Opinions
Programmes
Opinions
Programmes
By Sophie Cheadle, Administrator, Radix Big Tent
For a party recovering from a historic electoral defeat, the Conservatives seemed remarkably sure of what they stood for. National pride and a return to Thatcherite principles were on the agenda in Birmingham, as well as statements on lower taxes, £70 billion in identified spending savings, and deregulation.
That is not to say ideological clarity is unwelcome. With the UK’s fragmented political landscape, knowing what a party actually believes is not a bad thing. It seems to be the smart thing too, to reaffirm their standing as a party to the country, as Labour and the Conservatives occupied first and second place in fewer than half of constituencies at the 2024 general election [1], and recent polling puts Reform UK ahead of the Conservatives nationally [2].
Kemi Badenoch's opening speech The Right Way, referencing Thatcher's The Right Approach of fifty years earlier, made the party's philosophy quite clear. From abolishing inheritance tax on family homes to relaxing housebuilding requirements, the Conservatives made the case for less government intervention and greater economic freedom. But beyond these familiar arguments, some of the most interesting conversations I heard concerned the decidedly less straightforward business of making public services work.
At one NHS fringe event, there was a clear recognition that shifting care away from hospitals and into communities could improve outcomes, relieve pressure on hospitals, and make better use of resources. But there seemed to be no general consensus of how these things can be done, especially in the light of spending cuts, when doing so requires investment in care, infrastructure, and the people expected to deliver these changes. Reorganising services is one thing. Giving services the capacity to function is another.
At another fringe event, discussion turned to civic pride and how some quite small improvements to local areas can improve people's relationship with their communities. A clean street or a functioning public space might sound very modest, but for councils struggling to meet the cost of essential services, even modest ambitions can become difficult to actualise.
These discussions left me wondering whether the debate has been entirely focused on how much their potential government will spend and save, rather than what spending actually achieves, or what saving will go towards.
These choices matter. Badenoch's announcement that family homes would be exempt from inheritance tax was a headline takeaway of the conference. Yet fewer than 5% of estates currently pay inheritance tax at all [3]. It might be argued that the change would reward people who work hard and save, but it comes at a time of a cost of living crisis. Who is this announcement prioritising?
There were similar questions to be asked of the proposals to cut back on planning and environmental regulation in the name of economic growth. Few would dispute the need to build more homes, but cheaper development does not automatically mean more affordable homes or better places to live. The quality of the communities we create matters too. There is a distinction between over-regulation and passing things through without much administration.
Of course, governments cannot spend without limits. Nobody should be defending inefficiency for its own sake and neither am I. But reducing spending should not be confused with improving outcomes. Sometimes spending less today results in spending more tomorrow.
The Conservatives were clear about their ambition to build a stronger country. But surely the strength of a country should be measured not only by the size of its government or the level of its taxes, but by the quality of its institutions, the opportunities available to its citizens, and the condition of the homes and communities they build.
National pride is a reasonable starting point. Giving people something tangible to feel proud of is a rather greater challenge.
Blogs carried on this site reflect the independent views of their authors, not the position of Radix Big Tent. Throughout the conference season different members of our team will be attending each of the party conferences and will report back on their main takeaways. We hope you will find these blogs thoughtful and provocative regardless of your own party allegiances, and we welcome your responses to them to hello@radixbigtent.org.uk.