Labour Leadership Contest: Willetts leads Tory counter-attack
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE TORY counter-attack on Tony Blair will be delivered today by David Willetts, a former member of Baroness Thatcher's policy unit, writes Colin Brown.
Mr Willetts warns the Tory party in a pamphlet that it will have to reassert its belief in citizenship to stop Labour under Mr Blair gaining support with his call for a more cohesive society.
'We need to show Labour that big centralised government is more of a threat to communities than the free market. 'Community' is an attractive word but it doesn't mean much unless you support the Conservative initiatives such as NHS hospital trusts and grant-maintained schools. If Tony Blair is serious about community, he will have to say he supports them,' Mr Willetts said.
His pamphlet underlines the anxiety among Tories at the threat posed by Mr Blair, who may capture the mood of the public as it swings against the nostrums of Thatcherism. 'The real problem is that Conservatives have become wary of relying as heavily on the free market as we appeared to do in the 1980s . . .'
Mr Willetts urges Tories to 'tackle head-on this crucial challenge that markets undermine values, that commerce destroys culture'. He sets out a 'civic Conservative agenda', including bringing offenders to court more quickly; relating welfare more closely to individuals; local pay bargaining for public sector workers; freedom for public institutions to sell services locally; and overriding Treasury to let schools expand in line with demand.
Civic Conservatism, by David Willetts MP; Social Market Foundation, 20 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AA; pounds 10.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments