Blues try thinking
During Labour’s long years in opposition, think-tanks played a key role in generating the intellectual momentum that propelled the party back into government. ippr, Demos and the Fabians all helped develop the ideas that Labour went on to implement in office. And some of those who led that intellectual regeneration, such as Patricia Hewitt, have become key frontline players for Labour in government.
If the Tories are to return to government, there is little doubt that they must undergo a similar process of policy renewal. So is there any sign that they are developing a solid platform for re-election?
Historically, the Conservative Research Department has acted as the engine of Tory revival. As well as generating policy, the CRD produced such luminaries as Chris Patten and Michael Portillo. But despite observing its 75th anniversary earlier this year, the CRD is a shadow of its former self. After seven years in opposition and deprived of the prestige it once enjoyed, the CRD is no longer able to attract the bright and energetic young Tories it once did.
Being out of office has also robbed the Tories of the key in-house think-tank of the Thatcher years – the Downing Street Policy Unit, whose alumni include Oliver Letwin and John Redwood. Now, the Tories must look elsewhere for ideas.
But where? Over the past seven years, the Conservatives have borrowed heavily from the policies of electorally successful conservative parties in other countries – chiefly the US and Australia. The results of this have been mixed, to say the least. Oliver Letwin’s notorious ‘fantasy island’ proposal for offshore processing of asylum applications was copied directly from the government of John Howard, but became an object of ridicule. Similarly, William Hague’s attempt to emulate George Bush’s agenda of supposedly ‘compassionate’ conservatism failed to bear fruit.
So will the Tories find salvation closer to home? In recent years, a number of new rightwing think-tanks have been established. Policy Exchange is the most significant, launched in April 2002 by a group of former Portillistas who wanted to continue the modernising project. But its influence in the party is very limited.
Another modernising think-tank, Reform, has made some headway in its campaign on public services, generating substantial press coverage. But the party has not taken up its ideas. The final new entrant, Iain Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice, is taken even less seriously and its financial future looks shaky.
More established think-tanks are held in higher esteem by leading Tories. The Centre for Policy Studies, established in 1974 by Keith Joseph and Margaret Thatcher, continues to attract high-level support. Its director, Ruth Lea, formerly of the Institute of Directors, adds to the Centre’s profile. Likewise, Politeia, which was set up in 1995, is a favoured platform for members of the shadow cabinet. And the Adam Smith Institute, despite keeping a cautious distance from the Tories, continues to attract frontbench interest.
What is striking, however, is the failure of the Tory wonks to generate any really groundbreaking ideas. In particular, CPS and Politeia serve up little more than reheated Thatcherism, dwelling on well-worn themes such as deregulation, welfare cuts and Europe-bashing. They are joined by the likes of Civitas, which is goading the Tories into unimaginatively rightwing positions on crime and immigration. And it is these groups – the neo-Thatcherite, socially conservative think-tanks – that hold sway over the Tory front bench; not the modernisers and most definitely not the depleted standard-bearers of One Nation Toryism.
This is not to say that the left has nothing to fear. With the Tories sliding towards a third successive election defeat, yet more self-examination is inevitable. It is possible, therefore, that the likes of Policy Exchange and Reform will begin to find favour, or that new voices will emerge. But until they do, the Tories will remain as intellectually burnt out as they have been for the past decade.
Tory think-tanks
The Modernisers…
Policy Exchange
Summary Launched in April 2002. Champions socially and economically liberal policies, localism and choice in public services. Allied to C-Change and Localis.
Key personnel: Nicholas Boles, Conservative PPC for Hove and a former Westminster City councillor, is the director of Policy Exchange. The chair is Michael Gove, associate editor of The Times.
Key supporters: Francis Maude, David Willetts and Steven Norris.
Website www.policyexchange.org.uk
Reform
Summary Campaigns for market-based reforms in health, education, transport, the police and the economy. Co-ordinated the establishment of Doctors for Reform, a front organisation advocating root-and-branch changes to the NHS.
Key personnel: Nick Herbert is director of Reform. The research director is Andrew Haldenby.
Key supporters: Sir Christopher Gent, Patrick Minford, Nick Bosanquet, Tim Congdon, and Chris Woodhead.
Website www.reformbritain.com
The Neo-Thatcherites
Centre for Policy Studies
Summary The original Thatcherite think-tank, set up in 1974 by Keith Joseph and Margaret Thatcher.
Key personnel: Dr Ruth Lea is director.
Key supporters: Michael Howard, Oliver Letwin, Sir Malcolm Rifkind,
John Major, John Redwood and David Heathcoat-Amory have all written for the CPS in recent years.
Website www.cps.org.uk
Politeia
Summary Politeia was set up in 1995 to promote social and economic thinking with the Conservative party.
Key personnel: The director of Politeia is Dr Sheila Lawlor.
Key supporters: Michael Howard, Oliver Letwin, Dr Liam Fox and
David Willetts.
Website www.politeia.co.uk
Institute of Economic Affairs
Summary Britain’s oldest free-market think-tank, founded in 1955. Pursues an unreconstructed monetarist agenda and even has its own ‘shadow monetary policy committee’.
Key personnel: The director general of the IEA is John Blundell.
Key supporters: Tim Congdon and the former electricity regulator Stephen Littlechild.
Website www.iea.org.uk
Adam Smith Institute
Summary Champion of small government and free-market policies. ‘Tax Freedom Day’ is one of the more famous concepts promoted by the ASI.
Key personnel: Dr Eamonn Butler is the director of the ASI. The president is Dr Madsen Pirie.
Key supporters: Conservative frontbenchers regularly speak to ASI Power Lunches – as does the occasional Labour MP.
Website www.adamsmith.org
The One Nation Tories…
Tory Reform Group
Summary Internal Tory campaign representing the increasingly marginalised One Nation wing of the Conservative party.
Key personnel: Clare Whelan is the national organiser for the TRG. The president is Ken Clarke.
Key supporters: Michael Heseltine, Douglas Hurd, Chris Patten, Stephen Dorrell, David Curry, David Hunt, Sir George Young, Ian Taylor and Steve Norris. Current frontbench supporters include Damian Green and Andrew Lansley.
Website www.trg.org.uk
The Bow Group
Summary The Bow Group is the oldest of Britain’s centre-right think-tanks, established in 1951 as an association for Conservative graduates.
Key personnel: The current chair of the Bow Group is Giles Taylor.
Key supporters: Past chairs of the Bow Group have included Michael Howard, Norman Lamont and Peter Lilley.
Website www.bowgroup.org
Conservative Mainstream
Summary Established in 1996 to focus the Tories on the centre ground of politics.
Key personnel: The chair of Conservative Mainstream is Michael Heseltine, who is also its main financial backer.
Key supporters: Affiliated groups include Parliamentary Mainstream, the Tory Reform Group and Conservative Group for Europe.
Website core2.trg.org.uk/reformer/2002 autumn/mainstreampatrons.html