The Future of Conservative Thinking

The panel started by setting out the challenges facing the coalition government:

• intense public distrust of politicians
• the failure of the previous economic model
• the need for massive public spending cuts
• the fragmentation of society into separate groups, which interact more with a remote and impersonal central state then they do with one another.  

The panel argued that a different approach to government was required. We should not assume that central government has the answers; policy should focus on encouraging the cooperation and interaction of different groups in society, to devise their own solutions to local problems.

But they admitted that the coalition had not yet made clear where future economic growth was going to come from, or explained how government could stimulate the Big Society in time to make up for cuts in public services.

The discussion asked about the impact the coalition and potential electoral reform might have on the Conservative Party. The panel agreed that the coalition has made the government more reforming, increased the focus on fighting poverty, and would keep the Conservative party honest on localism.

The party would be significantly affected by a vote in favour of electoral reform, with pressure to appeal for second votes, potentially, fundamentally altering the nature of party politics.

With the Conservatives now in government, there is still much to be done in articulating their vision for the 'Big Society' and the civic revolution David Cameron has called for.

Governing in a coalition will require the Tories to set the terms of political debate and make communicating these new Conservative principles all the more important.