conservativehome--2020-07-27--The case for a new treason offence

The case for a new treason offence

The Government is preparing to overhaul Britain ’ s security laws , utilising work done on them by Sajid Javid when he was Home Secretary , who in turn will then have seen research by Policy Exchange .
We wait to see what the legislation contains , but the plans seem to fall into three parts .
First , an overhaul of the Official Secrets Act .
Second , an updating of the espionage laws , which will be carried out largely with state actors , such as China and Russia , in mind .
Third , a new treason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to Britain of Islamist terrorists who fought abroad with ISIS .
Ministers believe that the present legal framework isn ’ t fit for purpose if prosecutions are to be successful .
The recent Court of Appeal judgement on Shamima Begum ’ s case doubtless explains why we are reading about revised laws now .
At any rate , the original Policy Exchange proposal was supported by a former Home Secretary , Amber Rudd ; a former head of MI5 , Lord Evans ; a former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of counter-terrorism at Scotland Yard , Richard Walton .
Tom Tugendhat , one of the authors of that report , Aiding the Enemy , was out and about in the Sunday Times yesterday , concentrating largely on espionage – and writing as he did so “ pinstriped fixers , lawyers and silver-tongued svengalis are pocketing money ” are doing the bidding of hostile foreign governments .
Meanwhile , Javid was busy in the Mail on Sunday , covering the same themes , and arguing that we need to repurpose “ our ancient treason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behalf of a hostile nation or go abroad to fight alongside terrorist groups ” .
That would cover Hezbollah and Hamas , as well as ISIS and Al Qaeda .
It will doubtless be argued that Britain shouldn ’ t be in the business of legislating for loyalty oaths , or giving terror groups the same status as foreign governments .
But if you think about it , the loyalty oath claim is a red herring , since what would be required is not a pledge of allegiance to Britain , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or civilians .
( The form of words that Javid used would appear to cover fighting alongside terror groups , period – whether against British citizens or not . )
We expect that it will also be claimed that a new treason offence will be “ bad for community relations ” – i.e : that British Muslims will be opposed to it , though it will certainly go down well among others in Blue Wall seats , as we must now call them , and elsewhere .
A modernised treason offence would certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has no room within it for attachment to nation states – what matters is the worldwide community of Muslims , led from its present ignorance , as the extremists see it , to the politicised and ideological version of Islam which they themselves propagate .
We anticipate , too , that forcing lobbyists who work for foreign governments to register ; toughening up rules on registering interests in the Lords or work undertaken by former Ministers , and slowing , say , the flow of Chinese money into our universities and civil society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how much new measures are needed .

The Government is preparing to overhaul Britain’s security laws, utilising work done on them by Sajid Javid when he was Home Secretary, who in turn will then have seen research by Policy Exchange.
We wait to see what the legislation contains, but the plans seem to fall into three parts. First, an overhaul of the Official Secrets Act. Second, an updating of the espionage laws, which will be carried out largely with state actors, such as China and Russia, in mind. Third, a new treason offence.
Its origins lie in the return to Britain of Islamist terrorists who fought abroad with ISIS. Ministers believe that the present legal framework isn’t fit for purpose if prosecutions are to be successful. The recent Court of Appeal judgement on Shamima Begum’s case doubtless explains why we are reading about revised laws now.
At any rate, the original Policy Exchange proposal was supported by a former Home Secretary, Amber Rudd; a former head of MI5, Lord Evans; a former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Judge, and former head of counter-terrorism at Scotland Yard, Richard Walton.
Tom Tugendhat, one of the authors of that report, Aiding the Enemy, was out and about in the Sunday Times yesterday, concentrating largely on espionage – and writing as he did so “pinstriped fixers, lawyers and silver-tongued svengalis are pocketing money” are doing the bidding of hostile foreign governments.
Meanwhile, Javid was busy in the Mail on Sunday, covering the same themes, and arguing that we need to repurpose “our ancient treason laws to cover Britons who operate on behalf of a hostile nation or go abroad to fight alongside terrorist groups”.
That would cover Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as ISIS and Al Qaeda. It will doubtless be argued that Britain shouldn’t be in the business of legislating for loyalty oaths, or giving terror groups the same status as foreign governments.
But if you think about it, the loyalty oath claim is a red herring, since what would be required is not a pledge of allegiance to Britain, but the shunning of terror aimed at our troops or civilians. (The form of words that Javid used would appear to cover fighting alongside terror groups, period – whether against British citizens or not.)
We expect that it will also be claimed that a new treason offence will be “bad for community relations” – i.e: that British Muslims will be opposed to it, though it will certainly go down well among others in Blue Wall seats, as we must now call them, and elsewhere.
A modernised treason offence would certainly be to the point. Islamist extremism has no room within it for attachment to nation states – what matters is the worldwide community of Muslims, led from its present ignorance, as the extremists see it, to the politicised and ideological version of Islam which they themselves propagate.
(This use of religion rather than nationality as a catch-all definer explains why they identify Jews with Israel, by the way – despite the fact that not all Jews live there and many aren’t Zionists at all. Hence the Hypercacher kosher supermarket siege in Paris in 2015, and the 2008 massacre at a Jewish outreach centre in Mumbai.)
We anticipate, too, that forcing lobbyists who work for foreign governments to register; toughening up rules on registering interests in the Lords or work undertaken by former Ministers, and slowing, say, the flow of Chinese money into our universities and civil society will also be resisted. A sign of how much new measures are needed.


conservativehome--2020-07-27--Neil O’Brien: Why closing the marriage gap between rich and poor is a vital mission of social justic

Neil O’Brien: Why closing the marriage gap between rich and poor is a vital mission of social justice

Our daughter just had her last day at nursery .
In the autumn she ’ s off to school .
We ’ re sponging second-hand uniform from friends .
It feels like just the other day I was driving home after her birth , flakes of snow streaking through the headlights .
Our baby son can suddenly crawl fast .
He wants to climb the stairs , and chew any bits of cardboard he finds lying around .
My sister has unearthed a trove of old black and white family photos .
There ’ s lots of things that catch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estates looking shiny and newly-built ; the funny looking cars ; the endless cigarettes .
The bigger families too : my gran with her two children from before the war , and two after .
It set me thinking about family .
Ten years ago we talked about it a lot .
David Cameron ’ s criticism of “ Broken Britain ” highlighted work by the Centre for Social Justice on family breakdown and poverty .
The most eye-catching pledge during his leadership campaign was a marriage tax break .
Over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of other things doing on , to say the least .
But as the new government starts to set out its domestic agenda , family should be part of it .
Politicians are nervous talking about family .
It ’ s not just bad memories of the 1990s , when we screwed up and sounded like moralising hypocrites against a backdrop of sleaze .
It ’ s a deeper fear of sounding critical of friends and relations .
We all have close friends who have been through everything : raising kids alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so on .
I think of a friend who has raised two wonderful kids alone .
Another single friend helped look after a young person when no-one else would .
I don ’ t know how anyone manages to do it single-handed : they ’ re amazing people .
Some worry family policy will be about condemning them , or that politicians want to try and trap unhappy couples together .
It mustn ’ t be about either .
Instead , it has to be about two different things .
First , helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practical help , particularly during the difficult years with small children .
Having no money on top of no sleep and endlessly crying babies makes it harder to sustain relationships .
Second , it should be about support and building up the social capital that many middle class people in politics take for granted .
Indeed , it ’ s about healing a split in our society .
Politicians who are serious about reducing poverty and spreading opportunity can ’ t avoid thinking about families and households .
Last year 23 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fixed poverty line , after housing costs , compared to 38 per cent of children in lone parent households .
Controlling for other factors , A CSJ report found those who experience family breakdown when aged 18 or younger are twice as likely be in trouble with the police or spend time in prison , and almost twice as likely to underachieve educationally .
They ’ re more likely to suffer mental health issues .
One part of family policy should be direct help families with children .
I ’ d love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax system , as we did until the 1970s : our tax system is unusually family-unfriendly .
We should help working families with children on Universal Credit keep more what they earn before it gets tapered away .
The CSJ has called for higher child benefit for parents of young children .
But we need to go deeper , and recognise that the links between family breakdown and low income run in both directions .
Over recent decades a quiet revolution has taken place , and richer and poorer people now live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2000 , the proportion of households with dependent children which were lone parent households grew from 11 per cent to 25 per cent , then remained at that level , dipping a bit in recent years to 22 per cent in 2019 .
Since 1979 , the proportion which are married couples fell from 89 per cent to 61 per cent .
There are few countries in Europe where children are less likely to live with both parents than Britain .
It ’ s more likely that a teenager sitting their GCSEs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent ) than live with both parents ( 58 per cent ) .
But these headline stats conceal a massive social split , which starts at the point of birth and widens out .
For those in the top socioeconomic group , 75 per cent of children are born to parents who are married ; another 22 per cent are jointly registered to parents cohabiting ; 2 per cent are jointly registered to parents living apart , and just 1 per cent registered by one parent only .
At the bottom end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are born to married parents , 38 per cent to cohabiting parents , 21 per cent jointly to parents living apart and 6 per cent registered by just one parent .
These huge differences weren ’ t always there .
For people at the top , family life looks similar to their parents ’ generation .
For people on lower incomes , society looks utterly different .
A marriage gap has opened up , and society has been splitting apart into different family structures for rich and poor .
In the 1970s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be married whether they had a degree or not , and 90 per cent plus were .
By 2006 for mothers with a degree that was down to 86 per cent , but for non-graduate mothers it fell to 52 per cent .
Between 1988 and 2018 the proportion of jointly registered births which were to married parents fell from 90 per cent to about 77 per cent for the top socio-economic group .
At the other end of the scale it fell from 70 per cent to 37 per cent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand modern Britain without appreciating the different families people from different ethnic groups live in .
In 2011 , among households with dependent children , for white households 53 per cent were married couples , 16 per cent cohabiting couples , 25 per cent lone parents , and 7 per cent other household types ( mainly multigenerational households ) .
Among Indian households with dependent children , far more were married couples or multigenerational households .
68 per cent were married couples , 2 per cent cohabiting couples , 9 per cent lone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ households .
Among black Caribbean households 28 per cent were married couples , 11 per cent cohabiting couples , 47 per cent were lone parents and 14 per cent in multigenerational households .
People of different ethnicities live in very different families , which influences everything else .
Most voters favour government taking action to support family life .
But in Whitehall there ’ s scepticism : can the state do anything about these trends ?
The truth is we don ’ t really know .
As it happens , at the point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family stability in 2016 , the trend seemed to be moving back a little towards more children living with both parents .
Whitehall can be too pessimistic .
Until Michael Howard , the consensus was that nothing could be done about rising crime .
He proved the consensus wrong .
Likewise , in the 1990s Whitehall had given up on helping lone parents into work .
But successive reforms ( under governments of all parties ) doubled their rate of employment .
It ’ s not like there ’ s no ideas about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masses and masses of recommendations gathering dust on think tank shelves , covering everything : tax , benefits , family hubs , relationship education in schools , birth registration , pre-and postnatal support… My modest proposal is this : let ’ s do a major programme of controlled trials to test these ideas , and see what , if anything , makes a difference .
Happily for the Treasury , experiments are cheaper than rolling things out nationally .
But we have to try .
The costs are too high not to .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tree is 20 years ago , but the second best time is today .
Let ’ s plant some seeds .

