Cameron og konservatismen

De britiske konservative fik for et par dage siden ny leder. David Cameron vandt over David Davis med mere end 2/3 af de afgivne stemmer (læs mere her). Det har hele tiden været kendt, at Cameron er mere midtsøgende end hans rival David Davis. Et lille indblik i hvor midtsøgende (for nu at sige det pænt) Cameron er, kan man få ved at kaste et hurtigt blik på mandens sejrstale. I talen, hvor Cameron identificerer sig med en “compasionate conservatism”, oplister han seks “udfordringer”, som han mener det konservative parti skal tage op. Her er et par korte uddrag:

The second big challenge is to reform our public services. Today there are 68,000 people training as teachers, doctors and nurses. I want them working in public services that are well funded but over which they have the freedom to control and deliver the service the public wants. So we have to meet that challenge and end the opt out culture of helping a few more people to escape public services.

The next great challenge is the quality of life. I want my children, your children, to grow up in a country where the streets are safe, the public space isn’t filthy, where it isn’t a hassle to get around, you can own your own home and where climate change and the environment aren’t an afterthought. That means setting targets for reducing carbon but it also means taking tough decisions to make sure we meet them. I tried to make a start this morning by biking to work.

The sixth and the final challenge is at the heart of all the others, it is having social action to ensure social justice, and a stronger society.

Ud fra partistrategiske hensyn og for at øge chancerne for at vinde regeringsmagten kan det naturligvis være formålstjenligt at vælge en leder, der vil placere det konservative parti tættere på Labour end tilfældet hidtil har været. Men det har så sandelig også en pris… Den er, at Toryerne nu har fået en “compasionate conservative” som ny leder – en leder, for hvem lavere skatter, mindre offentlig sektor, frit valg og øget frihed tilsyneladende ikke er prioriteter. Og en leder, der tilmed gør en dyd ud af at cykle på arbejde for at modgå klimaforandringer, og som hylder “social retfærdighed”. Velbekomme!

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