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What are Conservatism's "great goals"?

By Tim Montgomerie
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John Rentoul Tweeted that the presentation of yesterday's ConHome conference resembled a 1982 Michael Foot event. Kevin Culwick, Director of LordAshcroftPolls.com, joked that there was a Soviet look to the event! I certainly wanted a different feel to the event... although I made have gone too far. If you weren't at the event here's another look at the banners...

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TOP: This banner captures a conservative emphasis on work, family and education - rather than state welfare - as providing the best underpinnings of social progress.

BOTTOM: This banner sets out six great goals for conservatism ---

A nation in charge of its destiny...

Low taxes for the low-paid...

Home ownership for the many...

Full employment...

Decent pensions for all...

World class schools and hospitals.

You don't have to agree with my choice of 'great goals' to, I hope, appreciate my belief that we need to communicate that, like the Left, we have great ambitions for the country. We need to talk a little less about means (eg deregulation, encouraging enterprise, school choice) and a little more about ends (eg full employment, affordable housing). One of the reasons that younger and more idealistic people don't join the Conservative Party is because our language is too technical. We don't adequately describe the country we envisage after we've reduced the deficit, localised power and introduced payment-by-results.

Do you agree?

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