Neil O’Brien is MP for Harborough.
Our daughter just had her last day at nursery. In the autumn she’s off to school. We’re sponging second-hand uniform from friends. It feels like just the other day I was driving home after her birth, flakes of snow streaking through the headlights.
Our baby son can suddenly crawl fast. He wants to climb the stairs, and chew any bits of cardboard he finds lying around.
My sister has unearthed a trove of old black and white family photos. There’s lots of things that catch the eye: Glasgow’s housing estates looking shiny and newly-built; the funny looking cars; the endless cigarettes. The bigger families too: my gran with her two children from before the war, and two after.
It set me thinking about family. Ten years ago we talked about it a lot. David Cameron’s criticism of “Broken Britain” highlighted work by the Centre for Social Justice on family breakdown and poverty. The most eye-catching pledge during his leadership campaign was a marriage tax break.
Over the last five years there’s been a lot of other things doing on, to say the least. But as the new government starts to set out its domestic agenda, family should be part of it.
Politicians are nervous talking about family. It’s not just bad memories of the 1990s, when we screwed up and sounded like moralising hypocrites against a backdrop of sleaze.
It’s a deeper fear of sounding critical of friends and relations. We all have close friends who have been through everything: raising kids alone, divorce, abortion, bereavement and so on. I think of a friend who has raised two wonderful kids alone. Another single friend helped look after a young person when no-one else would. I don’t know how anyone manages to do it single-handed: they’re amazing people.
Some worry family policy will be about condemning them, or that politicians want to try and trap unhappy couples together. It mustn’t be about either. Instead, it has to be about two different things.
First, helping people with children financially, and with practical help, particularly during the difficult years with small children. Having no money on top of no sleep and endlessly crying babies makes it harder to sustain relationships.
Second, it should be about support and building up the social capital that many middle class people in politics take for granted. Indeed, it’s about healing a split in our society.
Let me explain.
Politicians who are serious about reducing poverty and spreading opportunity can’t avoid thinking about families and households. Last year 23 per cent of children in couple households were below the fixed poverty line, after housing costs, compared to 38 per cent of children in lone parent households.
Controlling for other factors, A CSJ report found those who experience family breakdown when aged 18 or younger are twice as likely be in trouble with the police or spend time in prison, and almost twice as likely to underachieve educationally. They’re more likely to suffer mental health issues.
One part of family policy should be direct help families with children. I’d love to see us recognise children in the tax system, as we did until the 1970s: our tax system is unusually family-unfriendly. We should help working families with children on Universal Credit keep more what they earn before it gets tapered away. The CSJ has called for higher child benefit for parents of young children.
But we need to go deeper, and recognise that the links between family breakdown and low income run in both directions. Over recent decades a quiet revolution has taken place, and richer and poorer people now live in very different family structures.
Between 1979 and 2000, the proportion of households with dependent children which were lone parent households grew from 11 per cent to 25 per cent, then remained at that level, dipping a bit in recent years to 22 per cent in 2019. Since 1979, the proportion which are married couples fell from 89 per cent to 61 per cent.
There are few countries in Europe where children are less likely to live with both parents than Britain. It’s more likely that a teenager sitting their GCSEs will own a smartphone (about 95 per cent) than live with both parents (58 per cent).
But these headline stats conceal a massive social split, which starts at the point of birth and widens out.
For those in the top socioeconomic group, 75 per cent of children are born to parents who are married; another 22 per cent are jointly registered to parents cohabiting; 2 per cent are jointly registered to parents living apart, and just 1 per cent registered by one parent only.
At the bottom end of the scale, 35 per cent are born to married parents, 38 per cent to cohabiting parents, 21 per cent jointly to parents living apart and 6 per cent registered by just one parent.
These huge differences weren’t always there. For people at the top, family life looks similar to their parents’ generation. For people on lower incomes, society looks utterly different. A marriage gap has opened up, and society has been splitting apart into different family structures for rich and poor.
In the 1970s, mothers of pre-school children were equally likely to be married whether they had a degree or not, and 90 per cent plus were. By 2006 for mothers with a degree that was down to 86 per cent, but for non-graduate mothers it fell to 52 per cent.
Between 1988 and 2018 the proportion of jointly registered births which were to married parents fell from 90 per cent to about 77 per cent for the top socio-economic group. At the other end of the scale it fell from 70 per cent to 37 per cent.
Equally, it’s impossible to understand modern Britain without appreciating the different families people from different ethnic groups live in.
In 2011, among households with dependent children, for white households 53 per cent were married couples, 16 per cent cohabiting couples, 25 per cent lone parents, and 7 per cent other household types (mainly multigenerational households).
Among Indian households with dependent children, far more were married couples or multigenerational households. 68 per cent were married couples, 2 per cent cohabiting couples, 9 per cent lone parents and 21 per cent in multigenerational households.
Among black Caribbean households 28 per cent were married couples, 11 per cent cohabiting couples, 47 per cent were lone parents and 14 per cent in multigenerational households.
People of different ethnicities live in very different families, which influences everything else.
Most voters favour government taking action to support family life. But in Whitehall there’s scepticism: can the state do anything about these trends?
The truth is we don’t really know. As it happens, at the point when government stopped publishing its measure of family stability in 2016, the trend seemed to be moving back a little towards more children living with both parents.
Whitehall can be too pessimistic. Until Michael Howard, the consensus was that nothing could be done about rising crime. He proved the consensus wrong. Likewise, in the 1990s Whitehall had given up on helping lone parents into work. But successive reforms (under governments of all parties) doubled their rate of employment.
It’s not like there’s no ideas about how to help. There’s masses and masses of recommendations gathering dust on think tank shelves, covering everything: tax, benefits, family hubs, relationship education in schools, birth registration, pre-and postnatal support…
My modest proposal is this: let’s do a major programme of controlled trials to test these ideas, and see what, if anything, makes a difference. Happily for the Treasury, experiments are cheaper than rolling things out nationally.
But we have to try. The costs are too high not to. They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, but the second best time is today. Let’s plant some seeds.


conservativehome--2020-07-27--Judy Terry: The increase in cycling poses safety risks

