John Redwood: The new Conservative Party has conservative values

Sir John, now Lord, Redwood is a former MP for Wokingham and a former Secretary of State for Wales.

I have just published a new short book called “Who’s right? The new case for Conservatism.” In it I set out those timeless values and principles which many conservatives have drawn on over the years. I look at current major arguments over net zero, energy, migration, free speech, benefits reform, national security and the scope of the public sector to draw together the ideas we believe in. I was pleased to read Kemi’s article in the Telegraph last Sunday saying she wants new MPs to be Conservative in thought.

Conservatives believe in freedom. We believe in free speech, free elections, and  free enterprise. We value the talents of individuals, the benefits of the small battalions and free institutions, and the power of the family. We understand the importance of traditions and learning passed down the generations.  We wish to see a prosperous country with wealth and ownership widely spread, a well defended country safe from war and threats, and a civil society with sufficient common bonds and culture.

Conservatives accept the need for limits placed on freedoms for the greater good. We expect a strong rule of law. Free enterprise does not extend to theft and fraud. Freedom to do things should not stretch to harming your neighbour or advancing by violence.

Conservatives do not want to blindly follow the past, welcoming positive change from the ideas and actions of enterprising individuals and institutions. Traditions and the past should be respected and drawn upon but not become restrictive bonds preventing something better. Conservatives wish to be the “dwarves on the shoulders of the giants”, seeing further because we inherit past wisdom and knowledge.

Conservatives love the countryside and wish to conserve the best of our natural and built environments. We value clean water and fresh air. We believe in being kind to animals, accepting their needs as they live alongside us.

Conservatives welcome strong families and see them as their own welfare societies, transferring wealth and skills between generations and accepting most of the responsibility for bringing up children and caring for the elderly. The state has a welfare role when families break down or when the demands are too great on family members.

Conservatives believe in equality of opportunity, offering a hand up in preference to a hand out. We want to help people on their individual journeys, and accept that those who achieve more and contribute more may earn more and save more. We believe in lower tax rates to protect incentives. We tax the rich who have the money by setting rates that they will stay to pay.

Conservatives oppose most revolutions for their violence and extremism. Conservatives believe in evolutionary change. There is no perfect state or utopian society that can be created because mankind has criminals as well as saints. Imposing too many solutions from government leads to the abuse of power and to the distress of freedom loving citizens. One of the least perfectible of human institutions is government itself, which needs to be watched, checked and controlled to avoid tyranny.

Conservatives believe in democratic government with choice between parties and philosophies at elections. We believe that Opposition is an important part of democratic government, to prevent a tyranny of the majority and to represent the views of legitimate minorities.

Conservatives believe in their countries, seeing the nation state as the means to create a voluntary common culture, shared experiences and team loyalty in friendly competition with other states. Conservatives are sceptical about drives to international and global government and to rule by an elite or bureaucratic class. There is no global democracy so global government is unaccountable.

Conservatives oppose extremism. We see National Socialism and Communism as two evil creeds of the last century that resulted in mass murders, dreadful wars and the suppression of freedoms which we should strive to prevent in the future.

‘Who’s right? The new case for Conservatism’ is available on Amazon, published by Bite-sized books.