Is the Conservative party the party of freedom?
Friday, September 21, 2012 at 11:29 Tomorrow I am attending a conference entitled 'A Renewal of Conservatism – How to secure a Conservative majority in 2015'.
Topics being debated include taxation and the economy, education, Europe, the environment, and freedom.
Speakers at the Macdonald Hotel, Windsor, include Adam Afriyie MP, Daniel Hannan MEP, Dr Syed Kamall MEP, Steve Baker MP, Cllr. JP Floru, Tim Montgomerie (Conservative Home), Bob Neill MP, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Simon Richards (Freedom Association), James Delingpole, Matthew Elliott and Matthew Sinclair (TaxPayers Alliance), and Toby Young.
In the evening there is a drinks reception at Windsor’s "historic" Guildhall followed by dinner with special guest speaker Professor Roger Scruton.
In the afternoon I am one of four panellists who will address the question, 'Is the Conservative party still the party of freedom?'. I have ten minutes (plus Q&As) so if there is anything you would like me to say, add your comment below.
Reader Comments (17)
If the Tories continue to attack ordinary people and their pleasures in life like smoking, eating and drinking, they will never get voted into office again and they will be out in the political wilderness for decades.
All they need to do to win again with a majority is get off our backs, stop the bullying, stop funding the wealthy tobacco control industry, give us choice, and leave us alone.
Party of freedom? Not in a million. Not any more.
No I don’t think the Conservative Party is the party of freedom, otherwise it would have engaged in some sort of debate with Forest on the smoking ban, and perhaps consider smoking areas within pubs and other public buildings. This has never been an option worth looking into by the Conservatives.
I wouldn’t want you to sound Simon as if you’re obsessed with the smoking debate, but I want you to at least ask them why the smoking ban wasn’t reviewed, but if it has been then why didn’t we hear about it publicly, and what have been the conclusions.
And if anyone believes the lifestyle issue is rubbish and doesn't affect how people vote - just ask Farage and UKIP who are picking up the votes that Tories have thrown away from the 15 million smokers.
All we want is choice - not to force ourselves on others everywhere and anywhere we like but to have somewhere to go where we can be left in peace.
Choice as we always had before to keep both sides happy is a fundamental part of freedom. An element of choice is not a lot to ask for - if there is no choice then there is no freedom.
You could ponder the question of where PUBLIC HEALTH starts and finishes. Is my health my own personal, private business, or is the business of the State? Do I have the right to look after the health of MY children as I see fit, or are they the property of the State?
Farage got my vote long ago.
Dennis,
The Tories did make an effort to allow smoking rooms in pubs ect.
Brian Binley and David Nuttall used an early day motion in order to get the idea at least debated but were defeated. David Cameron was against the idea for a start.
If the Conservatives want a majority in 2015 they need to shut up and listen to the voters instead of allowing themselves to be dictated to by pressure groups which are funded by the exchequer without the taxpayers knowledge.
All smokers should vote for a party that will throw out this ban. I agree the Torries unless they change their ways should be thrown out, BUT did'nt we throw out Libore not so long ago and already people are talking that they will get back into power - I hope not. Lets do our best to abolish all the major parties and work towards getting a "Smoking Voters" voice in UK
While the EU is allowed to make laws that the Government of our Country enact regardless of the consequences then I will vote UKIP to make a change.
If the Tories don't wake up, Labour will win by default but it won't be a great victory and might mean a coalition with the Lib Dems - who most people are already fed up with - and will only serve to make the majority of the electorate even more angry. Maybe they'll wake up too and realise that if they want real change they need to get out and vote for it. Staying at home or voting NoTA in protest at lack of real choice between the three main parties changes nothing but does support the status quo.
For me there is only one choice because as a former Labour supporter I don't see much difference between LibLabCon so what difference if Tories, Lab or Lib Dems get in next time? It seems the EU rules (FCTC for example) and the UK main three are happy to do as they're told.