Judy Terry is a marketing professional and a former local councillor in Suffolk .
Congratulations to Suffolk County Council ( SCC ) , which has won £376,501 from the Department for Transport for emergency walking and cycling schemes , improving safety for people to make essential journeys and take daily exercise by foot or cycle whilst maintaining social distancing .
Work has already started in Ipswich , with changes to layouts , closing off sections of roads to motorised vehicles , widening existing footpaths and cycle lanes , and changing traffic signal timings to reduce waiting times at puffin and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and consultation to be included during the emergency interventions , allowing some to be made permanent where possible .
Cllr .
Andrew Reid , The Council ’ s Cabinet Member for Highways , says : “ It is crucial that the measures work for the majority of people , ensuring accessibility for businesses whilst reducing congestion.
” Cycling maps and marketing campaigns will be updated to support health and air quality benefits .
During the lockdown , more people have taken to cycling , which is great for health and fitness , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to take their safety seriously ; whole families take to the road without helmets .
Young teenagers ( usually boys ) are everywhere cycling in groups , blocking other traffic , which then take risks overtaking .
Sadly , a coroner recently ruled that the death of a cyclist early one evening was likely to be attributed to alcohol .
This doesn ’ t surprise me since , a while ago , a cyclist enjoying a tin of beer as he travelled on the wrong side of the road in daylight at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , causing several hundred pounds worth of damage .
Completely oblivious , he quickly righted himself and carried on .
Cycling proficiency tests , already available to children , are to be offered to adult novices , with instructors funded by the taxpayer , to build confidence and competence .
Courses are not mandatory .
Yet Edmund King , president of the Automobile Association , admits that “ it is crucial for cyclists to understand the rules of the road , manoeuvring skills and positive interactions with other road users.
” It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycles are actually roadworthy ; too many have non-existent brakes , and inadequate lights , making it impossible to see them at night .
Taking precautions in rural areas , where roads tend to be narrow and twisting , without streetlighting , is especially important .
Cyclists may use bridleways , but not footpaths – or pavements .
So , I suggest the Government should legislate to require : • Cycles must be certified as roadworthy ; • Cyclists must be trained in the Highway Code and pass a test ; • The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to motorists ; • Cyclists should have appropriate insurance ( which would require evidence of roadworthiness and passing the Highway Code test ) .
With lockdown easing , now would be a good time to run courses in public parks , supporting novice cyclists , and checking roadworthiness .
Volunteers could be recruited to help ; discounts on equipment could also be negotiated with suppliers for attendees , and the wider community .
It is time to ensure that all road users are governed by the same rules , being appropriately qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough having millions of untaxed and unqualified drivers on the roads , lacking any respect for others and ignoring speed limits .
Government should acknowledge that legitimate motorists – and the Police – have more than enough to cope with .
But , without further action , there will be more accidents – and motorists will undoubtedly get the blame .
Adding to the problem , the Government has now decided to allow rented electric scooters to share cycle lanes and road space in pilot schemes , in some locations from this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conditions include users having a provisional or full driving licence , wearing a helmet and a 15.5 mph maximum speed .
Inevitably , relaxing the rules in specific areas will encourage greater illegal use elsewhere .
Just a few days ago , I found myself following an ( illegal ) electric scooter down a narrow main road in Ipswich , with legal parking down one side virtually blocking one lane ; within just a few minutes , the rider nearly caused two major accidents : first , his speed was approaching 30mph .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ skittered right across the road , causing three cars coming in the opposite direction to brake sharply .
Fortunately , he wasn ’ t hurt , but took his time to recover the scooter and get back on .
He carried on , in the middle of the road , at the same speed , whilst looking at his mobile phone , which he continued to do as he approached traffic lights .
Instead of stopping in the empty designated priority cycle space , ahead of vehicles , he stopped next to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the lights turned green , he looked up from his phone , heading straight across the road , having ignored the car still indicating as it slowly turned left .
Falling onto the vehicle , he shouted abuse at the driver , then carried on again , gathering speed .
I don ’ t envy the Police trying to control this sort of behaviour , without any form of users ’ identification , once word gets out that e-scooters can use the roads .
For too many people , regulations on speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nor does common sense .
It costs billions of pounds to maintain public roads , so it is only fair that cyclists should share the burden with other road users .
An annual £20 tax for individuals , with £40 for a family of four , would not only contribute to the economy at this difficult time , but it would help to encourage greater responsibility for their personal safety .
Some cyclists display a particular arrogance , taking risks , compromising everyone ’ s safety , instead of respecting other road users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and other rural county councils , should also take measures to protect horses and their riders .
According to the British Horse Society , 845 horses were killed on the roads in 2019 – equivalent to nearly two horses every week .
There needs to be a national awareness campaign , with penalties for selfish motorists who carelessly speed through country roads and villages , with never a thought for vulnerable road users , whether riding a horse or cycle , or simply going for a walk .

Judy Terry is a marketing professional and a former local councillor in Suffolk.
Congratulations to Suffolk County Council (SCC), which has won £376,501 from the Department for Transport for emergency walking and cycling schemes, improving safety for people to make essential journeys and take daily exercise by foot or cycle whilst maintaining social distancing.
Work has already started in Ipswich, with changes to layouts, closing off sections of roads to motorised vehicles, widening existing footpaths and cycle lanes, and changing traffic signal timings to reduce waiting times at puffin and toucan crossings. The Government requires evaluation and consultation to be included during the emergency interventions, allowing some to be made permanent where possible.
Cllr. Andrew Reid, The Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, says:
“It is crucial that the measures work for the majority of people, ensuring accessibility for businesses whilst reducing congestion.”
Cycling maps and marketing campaigns will be updated to support health and air quality benefits.
During the lockdown, more people have taken to cycling, which is great for health and fitness, and the environment. However, few people appear to take their safety seriously; whole families take to the road without helmets. Young teenagers (usually boys) are everywhere cycling in groups, blocking other traffic, which then take risks overtaking.
Sadly, a coroner recently ruled that the death of a cyclist early one evening was likely to be attributed to alcohol. This doesn’t surprise me since, a while ago, a cyclist enjoying a tin of beer as he travelled on the wrong side of the road in daylight at about 6pm fell onto my stationary car, causing several hundred pounds worth of damage. Completely oblivious, he quickly righted himself and carried on.
Cycling proficiency tests, already available to children, are to be offered to adult novices, with instructors funded by the taxpayer, to build confidence and competence. Courses are not mandatory. Yet Edmund King, president of the Automobile Association, admits that “it is crucial for cyclists to understand the rules of the road, manoeuvring skills and positive interactions with other road users.”
It’s worth pointing out that not all cycles are actually roadworthy; too many have non-existent brakes, and inadequate lights, making it impossible to see them at night. Taking precautions in rural areas, where roads tend to be narrow and twisting, without streetlighting, is especially important. Cyclists may use bridleways, but not footpaths – or pavements.
So, I suggest the Government should legislate to require:
Cyclists wear helmets and a hi-viz jacket;
Cycles must be certified as roadworthy;
Cyclists must be trained in the Highway Code and pass a test;
The same alcohol limits should apply to cyclists as to motorists;
Cyclists should have appropriate insurance (which would require evidence of roadworthiness and passing the Highway Code test).
With lockdown easing, now would be a good time to run courses in public parks, supporting novice cyclists, and checking roadworthiness. Volunteers could be recruited to help; discounts on equipment could also be negotiated with suppliers for attendees, and the wider community.
It is time to ensure that all road users are governed by the same rules, being appropriately qualified and equipped. It’s bad enough having millions of untaxed and unqualified drivers on the roads, lacking any respect for others and ignoring speed limits. Government should acknowledge that legitimate motorists – and the Police – have more than enough to cope with. But, without further action, there will be more accidents – and motorists will undoubtedly get the blame.
Adding to the problem, the Government has now decided to allow rented electric scooters to share cycle lanes and road space in pilot schemes, in some locations from this month for a year’s trial. Conditions include users having a provisional or full driving licence, wearing a helmet and a 15.5 mph maximum speed.
Inevitably, relaxing the rules in specific areas will encourage greater illegal use elsewhere.
Just a few days ago, I found myself following an (illegal) electric scooter down a narrow main road in Ipswich, with legal parking down one side virtually blocking one lane; within just a few minutes, the rider nearly caused two major accidents: first, his speed was approaching 30mph. He fell off, and the scooter skittered right across the road, causing three cars coming in the opposite direction to brake sharply. Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt, but took his time to recover the scooter and get back on.
He carried on, in the middle of the road, at the same speed, whilst looking at his mobile phone, which he continued to do as he approached traffic lights. Instead of stopping in the empty designated priority cycle space, ahead of vehicles, he stopped next to a car indicating a left hand turn. When the lights turned green, he looked up from his phone, heading straight across the road, having ignored the car still indicating as it slowly turned left. Falling onto the vehicle, he shouted abuse at the driver, then carried on again, gathering speed.
I don’t envy the Police trying to control this sort of behaviour, without any form of users’ identification, once word gets out that e-scooters can use the roads. For too many people, regulations on speed and rental won’t apply. Nor does common sense.
It costs billions of pounds to maintain public roads, so it is only fair that cyclists should share the burden with other road users. An annual £20 tax for individuals, with £40 for a family of four, would not only contribute to the economy at this difficult time, but it would help to encourage greater responsibility for their personal safety. Some cyclists display a particular arrogance, taking risks, compromising everyone’s safety, instead of respecting other road users, including pedestrians.
Suffolk County Council, and other rural county councils, should also take measures to protect horses and their riders. According to the British Horse Society, 845 horses were killed on the roads in 2019 – equivalent to nearly two horses every week. There needs to be a national awareness campaign, with penalties for selfish motorists who carelessly speed through country roads and villages, with never a thought for vulnerable road users, whether riding a horse or cycle, or simply going for a walk.


conservativehome--2020-07-27--Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Com

Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission – and more

Eight years ago , the TaxPayers ’ Alliance reported that “ in the last year , five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories ” .
It currently reports that almost half of avowedly political appointees last year owed their allegiance to Labour Party , compared to less than a third for the Conservatives .
Despite the selection of some Party members or supporters to fill important posts , over time , the Conservatives have punched beneath their weight when it comes to public appointments .
One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number as Labour supporters .
To help remedy this , each week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies , so that qualified Conservatives can be aware of the opportunities presented .
“ The chair is responsible for leading and managing the Panel .
They must lead development and implementation of a strategic vision for the Panel and ensure the reviews under their supervision identify improvements safeguarding partners or others should make to better safeguard and promote the welfare of children…Successful applicants will demonstrate the ability to : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level meetings ; effectively manage team dynamics and maintain the confidence of others , including child safeguarding professionals , Ministers and the public .
The right candidate will also demonstrate a strong understanding of multi-agency child safeguarding arrangements , policy and frontline delivery.
” “ The Chair of the College of Policing is appointed by the Home Secretary to ensure the long-term success of the College .
Together with the College Board of Directors , the Chair ( who must not have a background in operational policing ) will set the College ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and priorities .
They will provide the College Chief Executive and team of Executive Directors with the necessary leadership , support and monitoring that will help them to meet the College and Home Secretary ’ s goals .
The College plays a critical role in helping to increase the diversity within the police to reflect the communities they serve.
” “ The Secretary of State for International Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities is seeking a strong , strategic leader who will continue to develop the Equality and Human Rights Commission ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s overall direction to reflect its crucial role as an equality body and National Human Rights Institution .
This appointment fulfils the requirement of the Equality Act 2006 that the Secretary of State should appoint a Chair to the Commission .
Although the Commission is an independent organisation , the Chair is accountable to the above sponsoring Minister .
You will develop and maintain high-value relationships with Ministers , influential partners , governments at home and abroad , opinion formers , industry and others , demonstrating judgment , integrity and resilience in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service ( NCS ) is a youth programme that runs across England and Northern Ireland .
We exist to engage , unite and empower young people , building their confidence so they can go out there and achieve their dreams , no matter where they ’ re from or what their background is .
Our programme is managed and supported by NCS Trust , our central team who are constantly working to make sure we deliver the most impactful experience we can to as many young people as possible .
National Citizen Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skills at a senior level in the following areas : experience and demonstrable senior leadership in the parliamentary/public sector ( 1 Trustee ) ; human resources specialist with commercial experience and a particular focus on people strategy , culture and coaching high performance teams ( 1 Trustee ) ; [ and ] an education leader with strong links to schools and young people ( 1 Trustee ) .
” “ The Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner role aims to promote police compliance with the rules on the collection and retention of DNA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roles were created by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 ( POFA ) , which set out the regime for police use of DNA , fingerprints and the regulation of surveillance cameras .
We have decided to appoint a single person to both roles because of the confluence of existing and emerging regulatory issues around police use of automated facial recognition .
The post will cover the duties of the Biometrics Commissioner and the Surveillance Camera Commissioner , while the Government is considering reforms in this area.
” Home Office – Her Majesty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fire & Rescue Authorities “ HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services ( HMICFRS ) is an independent body that inspects and reports to the public on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces in England and Wales , fire and rescue authorities in England and national law enforcement agencies .
It aims to ensure that the public and their elected representatives can hold inspected organisations to account by monitoring trends , challenging practice and identifying areas for improvement , and making performance information accessible .
The principal role of HMICFRS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in England and Wales , and of all fire & rescue authorities in England ; providing the public with a clear , consistent and independent view of the quality of services in their local area.
” “ Joint Nature Conservation Committee ( JNCC ) Framework Document provides the legal , administrative and financial framework within which the Joint Committee operates and the specific functions of the Committee and the Chair .
As Chair you will be responsible to the Defra Secretary of State for the leadership , direction and effectiveness of JNCC in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defra and the Devolved Administrations .
You will be the primary contact with Ministers for the Committee .
You will provide visible leadership and vision for JNCC , setting strategic and operational direction , ensuring good governance and , together with the Joint Committee , holding the executive to account.
” “ Environmental Standards Scotland will be established , initially , on a non-statutory basis from January 2021 .
It will transition to a statutory , independent body over the course of 2021 .
The Board will initially comprise of the Chair and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland becomes established as a statutory organisation , further board appointments are expected .
Members of the Board of Environmental Standards Scotland will shape how the Board performs its role , including by exercising judgement on what information to monitor ; selecting environmental concerns for initial review and for detailed investigation ; resolving these through agreement with public authorities , where possible ; and , highlighting any significant issues to Ministers.
” Time : 8-10 days per month initially , ~4 per month thereafter .

Eight years ago, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reported that “in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories”.
It currently reports that almost half of avowedly political appointees last year owed their allegiance to Labour Party, compared to less than a third for the Conservatives.
Despite the selection of some Party members or supporters to fill important posts, over time, the Conservatives have punched beneath their weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply don’t apply in the same number as Labour supporters.
To help remedy this, each week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives can be aware of the opportunities presented.
– – – – – – – – – –
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel – Chair
“The chair is responsible for leading and managing the Panel. They must lead development and implementation of a strategic vision for the Panel and ensure the reviews under their supervision identify improvements safeguarding partners or others should make to better safeguard and promote the welfare of children…Successful applicants will demonstrate the ability to: provide strong strategic leadership; chair high level meetings; effectively manage team dynamics and maintain the confidence of others, including child safeguarding professionals, Ministers and the public. The right candidate will also demonstrate a strong understanding of multi-agency child safeguarding arrangements, policy and frontline delivery.”
Time: 6-8 days per month.
Remuneration: £500 per diem.
Closes: 31 July
– – – – – – – – – –
College of Policing – Chair
“The Chair of the College of Policing is appointed by the Home Secretary to ensure the long-term success of the College. Together with the College Board of Directors, the Chair (who must not have a background in operational policing) will set the College’s strategic direction and aims against budgets and priorities. They will provide the College Chief Executive and team of Executive Directors with the necessary leadership, support and monitoring that will help them to meet the College and Home Secretary’s goals. The College plays a critical role in helping to increase the diversity within the police to reflect the communities they serve.”
Time: 1-2 days per week.
Remuneration: £135,000 pro rata.
Closes: 03 August
– – – – – – – – – –
Equality & Human Rights Commission – Chair
“The Secretary of State for International Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities is seeking a strong, strategic leader who will continue to develop the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and set the Commission’s overall direction to reflect its crucial role as an equality body and National Human Rights Institution. This appointment fulfils the requirement of the Equality Act 2006 that the Secretary of State should appoint a Chair to the Commission. Although the Commission is an independent organisation, the Chair is accountable to the above sponsoring Minister. You will develop and maintain high-value relationships with Ministers, influential partners, governments at home and abroad, opinion formers, industry and others, demonstrating judgment, integrity and resilience in the face of challenge.”
Time: 1-2 days per week.
Remuneration: £500 per diem.
Closes: 03 August
– – – – – – – – – –
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport – National Citizen Service Trustees
“National Citizen Service (NCS) is a youth programme that runs across England and Northern Ireland. We exist to engage, unite and empower young people, building their confidence so they can go out there and achieve their dreams, no matter where they’re from or what their background is. Our programme is managed and supported by NCS Trust, our central team who are constantly working to make sure we deliver the most impactful experience we can to as many young people as possible. National Citizen Service is seeking three Trustees with experience and skills at a senior level in the following areas: experience and demonstrable senior leadership in the parliamentary/public sector (1 Trustee); human resources specialist with commercial experience and a particular focus on people strategy, culture and coaching high performance teams (1 Trustee); [and] an education leader with strong links to schools and young people (1 Trustee).”
Time: 5-10 days per week.
Remuneration: “Reasonable expenses”.
Closes: 09 August
– – – – – – – – – –
Home Office – Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner
“The Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner role aims to promote police compliance with the rules on the collection and retention of DNA, fingerprints and surveillance cameras respectively. The roles were created by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA), which set out the regime for police use of DNA, fingerprints and the regulation of surveillance cameras. We have decided to appoint a single person to both roles because of the confluence of existing and emerging regulatory issues around police use of automated facial recognition. The post will cover the duties of the Biometrics Commissioner and the Surveillance Camera Commissioner, while the Government is considering reforms in this area.”
Time: Full-time.
Remuneration: £125,000 per annum.
Closes: 09 August
– – – – – – – – – –
Home Office – Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and of Fire & Rescue Authorities
“HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is an independent body that inspects and reports to the public on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces in England and Wales, fire and rescue authorities in England and national law enforcement agencies. It aims to ensure that the public and their elected representatives can hold inspected organisations to account by monitoring trends, challenging practice and identifying areas for improvement, and making performance information accessible. The principal role of HMICFRS is undertaking the all-force inspections of policing in England and Wales, and of all fire & rescue authorities in England; providing the public with a clear, consistent and independent view of the quality of services in their local area.”
Time: Full-time.
Remuneration: £175,000 per annum.
Closes: 17 August
– – – – – – – – – –
Joint Nature Conservation Committee – Chair
“Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Framework Document provides the legal, administrative and financial framework within which the Joint Committee operates and the specific functions of the Committee and the Chair. As Chair you will be responsible to the Defra Secretary of State for the leadership, direction and effectiveness of JNCC in line with strategies and plans agreed with Defra and the Devolved Administrations. You will be the primary contact with Ministers for the Committee. You will provide visible leadership and vision for JNCC, setting strategic and operational direction, ensuring good governance and, together with the Joint Committee, holding the executive to account.”
Time: 2.5 days per week.
Remuneration: £40,059 per annum.
Closes: 03 September
– – – – – – – – – –
Environmental Standards Scotland – Chair/Members
“Environmental Standards Scotland will be established, initially, on a non-statutory basis from January 2021. It will transition to a statutory, independent body over the course of 2021. The Board will initially comprise of the Chair and two other members. Once Environmental Standards Scotland becomes established as a statutory organisation, further board appointments are expected. Members of the Board of Environmental Standards Scotland will shape how the Board performs its role, including by exercising judgement on what information to monitor; selecting environmental concerns for initial review and for detailed investigation; resolving these through agreement with public authorities, where possible; and, highlighting any significant issues to Ministers.”
Time: 8-10 days per month initially, ~4 per month thereafter.
Remuneration: £300/£200 per diem.
Closes: 03 September


conservativehome--2020-07-26--WATCH: Raab on Spain – A “real time response” was right; anything else would have created “uncertain

WATCH: Raab on Spain – A “real time response” was right; anything else would have created “uncertainty”

Late on Saturday the government still said Spain was safe for travel .
Should n't it have warned people about @ @ @ @ @ Vague advice '' creates `` more uncertainty '' says @ DominicRaab and fast action was @ @ @ @ @ '' the cut off `` can be disruptive '' # Ridge pic.twitter.com/ljrg4w0uiy

Late on Saturday the government still said Spain was safe for travel. Shouldn't it have warned people about a possible quarantine?
"Vague advice" creates "more uncertainty" says @DominicRaab and fast action was needed but "I appreciate" the cut off "can be disruptive"#Ridge pic.twitter.com/ljrg4w0uiy
— Sophy Ridge on Sunday & The Take (@RidgeOnSunday) July 26, 2020


conservativehome--2020-07-26--WATCH: It would be “foolish” to believe referendum result was because of Russian interference, says

WATCH: It would be “foolish” to believe referendum result was because of Russian interference, says Blair

Former PM Tony Blair has called for the government to investigate whether Russia interfered in UK politics , or the @ @ @ @ @ it would be `` foolish '' to believe that the referendum result was because of @ @ @ @ @ Ridge : https : //t.co/bu1vVDNc34 pic.twitter.com/fwn34NxzKC

Former PM Tony Blair has called for the government to investigate whether Russia interfered in UK politics, or the EU referendum.
But adds it would be "foolish" to believe that the referendum result was because of interference from Russia. #Ridge: https://t.co/bu1vVDNc34 pic.twitter.com/fwn34NxzKC
— Sophy Ridge on Sunday & The Take (@RidgeOnSunday) July 26, 2020


conservativehome--2020-07-26--WATCH: Ashworth – the Government’s decision over Spain is “shambolic”

`` The way in which this decision has been made in the last 24 hours is frankly shambolic . ''
@ @ @ @ @ criticises the short notice given to Britons in Spain that they must quarantine for 14 @ @ @ @ @ UK.
# Ridge : https : //t.co/rSKeOreoQR pic.twitter.com/CmobVTVdAV

"The way in which this decision has been made in the last 24 hours is frankly shambolic."
Shadow Health Sec @JonAshworth criticises the short notice given to Britons in Spain that they must quarantine for 14 days once returning to the UK.#Ridge: https://t.co/rSKeOreoQR pic.twitter.com/CmobVTVdAV
— Sophy Ridge on Sunday & The Take (@RidgeOnSunday) July 26, 2020


conservativehome--2020-07-28--Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Com


conservativehome--2020-07-28--Johnson benefits from the scorn of critics such as Parris, for it suggests the Prime Minister is sti

Johnson benefits from the scorn of critics such as Parris, for it suggests the Prime Minister is still an outsider

“ There seems no pressing need to embark on the second volume , provisionally entitled The Statesmanship of Boris Johnson , which I hope one day to offer the world.
” So I wrote in 2007 , for the paperback edition of my account of his early life , published in hardback the previous year .
Distinguished commentators of the Right and Left , including Alexander Chancellor , Stephen Glover and Paul Routledge , were among those who had greeted with incredulity my suggestion that Johnson might yet become Prime Minister .
David Cameron was firmly in the driving seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet which he conducted in the summer of 2007 – necessitated by Gordon Brown ’ s Cabinet reshuffle on becoming Prime Minister a few days earlier – had kept Johnson at arm ’ s length , as Shadow Spokesman on Higher Education .
Both men had been to Eton and Oxford , but as I attempted in a subsequent update of the book to explain , their temperaments were incompatible : “ There is something about Boris which is an affront to serious-minded people ’ s idea of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to adopt their solemn tone , he implies that they are ridiculous , and the dreadful thing , from their point of view , is that a large part of the British public agrees with Boris .
So it is not just lefties , but people from every part of the political class , who can not bear his unwillingness to take them as seriously as they take themselves .
It was after all a Tory leader , Michael Howard , who had sacked Boris [ in 2004 ] , and Howard ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar instincts about what does and does not constitute reliable behaviour… “ For while Cameron is a favoured son of the Establishment , and takes the Establishment ’ s view that there are certain things which are just not done , Boris is an outsider , a loner , a man who likes to be on genial terms with everyone but who has no circle of political intimates .
Cameron is a man of astonishing gifts , including cool judgement under pressure , but his instinct is to work within the existing framework @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restraint and is always ready to drive a coach and horses through it .
Cameron believes in order : Boris believes in being free .
Cameron is bound to regard Boris as a bit disreputable , while Boris is bound to regard Cameron as a bit limited.
” This divide had a decisive influence in 2016 , when Brexit was the issue .
Cameron sought to uphold the status quo , but Johnson drove a coach and horses through it .
So now we have an outsider as Prime Minister , a situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suppose , for an essential features of our tradition , and a reason why it has survived , is that the Conservative Party has often been led by outsiders .
Margaret Thatcher , Harold Macmillan , Winston Churchill and Benjamin Disraeli are four obvious examples : all on occasion could not , as a matter of temperament more than ideology , stomach the Establishment line taken by the then party leader .
All at one time or another – though not of course in perpetuity – were able as a result to appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far removed from the Establishment , and which regarded the Establishment ’ s moralising with disgust .
This is the line in which Johnson belongs .
He has a particular affinity with Disraeli , a scandalously disreputable figure in his youth , this early history obscured by his ability to charm Queen Victoria , and by posthumous adulation .
Like Disraeli , Johnson has dismayed his liberal opponents by winning support from patriotic working-class voters who believe in the greatness of Britain , symbolised today by Queen Elizabeth II and our armed forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being partisan in the manner of her great great grandmother , but Jeremy Corbyn ’ s lack of enthusiasm for her or the armed forces , and sympathy with various terrorist movements , cost Labour dear in December 2019 among its traditional supporters .
Matthew Goodwin suggested , in a piece yesterday for Unherd entitled “ Why Boris Johnson keeps on winning ” , that the Prime Minister has so far retained the support of these patriotic working-class voters because like them , he rejects the view of many on the Left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ever since the vote for Brexit , Left-wing and liberal writers have been consumed by ‘ declinism ’ : the belief that Britain ’ s best days are in the past .
Declinists are united by the assumption that , because of decisions that went against their own politics , Britain has become a diminished world power , is falling behind other states and is led by incompetent , amateurish elites who either lack the required expertise or ‘ correct ’ ideology to reverse this decline or , worse , are actively perpetuating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so vicious is that they have found themselves written out of the national story — election defeats or referendum outcomes have left them on the sidelines , with little power or influence .
One reason why Boris Johnson , Michael Gove , Dominic Cummings and Munira Mirza have been so strongly attacked is not only because they committed the double sin of being Conservatives and Brexiteers , but because they are essentially the first group to have gone up against the ‘ liberal establishment ’ and won.
” Johnson benefits from the disdain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his supporters that he is still , in some respects , an outsider , one who is despised rather in the way they were despised when they voted for Brexit .
Here is dear old Matthew Parris in a recent column for The Times : A dozen other commentators might be quoted , all as determined as Parris to take the lowest possible view of the Prime Minister .
One day they will almost certainly be right .
Johnson will fall : he will take the blame for something he has done , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for something he has not done , or something many of us thought at the time was a good idea .
The role of Prime Minister is essentially sacrificial : ask Lord North , Neville Chamberlain , Anthony Eden or Tony Blair .
But until the culminating debacle , whatever it turns out to be , Parris and the rest render Johnson incomprehensible .
How can a man who “ isn ’ t even clever ” have won two London mayoral elections , the EU referendum , the leadership of the Conservative Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume is required to plumb this mystery .
Is Parris clever enough to see through Johnson , or Johnson clever enough to incur the enmity of Parris ?
I shall endeavour , while writing it , to provide evidence for both schools of thought .

