Davis calls for radical reform
Tory leadership hopeful David Davis set out his stall for modernising the party last night in a key speech at the Centre for Policy Studies.
The home affairs spokesman called on the party faithful to embrace radical reform while abiding with “timeless” principles.
Sticking with the philosophy of ‘one nation’ Toryism and ruling out a swift return to Thatcherism, he said: “We shouldn’t be in politics to accept the status quo. Since Disraeli the Conservative party has been at its most formidable when we have been bravest in advancing reform.
“The problems of 25 years ago were overweening union power, the failure of nationalised industries and punitive levels of taxation. Today’s issues are different: the growth in government and with it dependency; poor public services; the collapse of decency in society; the increasingly fierce challenge of global competition.”
But mimicking Labour’s high tax priorities would signal the death knell for Toryism, he said.
“Accepting the high tax, high spend terms of the debate set by [chancellor] Gordon Brown is certainly a bullet to the heart of electoral success,” he added.
Instead, he argued, low taxes were the driver of sustained economic growth and the right medicine to help build stronger families and a stronger society.
Although not in favour of “slashing” state spending, he said, he backed the curbing of spending in line with economic growth as a whole.
The Haltemprice and Howden MP said he wanted to free people from “dependency culture”, saying: “Breaking through the glass ceilings that hold people back, extending opportunity and hope should be the most powerful ideal of modern Conservatism.”
On the apparent culture of spin at the heart of government, Mr Davis said Tories would do well not to emulate Labour’s “brand of low politics” that had poisoned “the entire political well”.
Also vying for the party leadership is David Cameron, shadow education secretary, who received the backing of Oliver Letwin yesterday.
Michael Howard will stand down after the autumn party conference after leadership election rules are hammered out.
Mr Howard announced his decision to relinquish power soon after leading the Tories to their third straight general election defeat.
