Demos has been described as many things over the years – ‘architects of Cool Britannia’, ‘New Labour’s favourite thinktank’ – but one political movement it has not been known to flirt with is the Conservative party.
Until now, that is. Over the summer, the shadow chancellor George Osborne made an appearance at the thinktank for everyday democracy’s HQ, talking on the subject of fairness. Not to be outdone, David Cameron recently appeared in front of the organisation’s familiar yellow logo, launching its ‘Progressive Conservatism’ project (see Sunder Katwala on page 9).
The project – which will be seen as an oxymoron by some, a groundbreaking movement by others – will run over three years, aiming to examine how conservative philosophy, politics and policy can further progressive goals. The project is directed by Philip Blond with assistance from an eclectic advisory board including backbench rabble-rouser Frank Field, billionaire eco-Tory Zac Goldsmith and philosopher John ‘we’re all doomed’ Gray.
‘The Conservative party has made great strides towards progressive policies, but the work is ongoing and unfinished,’ Blond commented. ‘It’s essential that the Conservatives take this crisis as an opportunity to re-think our most pressing social and economic problems.’
Fleshing out what a ‘Progressive Conservative’ vision might look like, Blond added: ‘Britain needs to re-localise the economy, re-moralise the market and re-capitalise the poor to become a fairer, more cohesive society.’
Following the launch, Martin Kettle used his Guardian column to warn those in the Labour fold not to snort too derisively at the notion of progressive Tories. ‘To many in the Labour tribe, the idea that anyone other than Labour, not even the Liberal Democrats let alone the Tories, could ever have a credible progressive thought is a laughable one,’ he wrote. ‘I think this is both tragic and mistaken. It represents the triumph of blind tribalism over both ideas and honesty. There is surely a strong historical case for saying that this is in many ways a progressive, small-c conservative country and for claiming, as Cameron does, that this tradition stretches across parties.’ Watch this space.
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The ever-deepening recession has continued to preoccupy thinktanks of all shades and stripes. Civitas, often to be found bemoaning the nation’s politically correct education system and declining morals, put out a press release warning that the economic crisis ‘may well mean that an increasing number of young people are not able to tie the knot’.
‘As the recession bites it’s going to be harder for partners to make that commitment – without financial stability and jobs they won’t have the confidence to say “I do”’, said Civitas’s director of family and education, Anastasia de Waal. ‘So as well as financial strains breaking up existing marriages, we are also likely to see fewer marriages as a result of increased unemployment.’
The Fabian Society, whose new year conference entitled Fairness Doesn’t Happen by Chance received widespread media coverage, published an essay by former health secretary Patricia Hewitt urging the government ‘to learn from past recessions and steer Britain out of the downturn with an economy that retains its talent not loses it’.
Compass, meanwhile, has been asking its members to send in their ideas for ‘how to live in the 21st century’. When the ideas hit inboxes last month suspicions were aroused that somebody from the Adam Smith Institute may have infiltrated proceedings, with a proposal for a ‘6 day working week’ heading the bill. Shurely shome mishstake? Yes, indeed. One click on the offending item revealed that the proposal was in fact for a ‘6 hour working day’. This may have left policy wonks – not exactly known for their early starts or burning of the midnight oil – scratching their heads, wondering what the change would be.