“There seems no pressing need to embark on the second volume, provisionally entitled The Statesmanship of Boris Johnson, which I hope one day to offer the world.”
So I wrote in 2007, for the paperback edition of my account of his early life, published in hardback the previous year.
Distinguished commentators of the Right and Left, including Alexander Chancellor, Stephen Glover and Paul Routledge, were among those who had greeted with incredulity my suggestion that Johnson might yet become Prime Minister.
David Cameron was firmly in the driving seat as Conservative leader, and in the reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet which he conducted in the summer of 2007 – necessitated by Gordon Brown’s Cabinet reshuffle on becoming Prime Minister a few days earlier – had kept Johnson at arm’s length, as Shadow Spokesman on Higher Education.
Both men had been to Eton and Oxford, but as I attempted in a subsequent update of the book to explain, their temperaments were incompatible:
“There is something about Boris which is an affront to serious-minded people’s idea of how politics should be conducted. By refusing to adopt their solemn tone, he implies that they are ridiculous, and the dreadful thing, from their point of view, is that a large part of the British public agrees with Boris. So it is not just lefties, but people from every part of the political class, who cannot bear his unwillingness to take them as seriously as they take themselves. It was after all a Tory leader, Michael Howard, who had sacked Boris [in 2004], and Howard’s chosen successor, Cameron, has similar instincts about what does and does not constitute reliable behaviour… “For while Cameron is a favoured son of the Establishment, and takes the Establishment’s view that there are certain things which are just not done, Boris is an outsider, a loner, a man who likes to be on genial terms with everyone but who has no circle of political intimates. Cameron is a man of astonishing gifts, including cool judgement under pressure, but his instinct is to work within the existing framework of rules. Boris frets under such restraint and is always ready to drive a coach and horses through it. Cameron believes in order: Boris believes in being free. Cameron is bound to regard Boris as a bit disreputable, while Boris is bound to regard Cameron as a bit limited.”
This divide had a decisive influence in 2016, when Brexit was the issue. Cameron sought to uphold the status quo, but Johnson drove a coach and horses through it.
So now we have an outsider as Prime Minister, a situation less unusual or paradoxical than one might suppose, for an essential features of our tradition, and a reason why it has survived, is that the Conservative Party has often been led by outsiders.
Margaret Thatcher, Harold Macmillan, Winston Churchill and Benjamin Disraeli are four obvious examples: all on occasion could not, as a matter of temperament more than ideology, stomach the Establishment line taken by the then party leader.
All at one time or another – though not of course in perpetuity – were able as a result to appeal to parts of the nation which were far removed from the Establishment, and which regarded the Establishment’s moralising with disgust.
This is the line in which Johnson belongs. He has a particular affinity with Disraeli, a scandalously disreputable figure in his youth, this early history obscured by his ability to charm Queen Victoria, and by posthumous adulation.
Like Disraeli, Johnson has dismayed his liberal opponents by winning support from patriotic working-class voters who believe in the greatness of Britain, symbolised today by Queen Elizabeth II and our armed forces.
The present Queen would never dream of being partisan in the manner of her great great grandmother, but Jeremy Corbyn’s lack of enthusiasm for her or the armed forces, and sympathy with various terrorist movements, cost Labour dear in December 2019 among its traditional supporters.
Matthew Goodwin suggested, in a piece yesterday for Unherd entitled “Why Boris Johnson keeps on winning”, that the Prime Minister has so far retained the support of these patriotic working-class voters because like them, he rejects the view of many on the Left that Britain is in decline:
“Ever since the vote for Brexit, Left-wing and liberal writers have been consumed by ‘declinism’: the belief that Britain’s best days are in the past. Declinists are united by the assumption that, because of decisions that went against their own politics, Britain has become a diminished world power, is falling behind other states and is led by incompetent, amateurish elites who either lack the required expertise or ‘correct’ ideology to reverse this decline or, worse, are actively perpetuating it… “One reason why declinists are so vicious is that they have found themselves written out of the national story — election defeats or referendum outcomes have left them on the sidelines, with little power or influence. One reason why Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Dominic Cummings and Munira Mirza have been so strongly attacked is not only because they committed the double sin of being Conservatives and Brexiteers, but because they are essentially the first group to have gone up against the ‘liberal establishment’ and won.”
Johnson benefits from the disdain of his critics, for it shows his supporters that he is still, in some respects, an outsider, one who is despised rather in the way they were despised when they voted for Brexit. Here is dear old Matthew Parris in a recent column for The Times:
“his colleagues always knew his shamelessness from his personal history. That he isn’t even clever, however, they are only now discovering. If competence shone through then I think the shamelessness would remain an embarrassment that his colleagues would be prepared to suppress. But he’s losing, and the combination of incapacity and shamelessness is beginning to curdle.”
A dozen other commentators might be quoted, all as determined as Parris to take the lowest possible view of the Prime Minister.
One day they will almost certainly be right. Johnson will fall: he will take the blame for something he has done, or even, it may be, for something he has not done, or something many of us thought at the time was a good idea. The role of Prime Minister is essentially sacrificial: ask Lord North, Neville Chamberlain, Anthony Eden or Tony Blair.
But until the culminating debacle, whatever it turns out to be, Parris and the rest render Johnson incomprehensible. How can a man who “isn’t even clever” have won two London mayoral elections, the EU referendum, the leadership of the Conservative Party and a general election?
A second volume is required to plumb this mystery. Is Parris clever enough to see through Johnson, or Johnson clever enough to incur the enmity of Parris? I shall endeavour, while writing it, to provide evidence for both schools of thought.


conservativehome--2020-07-28--John Bald: Academisation does not guarantee higher school standards

John Bald is a former Ofsted inspector and has written two books on the history of writing and spelling .
He is Vice President of the Conservative Education Society .
West London Free School celebrated the end of the school year with a concert and an announcement by headteacher Clare Wagner that no lessons had been missed during lockdown .
Pupils in Years 10 and 12 , the pre-examination years , had taken school exams , and six pupils , from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds , had received offers from Oxford or Cambridge .
The contrast with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excuses not to do this , with the Guardian ’ s article on Manchester Grammar School , implying that state schools couldn ’ t possibly , and with the “ Woke ” lobby ’ s insistence that minority ethnic groups are essentially victims , could not be greater .
Like Michaela , West London has travelled a long and sometimes difficult road , but has shown that the ethos of hard work and kindness works , and is the solution to the problems that have beset education since Labour ’ s botched introduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michaela , West London is not ( apart from twelve music places ) selective , and , like Michaela , it has shown the difference between a genuine comprehensive school and a secondary modern .
There is a further contrast with Stantonbury International School , a sprawling , oversized comprehensive in Milton Keynes , which boasts of “ Proud traditions , wide horizons and high achievement , ” and has just received an Ofsted report , that is as bad as those that made headlines in the days of the late Sir Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pupils are not safe , behaviour is poor , learning is haphazard , and examination results strongly negative from pupils starting points , with only three per cent achieving the English Baccalaureate ( West London has 69 per cent ) .
Like most comprehensive schools , it hides the full scale of the disaster behind the screen imposed by Lib Dems during the coalition , which provides an opaque summary rather than the full picture .
Gavin Williamson should restore the requirement that schools publish their full results by grade and subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Griffin Schools Trust since 2016 , illustrates the difference between mass academisation and the best Free Schools , which are driven by the dynamism and vision of some of the best minds in education , as evidenced by Michaela ’ s second book , The Power of Culture , edited by Katharine Birbalsingh but written by members of staff .
Each chapter is a detailed and intensely personal account of the author ’ s contribution , as head of department or year group , deputy , special needs co-ordinator , new teacher or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete picture of its contribution to society as well as to its pupils ’ education , including , but not limited to , some of the best examination results in history .
Katharine Birbalsingh is not the fictional Miss Trunchbull of Crunchem Hall , but a smiling , happy person who uses authority much as the late Cardinal Hume did , in the service of the pupils .
New teachers are told that pupils will only give their best to a teacher if they love them , which comes from understanding that teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pupils .
This is not achieved by a raised voice , but by clarity and careful explanation , so that the pupils buy into the school ’ s ethos and share its purpose .
At 380 pages , this is a demanding read , but worth it .
It is the best book on school education that I ’ ve ever read , and better than I ever expected to find .
Back at Stantonbury , the Griffin Schools Trust has taken action to replace the senior team and the governors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ control since 2016 , and was identified by Ofsted as requiring improvement two years later .
It is fair to ask why it took virtual meltdown to lead to the necessary action , and whether this and some other multi-academy trusts are any better than the local authorities they replaced .
Some of the most celebrated are demonstrably worse , and it was not good enough for Jeremy Hunt to tell me at the leadership hustings last year that I should focus on what had gone right rather than what had gone wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in private that “ We haven ’ t got enough good people , ” and the meltdown at Stantonbury proves the point .
Barry Smith , who turned Great Yarmouth Charter Academy from sink to a thriving community in under a year , is now doing similar work in Hackney , and would do so wherever he went .
Other distinguished headteachers , like Dr David Moody , formerly of Harris Battersea and now CEO of Academy Enterprise Trust are making a similar impact .
But have we got enough of them ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those we have ?
Until these questions are answered , the success of Academies as a national system of education will remain in the balance .

