Blue skies ahead for the Conservatives?
Following what felt like a rather cold, uninspiring Labour conference last week for everyone outside of Momentum, the Conservative Party conference was a comparatively invigorating affair in sunny Birmingham. The party looked and sounded like it expects to be in power for the next decade. Most fringe events were packed with standing room only, whilst the big hitters gave a proficient showing on the main stage.
Brexit means Breakfast
If David Cameron thought calling a referendum would stop the party from “banging on about Europe”, he couldn’t have been further from the truth. Brexit was THE topic; all discussion stemmed from it, with other policy announcements playing second fiddle. In fact, the biggest announcement to come out of conference was that Article 50 will be triggered before the end of March 2017. The tone was generally optimistic though. The fact that the pound fell to a new low over the three days gained little traction in the Birmingham bubble.
Trouble ahead?
Amber Rudd announced a new policy, compelling businesses to disclose the percentage of non-British workers in their workforce, to guarantee jobs for Brits. The proposal has already been condemned by businesses, Labour MPs and even Conservative backbenchers describing it as ‘divisive’. With claims that racism in the country has intensified following the Brexit vote, the Party risks retaining its status as the nasty party, despite May firmly putting that tag on Corbyn’s Labour.
Back to school?
Surprisingly, Theresa May has still not backed down from her policy to introduce new Grammar schools, despite its poor reception. Well, she may reconsider following the announcement from the Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson, arguably the most loved politician in the party (sorry Boris), that she would oppose the policy in Scotland. May risks fighting an unnecessary internal battle at such an early stage in her government.
A Conservative Government for Everyone
Rounding up conference, May delivered a confident speech, portraying herself as an interventionist, ‘one-nation’ Conservative Prime Minister. She touted greater worker’s rights, creating “a market that works for all”, and (though it did not make the speech) implementing price controls on energy companies, no doubt to Ed Miliband’s delight. This will surely please many party members who have viewed the ‘CamBorne’ government as too economically liberal, but will unsettle the more libertarian wing of her party.
She also pledged to build a “stronger, fairer and brighter future” by reiterating the removal of mandatory retesting for those permanently unable to work through disability, vowing to go after tax avoiders, and for the Tories to become the party of public servants and of the NHS. She also set out her aim to offset migration induced wage deflation and cut migrant numbers.
Come what May
May seems to be trying to cover all her political bases, appealing to disaffiliated Labour voters, with an ambitious pitch for the centre ground whilst courting the ‘anti-immigration vote’. It shows a pragmatic, rather than a narrow ideological approach. The question is will our new PM be able to keep all her plates spinning, while taking her party with her, and delivering Brexit, all at the same time?