TThere is a huge divide in British politics, a divide that has been created in part by the Conservative Party’s focus on the right and its apparent neglect of the centre. The party is unrecognisable today compared to when it came into government after the 2010 general election. And many in my party have ignored this shift to the right.
This development and the attempts of some to offer voters a kind of “reform light” were bad for our country, our international reputation and the party itself. Whichever way you look at it, the 2024 parliamentary elections were a disaster.
Traditional centrist Conservative voters, who were vital to David Cameron’s winning coalition, left the party and stayed at home or voted Labour or the Liberal Democrats. Among younger generations, it is estimated that only 8% are likely to have voted Conservative, behind Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Reform UK.
By pandering to ever smaller groups of voters, we have failed to speak to the country as a whole. As a former immigration minister, I know only too well the sensitivities around migration and refugee issues and how important language is. Some have thought it politically expedient to conflate the issues of legal immigration and asylum seekers. That is wrong. They are two very different and separate issues, each with its own legal and political requirements.
I have always opposed the deportation policy in Rwanda and was appalled by the language used during the debate. The current situation in the UK, which has not seen such a high level of social unrest for a long time, is deeply worrying. The divisive rhetoric, including from some representatives of the previous government, has certainly not helped. “Stop the boats” was one of the slogans of the insurgents and this is most regrettable.
Those in my party who think like me must act. What we need is a strong, passionate defense of moderation and a vision for a centrist agenda for our country. This cannot be taken for granted; it must be fought for. We must be bold and have the courage to take on the extremes that have been better funded and better organized for decades.
We must recognise the need for change and make it happen now. Politics is more volatile today than ever before. Any attempt to ‘unite the right’ by transforming or merging the Conservative Party with Reform UK could not only undermine social cohesion but also put my party on the path to electoral defeat from which it may never recover.
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In all this we must be proudly internationalist, strengthen our relationship with the European Union, uphold the rule of law, develop a comprehensive offer for younger people, seek to unite our society, not divide it, act responsibly in the environment and return to the highest standards in public life. I would urge all Conservative candidates for the leadership of the party to embrace this centrist agenda.
Only by wholeheartedly pursuing such an agenda can the Conservative Party look outwards again, feel comfortable in modern Britain and win the support of all sections of our society, and be ready to govern the country again.