John Bald is a former Ofsted inspector and has written two books on the history of writing and spelling. He is Vice President of the Conservative Education Society.
West London Free School celebrated the end of the school year with a concert and an announcement by headteacher Clare Wagner that no lessons had been missed during lockdown. Pupils in Years 10 and 12, the pre-examination years, had taken school exams, and six pupils, from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, had received offers from Oxford or Cambridge. The contrast with the National Education Union’s panoply of excuses not to do this, with the Guardian’s article on Manchester Grammar School, implying that state schools couldn’t possibly, and with the “Woke” lobby’s insistence that minority ethnic groups are essentially victims, could not be greater. Like Michaela, West London has travelled a long and sometimes difficult road, but has shown that the ethos of hard work and kindness works, and is the solution to the problems that have beset education since Labour’s botched introduction of comprehensives in the 60s. Like Michaela, West London is not (apart from twelve music places) selective, and, like Michaela, it has shown the difference between a genuine comprehensive school and a secondary modern.
There is a further contrast with Stantonbury International School, a sprawling, oversized comprehensive in Milton Keynes, which boasts of “Proud traditions, wide horizons and high achievement,” and has just received an Ofsted report, that is as bad as those that made headlines in the days of the late Sir Chris Woodhead. Numbers are high at 1,600, pupils are not safe, behaviour is poor, learning is haphazard, and examination results strongly negative from pupils starting points, with only three per cent achieving the English Baccalaureate (West London has 69 per cent). Like most comprehensive schools, it hides the full scale of the disaster behind the screen imposed by Lib Dems during the coalition, which provides an opaque summary rather than the full picture. Gavin Williamson should restore the requirement that schools publish their full results by grade and subject.
Stantonbury, an Academy with the Griffin Schools Trust since 2016, illustrates the difference between mass academisation and the best Free Schools, which are driven by the dynamism and vision of some of the best minds in education, as evidenced by Michaela’s second book, The Power of Culture, edited by Katharine Birbalsingh but written by members of staff. Each chapter is a detailed and intensely personal account of the author’s contribution, as head of department or year group, deputy, special needs co-ordinator, new teacher or school secretary. The result is a complete picture of its contribution to society as well as to its pupils’ education, including, but not limited to, some of the best examination results in history. Katharine Birbalsingh is not the fictional Miss Trunchbull of Crunchem Hall, but a smiling, happy person who uses authority much as the late Cardinal Hume did, in the service of the pupils.
New teachers are told that pupils will only give their best to a teacher if they love them, which comes from understanding that teachers care, and give their best to the pupils. This is not achieved by a raised voice, but by clarity and careful explanation, so that the pupils buy into the school’s ethos and share its purpose. At 380 pages, this is a demanding read, but worth it. It is the best book on school education that I’ve ever read, and better than I ever expected to find.
Back at Stantonbury, the Griffin Schools Trust has taken action to replace the senior team and the governors. But the school has been under its control since 2016, and was identified by Ofsted as requiring improvement two years later. It is fair to ask why it took virtual meltdown to lead to the necessary action, and whether this and some other multi-academy trusts are any better than the local authorities they replaced. Some of the most celebrated are demonstrably worse, and it was not good enough for Jeremy Hunt to tell me at the leadership hustings last year that I should focus on what had gone right rather than what had gone wrong.
An Academies pioneer once told me in private that “We haven’t got enough good people,” and the meltdown at Stantonbury proves the point. Barry Smith, who turned Great Yarmouth Charter Academy from sink to a thriving community in under a year, is now doing similar work in Hackney, and would do so wherever he went. Other distinguished headteachers, like Dr David Moody, formerly of Harris Battersea and now CEO of Academy Enterprise Trust are making a similar impact. But have we got enough of them? And are we making the best use of those we have? Until these questions are answered, the success of Academies as a national system of education will remain in the balance.


conservativehome--2020-07-28--The Government’s speedy response to Spain reflects what happened in the initial stages of the Corona

The Government’s speedy response to Spain reflects what happened in the initial stages of the Coronavirus outbreak

Over the weekend there was enormous uproar about the Government ’ s decision to apply a 14-day quarantine rule to tourists returning from Spain .
It did this at extremely short notice , throwing into disarray the holiday plans of approximately 1.8 million people , many of whom also had the added complication of worrying about their workplace rights .
The decision to impose the rule was instigated by Chris Whitty , the Chief Medical Officer , who warned that rising cases in Spain were “ statistically significant ” , having risen by 6,355 since Friday .
Thus the Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sophy Ridge on Sunday , Dominic Raab defended the move , saying that a “ real time response ” was right , and anything else would “ muddy the waters ” .
This has , of course , not gone down well in Spain , whose tourism industry is highly contingent upon an influx of Brits .
Pedro Sánchez , its prime minister , criticised the restrictions , saying that “ 64.5 per cent of the new cases registered are in two territories ” and that in most of the country the prevalence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the numbers registered in the United Kingdom ” .
Indeed , it is mainly Catalonia in the north-east and nearby Aragón that have seen spikes in infections .
Either way , the rate of the infection for the country now stands at 35.1 cases per 100,000 , compared to the UK which stands at 14.7 ( according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ) , hence the newfound concern .
It ’ s not only the Spanish prime minister who is unhappy about the news , but the travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of the uncertainty it creates .
It has already been reported that large numbers of trips to France , Italy and Greece have since been cancelled , a trend which is likely to grow after Boris Johnson warned today of a second wave across Europe .
The decision could inadvertently exacerbate social inequalities , which the Coronavirus crisis has already highlighted , as those in low-paid , on-site jobs , will be unable to self-isolate versus , say , bankers working from home .
The Government has said that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose income is impacted , but the practical implications of being off work for two weeks is not always something the state can mitigate .
Furthermore , it could be said that the Government ’ s move contradicts its own desire to get people back to work on August 1 , given all the risks involved .
Although the guidelines will put a dent in many holiday plans , there is some good news at least .
According to The Telegraph , ministers are trying to cut the quarantine time for those coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This move will presumably be extended to other destinations – all the more important as countries such as France and Germany have also seen rises in Coronavirus cases .
Ministers want to reduce the quarantine time by testing arrivals from high-risk countries eight days after they land ( Coronavirus takes five to seven days to incubate ) .
If they test negative they will be allowed to come out of self-isolation two days later .
This plan should cut almost a working week off the self-isolation period , and as scientists ’ understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these testing plans can go even further .
One thing that is also worth pondering is whether the risk of quarantine rules were inevitable , too , given that countries are now much more effective at testing .
Fears about a second wave may be exacerbated by the fact that governments can better detect the virus now .
Though there is anger at the Government , Raab was right to say that advanced notice of the Spanish quarantine would have caused confusion in the travel industry ( though it has happened as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Part of the Government ’ s fast response to what was happening in Spain reflects what happened at the beginning of the UK ’ s Coronavirus outbreak .
A study by researchers at Oxford and Edinburgh University has found that most cases in the UK could be traced back to Spain ( 34 per cent ) , France ( 29 per cent ) and Italy ( 14 per cent ) , as opposed to China .
So it could be said that there is a “ once bitten twice shy ” element to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Government not done anything , it would no doubt be accused of callousness by the usual armchair epidemiologists .
As for what happens next in travel ?
Like much of the Coronavirus crisis , it ’ s anyone ’ s guess .

Over the weekend there was enormous uproar about the Government’s decision to apply a 14-day quarantine rule to tourists returning from Spain. It did this at extremely short notice, throwing into disarray the holiday plans of approximately 1.8 million people, many of whom also had the added complication of worrying about their workplace rights.
The decision to impose the rule was instigated by Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer, who warned that rising cases in Spain were “statistically significant”, having risen by 6,355 since Friday. Thus the Government felt compelled to act quickly.
On Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Dominic Raab defended the move, saying that a “real time response” was right, and anything else would “muddy the waters”.
This has, of course, not gone down well in Spain, whose tourism industry is highly contingent upon an influx of Brits. Pedro Sánchez, its prime minister, criticised the restrictions, saying that “64.5 per cent of the new cases registered are in two territories” and that in most of the country the prevalence of Covid-10 was “very much inferior to the numbers registered in the United Kingdom”.
Indeed, it is mainly Catalonia in the north-east and nearby Aragón that have seen spikes in infections. Either way, the rate of the infection for the country now stands at 35.1 cases per 100,000, compared to the UK which stands at 14.7 (according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control), hence the newfound concern.
It’s not only the Spanish prime minister who is unhappy about the news, but the travel industry too, which will struggle immensely as a result of the uncertainty it creates.
It has already been reported that large numbers of trips to France, Italy and Greece have since been cancelled, a trend which is likely to grow after Boris Johnson warned today of a second wave across Europe.
The decision could inadvertently exacerbate social inequalities, which the Coronavirus crisis has already highlighted, as those in low-paid, on-site jobs, will be unable to self-isolate versus, say, bankers working from home.
The Government has said that they will be offered universal credit to those whose income is impacted, but the practical implications of being off work for two weeks is not always something the state can mitigate. Furthermore, it could be said that the Government’s move contradicts its own desire to get people back to work on August 1, given all the risks involved.
Although the guidelines will put a dent in many holiday plans, there is some good news at least. According to The Telegraph, ministers are trying to cut the quarantine time for those coming back from Spain to ten days. This move will presumably be extended to other destinations – all the more important as countries such as France and Germany have also seen rises in Coronavirus cases.
Ministers want to reduce the quarantine time by testing arrivals from high-risk countries eight days after they land (Coronavirus takes five to seven days to incubate). If they test negative they will be allowed to come out of self-isolation two days later. This plan should cut almost a working week off the self-isolation period, and as scientists’ understanding and ability to test Coronavirus, hopefully these testing plans can go even further.
One thing that is also worth pondering is whether the risk of quarantine rules were inevitable, too, given that countries are now much more effective at testing. Fears about a second wave may be exacerbated by the fact that governments can better detect the virus now.
Though there is anger at the Government, Raab was right to say that advanced notice of the Spanish quarantine would have caused confusion in the travel industry (though it has happened as a result of the decision too).
Part of the Government’s fast response to what was happening in Spain reflects what happened at the beginning of the UK’s Coronavirus outbreak. A study by researchers at Oxford and Edinburgh University has found that most cases in the UK could be traced back to Spain (34 per cent), France (29 per cent) and Italy (14 per cent), as opposed to China.
So it could be said that there is a “once bitten twice shy” element to the newly imposed quarantine. And had the Government not done anything, it would no doubt be accused of callousness by the usual armchair epidemiologists.
As for what happens next in travel? Like much of the Coronavirus crisis, it’s anyone’s guess.


