. In fraught circumstances, that is of inestimable value.
Even if you don’t agree with Mr. Anderson’s upbeat assessment - and one is tempted to quote the great P.G.Wodehouse’s line that “all is well in this best of all possible worlds” - the article does at least illumine aspects and personalities of the party in government that would again be rewarding to students to read.
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