‘Dissimulating” is a word I’ve used a few times to describe the emotional rollercoaster that has followed the Conservative party’s largest election defeat in history. It mattered little that the economy was finally improving and fiscal responsibility had returned. A party that’s fractious, ill-disciplined and scrapping over rival agendas was doomed to lose.
Given the size of Labour’s majority, coupled with the swing to Reform, we’ve now entered a new and complex chapter in British politics. How long Labour’s stay in power lasts depends very much on what the Conservative party does next. Rushing into another leadership election without the humility, professionalism and resolve to wisely reflect and strategically regroup could see us in opposition for a couple of cycles.
We face a heavy task. But let’s remember Labour was totally unelectable in 2019. Yet it reinvented itself to secure a thumping landslide in just one parliament. How we regroup over the next few weeks could determine if we can do the same.
Given the scale of our predicament and the repair that is required, rushing into another leadership contest is the wrong call. Cards on the table – I would like to have stood for the leadership myself one day. But our great party must want to be led, and, more fundamentally, agree what it now stands for and where it sits in the political spectrum – so that our next leader can build on solid foundations, allowing the party to advance and rebuild trust with the nation.
Edmund Burke, the philosophical founder of conservatism, stressed the importance of reform and renewal to “conserve” our shared values. After years of political turmoil, we must reaffirm what those values are. Our strength has consistently been our broad appeal to the nation, with tolerance and respect within our ranks – united around the fundamental belief in opportunity, enterprise and responsibility, looking beyond our base to the very middle ground that Labour has just occupied. Leaders who put the nation’s interests first and governed from the centre right did so with distinction: Disraeli, Baldwin, Churchill, Macmillan and, yes, Thatcher too.
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With agreement on our sense of purpose, more detailed scrutiny can begin. A ruthless critique about the state of our brand, our messaging, our fall in appeal across the age groups and across the country, the decline in party membership and, of course, our policy positions. Four years on (when we could return to power), Britain’s economy, security, digital landscape and relationship with allies and foes will look very different. We have time on our hands to plan for the future.
The return of 121 Tories to parliament versus a far larger number who didn’t come back begs the question as to who is best motivated to conduct this honest postmortem? MPs who successfully returned? Or those who didn’t – but remain incentivised to do so? In reality, it should be a joint effort.
But a gathering at the Carlton Club last Wednesday illuminated a rare post-election opportunity that should not be ignored. All the 175 Tory MPs who lost their seats were invited by Rishi Sunak and the impressive new party chair, Richard Fuller, to a reception in the Grand Churchill Room. Far from being a wake, there was a clear sense of resolve that many of us were not done. Bruised, yes – but energised to fight another day. Churchill would have approved – given that he lost his seat on more than one occasion.
It is said that “failure” should be your teacher, not undertaker. This wealth of parliamentary and ministerial expertise, respected constituency experience, coupled with a collective appetite to fight again must be harnessed to the full. Promoting one of this fold, such as former senior whip Amanda Milling to deputy party chair and inviting others to form teams tasked with specific aspects of the party’s review would ensure that lessons are learned, and neither talent nor bonds with constituencies are squandered.
For the moment, no one is listening to us. It in the interest of the party and the country to get this right.
Tobias Ellwood was Conservative MP for Bournemouth East
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