conservativehome--2020-07-28--Andy Street: One, two, three – it’s a hat-trick of coming Conservative Party conferences for Birming

Andy Street: One, two, three – it’s a hat-trick of coming Conservative Party conferences for Birmingham

Andy Street is Mayor of the West Midlands , and is a former Managing Director of John Lewis .
For years , the Party conference season was synonymous with the seaside .
With the Commons in recess , delegates headed to places like Blackpool , Bournemouth and Brighton , to shape policy in the midst of seaside rock and ‘ kiss me quick ’ hats .
All that changed in 2008 , with a bold decision that sent an important message about Conservative commitment to urban , modern Britain .
The conference came to Brum .
Last week , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to announce that we will be hosting three more conferences – in 2022 , 2024 and 2026 .
It was an announcement that was greeted with real excitement .
Birmingham is a hospitality city , with exhibition and conference venues that have made us leaders in “ business tourism ” in the UK .
Holding the Party Conference brings great benefits , both economic and more symbolic ones .
Firstly , of course , Conference brings income to the host city – estimated to be worth £20 million for each conference .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s economy and jobs as we attempt to safely restart the economy post lockdown .
Major conference and exhibition venues like the NEC and ICC directly employ many thousands of local people , and the West Midlands ’ hospitality sector also supports a region-wide supply chain , from hotels , restaurants , bars , events companies , and marketers .
This vital sector was brought to a complete halt by Coronavirus .
It is no wonder last week ’ s announcement was so well received , coming hot on the heels of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could reopen from October 1 .
Secondly , the return of Conference to Brum gives us an opportunity to underline our region ’ s relationship with and connection to Government – bringing , since 2010 , the whole Government to the region .
Much has been said about the need for Government to escape their South East bubble to connect more with communities north of Watford .
By relocating to Birmingham for Conference , ministers will see first-hand how their investments , guided by devolved decision-making and local expertise , are helping level-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chance to showcase the City and wider region .
While the traditional warm Brummie welcome hasn ’ t changed , delegates and the media will notice plenty of visible improvements to Birmingham .
They highlight the renaissance that has transformed the Second City in recent years and is set to continue .
When delegates arrive in 2022 , a better-connected Birmingham will still be buzzing with the afterglow of the summer ’ s Commonwealth Games .
Trams will have once again become a familiar sight , running past the Conference venue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards Edgbaston .
We will have seen further huge improvements in the City ’ s transport network – with the complete rebuilding of University Station ( winning Government funding last week ) .
New , first-generation Sprint bus routes , which months before shuttled international spectators between Commonwealth Games venues , will be bringing people to a city centre transformed by the completion of the £700 million Paradise development .
By 2022 Birmingham ’ s bold , bright new future will be firmly here .
Finally , the location of the annual conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s cities to our party .
When David Cameron moved our annual conference from the traditional seaside setting to our great cities it underlined the party ’ s ambition to win again in urban Britain .
After all , until 1997 those cities contributed an important cohort of MPs and Cabinet Ministers to Conservative Government .
However , that drive to win back urban Britain has proved an elusive challenge , despite the election victories of 2010 and 2015 .
Even when the “ red wall ” was breached in 2019 Labour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Leeds proved resistant .
Indeed , of these cities , only Leeds has conservative councillors .
For this entire period , the only Conservative MP in any of our great cities was Andrew Mitchell in Sutton Coldfield .
But it was in Brum that the break-through came .
In 2019 , for the first time since 1987 , the Party gained a big city seat – Birmingham Northfield .
This was a hugely important and symbolic win for the Party , showing we can win in cities again .
More importantly it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dedicated , effective and sincere champion in Gary Sambrook .
Gary has already proved tenacious in fighting for his area – and is pushing , for instance , for further regeneration of the former Rover factory site at Longbridge .
Much has already been done to reclaim what had been a derelict eyesore for many years – but Northfield ’ s new MP is determined to create even more jobs and opportunities there .
Birmingham also sets the pace when it comes to Conservative representation on local authorities in urban Britain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Liverpool and Sheffield , the Conservatives have run the council here in recent memory and retain a strong , influential base of councillors , led by indomitable campaigner Robert Alden .
In the last local elections Labour ’ s majority across a city of ten parliamentary constituencies comprised just 4483 votes – less than 500 per constituency , a tiny majority .
Indeed , when you consider that my own majority averages 135 in each constituency , it shows how closely fought elections are in our area .
There is a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the conference in 2022 , they will be visiting a growing city of more than a million people with a Conservative-led Council .
If we are serious in our ambition to be a party that reflects a modern and diverse Britain , achieving this outcome must be a reality .

Andy Street is Mayor of the West Midlands, and is a former Managing Director of John Lewis.
For years, the Party conference season was synonymous with the seaside. With the Commons in recess, delegates headed to places like Blackpool, Bournemouth and Brighton, to shape policy in the midst of seaside rock and ‘kiss me quick’ hats.
All that changed in 2008, with a bold decision that sent an important message about Conservative commitment to urban, modern Britain. The conference came to Brum. Last week, I was delighted when Amanda Milling returned here to announce that we will be hosting three more conferences – in 2022, 2024 and 2026.
It was an announcement that was greeted with real excitement. Birmingham is a hospitality city, with exhibition and conference venues that have made us leaders in “business tourism” in the UK.
Holding the Party Conference brings great benefits, both economic and more symbolic ones.
Firstly, of course, Conference brings income to the host city – estimated to be worth £20 million for each conference. This is great news for the region’s economy and jobs as we attempt to safely restart the economy post lockdown.
Major conference and exhibition venues like the NEC and ICC directly employ many thousands of local people, and the West Midlands’ hospitality sector also supports a region-wide supply chain, from hotels, restaurants, bars, events companies, and marketers. This vital sector was brought to a complete halt by Coronavirus. It is no wonder last week’s announcement was so well received, coming hot on the heels of the Prime Minister’s announcement that exhibitions could reopen from October 1.
Secondly, the return of Conference to Brum gives us an opportunity to underline our region’s relationship with and connection to Government – bringing, since 2010, the whole Government to the region. Much has been said about the need for Government to escape their South East bubble to connect more with communities north of Watford. By relocating to Birmingham for Conference, ministers will see first-hand how their investments, guided by devolved decision-making and local expertise, are helping level-up the economy.
Thirdly it gives us the chance to showcase the City and wider region. While the traditional warm Brummie welcome hasn’t changed, delegates and the media will notice plenty of visible improvements to Birmingham. They highlight the renaissance that has transformed the Second City in recent years and is set to continue.
When delegates arrive in 2022, a better-connected Birmingham will still be buzzing with the afterglow of the summer’s Commonwealth Games. Trams will have once again become a familiar sight, running past the Conference venue, the length of Broad Street and out towards Edgbaston. We will have seen further huge improvements in the City’s transport network – with the complete rebuilding of University Station (winning Government funding last week).
New, first-generation Sprint bus routes, which months before shuttled international spectators between Commonwealth Games venues, will be bringing people to a city centre transformed by the completion of the £700 million Paradise development. By 2022 Birmingham’s bold, bright new future will be firmly here.
Finally, the location of the annual conference reiterates the political importance of the UK’s cities to our party. When David Cameron moved our annual conference from the traditional seaside setting to our great cities it underlined the party’s ambition to win again in urban Britain. After all, until 1997 those cities contributed an important cohort of MPs and Cabinet Ministers to Conservative Government.
However, that drive to win back urban Britain has proved an elusive challenge, despite the election victories of 2010 and 2015. Even when the “red wall” was breached in 2019 Labour bastions in Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Leeds proved resistant. Indeed, of these cities, only Leeds has conservative councillors.
For this entire period, the only Conservative MP in any of our great cities was Andrew Mitchell in Sutton Coldfield. But it was in Brum that the break-through came. In 2019, for the first time since 1987, the Party gained a big city seat – Birmingham Northfield. This was a hugely important and symbolic win for the Party, showing we can win in cities again.
More importantly it has given the people of Northfield constituency a dedicated, effective and sincere champion in Gary Sambrook. Gary has already proved tenacious in fighting for his area – and is pushing, for instance, for further regeneration of the former Rover factory site at Longbridge. Much has already been done to reclaim what had been a derelict eyesore for many years – but Northfield’s new MP is determined to create even more jobs and opportunities there.
Birmingham also sets the pace when it comes to Conservative representation on local authorities in urban Britain. Unlike the other big cities of Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield, the Conservatives have run the council here in recent memory and retain a strong, influential base of councillors, led by indomitable campaigner Robert Alden.
In the last local elections Labour’s majority across a city of ten parliamentary constituencies comprised just 4483 votes – less than 500 per constituency, a tiny majority. Indeed, when you consider that my own majority averages 135 in each constituency, it shows how closely fought elections are in our area.
There is a real possibility that when delegates arrive in Birmingham for the conference in 2022, they will be visiting a growing city of more than a million people with a Conservative-led Council. If we are serious in our ambition to be a party that reflects a modern and diverse Britain, achieving this outcome must be a reality.


conservativehome--2020-07-29--Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Com