Let Us Be Heard

I had the pleasure of speaking to over 1000 people at the launch of People’s Vote North in Leeds on 22 June 2019 alongside such figures as Alastair Campell, Hilary Benn, and John Barnes. This was my speech.

For Country, For Party

As a Young Conservative, I support our Prime Minister. In opening with that I’m sure I’ve just alienated the entire Labour Party, all 42 Liberal Democrats, and the right wing of the Conservative Party – but they aren’t who I aim to convince. Although I actively campaigned to remain a member of the European Union, I fully accepted the result of the 2016 referendum.

Austere Consideration

Why does it feel like the Conservative Party machine is dead on its feet? Has it learnt nothing from the abject disaster of Theresa May’s hands-off campaign? We should have been all over the public sector pay cap controversy with a clear and simple rebuttal, but instead we’ve seen conflicting messages with no apparent organisation, allowing Labour to completely control the conversation.

GE2017: Health

This is the first in a series of posts looking at what the three main parties’ manifestos have to say about key policy issues. According to polling by YouGov, health is the second most important issue at this election (after Brexit). There are a lot of statistics thrown around in this area, and a lot of claims and accusations; many of these are true, but at least as many are false – perhaps even slanderous.

Cognitive Dissonance

The Prime Minister has shockingly called for a snap General Election on the 8^th June, aptly described as a “bolt from the blue” by the Telegraph. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, this requires a two thirds majority vote by MPs, suspending the previous prerogative power to dissolve Parliament at any time. The motion was passed this afternoon by a huge margin of 522 to 13, forcing me to confront a dilemma I have been avoiding for some time.

It’s Not Taxing

It’s said that nothing is certain in life except death and taxes, despite the latter’s variability. I believe we should aim for tax rates to be as low as practically possible, but that doesn’t mean tax is essentially a bad thing. Quite the contrary, it is essential to the functioning of modern society, and can even be pragmatically implemented to influence the market toward long-term societal good over short-term economic good (with duties on tobacco and alcohol, for example). I also think we need a wider reform of the tax system, reflecting the flagship welfare reforms of Universal Credit.

A Very British Revolution

Parliament has passed the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, with both House of Lords amendments removed. Once given Royal Assent by HM The Queen, it will allow the government to trigger Article 50 in time for the Prime Minister’s own end-of-March deadline and begin the official two-year process of our exit from the Union.

The Lords’ Amendment

My attention was caught by a sidelined comment at Prime Minister’s Questions last week. Focusing on the announced changes to Personal Independence Payment in light of a recent court decision, the Leader of the Opposition claimed it was his party that introduced parity between mental and physical health in the NHS, and suggested the Prime Minister offer her thanks for their doing so.

Frack

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a recurrent source of polemic news, mired in controversy and intrigue. Arguments range from the genuine potential impact on tourism and the visual environment, to the ethereal spectre of catastrophically devastating earthquakes induced by evil transnational corporations seeking to ravage the countryside for profit.

The Brexit Plan

The government’s objectives for Brexit were finally declared by the Prime Minister in recent weeks. Her long-awaited speech was met with very mixed and often unnuanced reactions, highlighting the lingering societal divisions of the referendum campaign. Ironically, unity struck me as the opening theme of the speech, in sharp contrast to the apparent Brexit mentality of separation.