The Tories promised a lot at the last General Election in terms of rowing back the state, but have delivered very little in terms of not interfering in lifestyle choices. On intrusion health initiatives, I have seen no difference in approach from the old New Labour regime and they were a nightmare.
Simon - just simply ask the question why are they still constantly on our backs, why do you still fund fake charities like ASH and CRUK and continue the corrupt practice of pre-determined public consultations??
Good luck Simon and thank you for fighting the cause. I don't know what to suggest because we are under control and nobody wants to listern.
The Tories appeared to be the party of freedom out of the major 3 prior to the last election, but have lost that priviledge since being elected (albeit into coalition).
Until something is done about our freedoms (and that doesn't mean ignoring the main topic on the freedom website) I will never vote for them again.
Granted, there are some good grass-root conservative MPs who fight for conservative values, but they are not at the helm. We need to get back to grass-root politicians and forget career politicians; until that happens, the centre core of all main political parties will always chase the funding and limelight of international bodies and ignore their people.
You could perhaps ask them why they are openly using 'nudge tactics' if they believe in freedom: 'nudge tactics' are explicitly used to change behaviour.
How can they be the party of freedom if they promote 'nudging' - the PC word for denormalisation.
Good luck Simon, but you're up against career politicians at the helm.
It sounds simplistic to say quite simply that a significant and meaningful relaxation of the smoking ban would, without a shadow of a doubt, not only gain the Tories a huge number of smokers’ votes but would also send out a very strong message that, yes, they are a party which supports freedom as much as it supports regulation. But they’re hidebound in all sorts of areas by the EU (which definitely prefers regulation to freedom) and, in respect of the smoking ban, the wretched FCTC – signed up to by the previous Government, I believe.
So maybe a point to be made in terms of the overall question of “Tories = freedom” (or not, as the case may be) is that all the time their own freedom to govern the country as they see fit is hampered by greater powers than themselves, then regardless of how much they might want to do so, they are not in a position to grant (or protect) the freedom of their citizens, if those greater powers deem that it should not be so. The smoking ban can be very easily worked into this overall message, because it is such a perfect example of how our Government has rendered itself helpless by willingly giving away its own rights to govern and placing those rights in the hands of others.
But I see it as a very encouraging sign that you’ve actually been asked to speak at all, to be honest. Naughty old Forest? That wicked “pro-smoking” group that the antis keep banging on about? Well I never! Maybe – just maybe – the reality of the smoking ban and the negative ripple-effect it’s had on all sorts of seemingly-unconnected areas of life are beginning to filter through to at least some members of the Tory party at last …
Can Forest have an influence?
I hope my comment isn’t too late Simon – if it is then good luck when you speak at the conference to which you’ve been invited. I’ve re-read your post, and it is apparent to me with a lot of influential names there that Forest must have made an impact over recent times for you to receive this invitation. I’m quite sure that the ‘Hands Off Our Packs’ campaign has lifted the status of Forest with regard to our freedom to choose.
It is obvious that the number of 500,000 signatures for the petition has made a very loud noise and has consequently elevated Forest in many peoples’ eyes, certainly sufficient to listen to what you have to say.
Recently UKIP appear to have made it clear that they could play a power broker role with the Conservatives at the next election based on the promise of a referendum over the EU. I’m sure that Forest can play a significant part in this by making quite clear at the conference that it can help deliver many of these petition votes if the right noises are made from the appropriate political party about any possible amendment to the smoking ban.
I really think Forest can develop some kudos in this respect.
UKIP, too late for them now, just EU puppets.
A very interesting thread. I have long thought that a political party which promises to amend the smoking ban to provide a degree of choice, and does so unequivocally and with plenty of publicity, would rake in the votes, including those who feel they have no voice speaking for them at the moment and who don't have any links with the Internet campaign. There are so many issues which touch on many of our freedoms involved here. Since the last election I have voted UKIP. Before then, for many years I voted Conservative.