Ancram appeals to ‘mass membership’
Excluding the grassroots members of the Conservative party will do little to increase the party’s appeal, deputy leader Michael Ancram said today.
New leadership rules introduced in 1997 gave the grassroots Tory party the final vote on the new leader, but MPs have backed plans to return this responsibility to the parliamentary party.
Speaking to Politea today, however, Mr Ancram said that the Conservatives would only begin to reach out to new voters if they first restored democracy within the party.
“A renewed Conservative party must be a party of mass membership. If we seek to reach out to the electorate at large, then we must show we can do so within our own party as well,” he said.
Mr Ancram sought to seek a consensus on “what a Conservative is today”, saying: ” The Conservative party historically has always had to bring itself up to date, but always consistent with its principles.
“These views, however, only become relevant once the basic principles are agreed. It is agreeing principles that must now be the priority. If we fail to take this opportunity, then our party will remain in the political wilderness.”
Freedom of the individual should be the “driving engine” of Conservatism today, he said, a principle that drove policies on law and order – freedom from fear – and social justice – freedom from poverty.
A small state was also a vital tenet of Conservatism where “today’s overblown, interfering and insensitive state is hostile to freedom”, Mr Ancram insisted.
And it was because of this belief that he opposed a stronger European Union, saying: “I look for a Europe within which we can trade freely, cooperate on matters of mutual or common interest, but within which we retain our sovereign rights of self determination.”
Smaller communities and the family were to be cherished, however, whether based on geographical, cultural, religious or interest-based groups.
The party should “recapture” conservation and step up action to reduce pollution and manage waste more efficiently, Mr Ancram said, adding that alternative sources of energy must be found.
“The reason why the Conservative party has lasted for so long is that it does not change its principles; it rearticulates them in a modern context,” the deputy party leader concluded.
“I am a Conservative because while our party rearticulates its principles for the future, it also saves that which is best in its past.”
