It’s 50 years (today) since Margaret Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party.
Margaret Thatcher changed our party, our country and I think it is fair to say, the world through Thatcherism.
She realigned and redefined the post war socioeconomic and political consensus.
And she had a huge personal influence no me.
I’m from a pretty normal, working class background in the Midlands. My Dad was a Labour voting trade unionist factory worker, my Mum worked on the tills at Asda, I went to the local Comprehensive School. My grandparents, and most of my family lived in council houses. Most of my school teachers were Labourites. Conventional wisdom would suggest I should have been a Labour supporter.
But I’m not.
Because the positive, can-do, aspirational messages of Margaret Thatcher really resonated with me. Her words caught my attention as I was formulating my own political views as a teenager and I found myself agreeing with every word she said and in particular that message that no matter where you come from, if you work hard and want to do well in life, the Conservative Party will back you.
It’s not where you come from that matters but where you are going.
Success is to be applauded, ambition is not a dirty word. Wanting to do better for yourself, your family, our country is to be applauded not something to be embarrassed about.
The message I was hearing from Margaret Thatcher was clear. The Conservative party is the party of optimism, aspiration and opportunity. I found my political home.
So I went on to be the first person in my family to go to University and the first person from my Comprehensive School to go to Oxford. I did an MBA at UCLA.
And I had a successful business career in the UK and the US before entering politics in part as a way of giving back to the party and the country that had enabled me to do well. Giving back – another Conservative value.
And I am in no doubt that without that motivational, inspirational, aspirational message from Mrs Thatcher I would not have done those things. And I would not today be the Co-Chair of the Party she once led.
The things that Margaret Thatcher said 50 years ago resonate today:
The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.
If the state does everything what incentive do people have to look after themselves?
There is no such thing as public money, it’s the public’s money.
The values and the principles that Margaret Thatcher articulated are as true today as they were then. The interpretation and policy execution may be different - especially in this fast changing digital age.
But her values are enduring: Freedom, Democracy, Meritocracy, Self-reliance, Justice, Tolerance, Family, Patriotism, Compassion, Capitalism, the Union and more.
And building on those values the Principles, Conservative Principles that underly our policy stance endure too:
Free Enterprise, small government, low taxes, Personal Responsibility; equality of opportunity, Meaningful Citizenship, security through strength, responsible government and sound money, Respect for Law and Order -;and more
Being the party: of home ownership; of business; of entrepreneurialism.
Recognising that you can only have good public services if you have a vibrant private sector generating the taxes to pay for it.
These things are all Conservative values and they are held dear by the vast Majority of the British population too.
And yes, they differentiate us from all other parties. Transparently they differentiate us from Labour and the left wing parties; they don’t believe in low taxes, small government and personal responsibility; they don’t believe in equality of opportunity they believe in equality of outcomes - and would rather drag everyone down, not lift everyone up.
And these values differentiate us from populist parties on the right. You can not be both low tax and high spend. When we say we are the party of responsible government that means, not pretending you can have simple answers to complex questions and issues.
Any party that truly aspires to be a party of government not a party of protest must be honest about HOW you would implement your policies and what the full consequences would be.
You can’t say you will whack up the tax-free allowance, to say £20K without saying how then you’d pay for health and education.
Reform made £140 billion of tax and spending pledges at the last election. The numbers did not stack up.
Margaret Thatcher would not like that!
So on this 50th Anniversary of Margaret Thatcher becoming leader I would like to say Thank you.
Your legacy lives on and this country is better off for it.
And I - and my colleagues - have a duty to secure your legacy.
We have a duty to get rid of this shambolic socialist government and build this country’s future based upon sound Conservative values, principles and policies
And under our new leadership we will do, just that.
