The leaders of The Right

Yesterday evening we noted that 'The Right' was quite an unsatisfactory term but in the April survey of members we asked Tory members to vote for 'the most powerful voice of the Right' (a voice from within Parliament but not serving on the frontbench).  We'll be unveiling the results for the frontbench tomorrow.  This list of twelve followed a rudimentary shortlisting process on this page.  The results represent the views of 1,657 Tory members.

1st: John Redwood MP: 27%

The man who, in 1995, resigned as Welsh Secretary to challenge John Major for the Conservative Party leadership is the most powerful parliamentary voice of 'the Right' according to just over a quarter of Tory members.  David Cameron appointed Mr Redwood to run the party's policy group on economic competitiveness and his recommendation to abolish inheritance tax has (largely) been accepted by the party.  His scepticism about green taxation and controls on development have also tended to prevail over the more restrictionist approach favoured by John Gummer's policy group.  Mr Redwood has put forward his own ideas for a 'practical environmentalism'.  Now blogging on a daily basis, ConservativeHome has previously paid tribute to the economic insight of his regular posts.

2nd: Lord (Norman) Tebbit: 25%

The former Tory Party Chairman and scourge of trade union barons was just 2% behind John Redwood as the leading right-of-centre voice.  With Britain's first woman Prime Minister unable to make serious, public political interventions anymore Lord Tebbit is seen by many as the pre-eminent keeper of the Thatcherite flame.  He was in the newspapers recently calling for the Conservative Party to focus on winning the support of the millions of voters who have stopped participating in the democratic process.  Also recently, he attacked Michael Gove's views on Tony Blair and defended Tony Blair's decision to stop the probe into British Aerospace's arm sales to Saudi Arabia.

3rd: Iain Duncan Smith MP: 14%

Another policy group chief, Iain Duncan Smith, is third on the list.  The former Conservative leader's social justice work has restored a reputation that took such a battering when he was leader.  His Centre for Social Justice is hugely influential on Project Cameron and he now works closely with politicians from other parties.  This cross-party character may have produced the large number of comments from readers as to whether IDS could still be thought of as "right-wing".  The great strength of IDS' commitment to poverty-fighting is that it is based on an authentically conservative worldview.  He sees the free institutions of civil society as central to defeating the poverty that has come to characterise too much of big state Britain.

4th: Dan Hannan MEP: 12%

Dan Hannan, who topped his regional list when MEPs were recently reselected, came fourth in the vote of members.  One of the party's most Eurosceptic parliamentarians he has been a leading critic of the EPP and has also advocated leaving the EU altogether.  His widely-read Telegraph blog keeps him in the public eye.  Yesterday he posted about EU sleaze: "The truth is that MEPs are drawn into an intrinsically corrupting system: a system that tends, over time, to turn good people into crooks. From the moment you arrive, you are encouraged in a particular habit of thinking. You feel insulated from – even contemptuous of – public opinion."  Dan Hannan, an opponent of the Iraq war, is probably the most libertarian of this top tier of 'voices of the Right'.  He now backs Barack Obama for the US Presidency but has previously stated a preference for Ron Paul. 

5th: Ann Widdecombe MP: 7%

In favour of the unborn child.  Against fox hunting.  In favour of marriage.  Against the A-list.  Ann Widdecombe is respected across the political spectrum for her authenticity.  She'll be missed when she leaves the Commons at the next General Election.

6th: Michael Howard MP: 5%

2% behind Ann Widdecombe is Michael Howard.  Perhaps like Iain Duncan Smith, Mr Howard isn't seen as being of 'the Right' in the same way after being leader.  As Home Secretary he oversaw massive changes in the criminal justice system and a consequent and substantial reduction in the level of crime.  David Cameron was Mr Howard's clear choice as his successor.

7th: Edward Leigh MP: 5%

A staunch opponent of the Iraq war.  Eurosceptic.  A tax cutter.  A defender of the family.  Edward Leigh - who, with John Hayes - founded the Cornerstone group of Tory MPs is now Chairman of the influential Public Accounts Committee.  Only today Mr Leigh is in the press targeting the wastefulness of the BBC.

8th: Lord (Michael) Forsyth: 2%

George Osborne appointed the former Scottish Secretary to run his Tax Reform Commission.  Lord Forsyth recommended £21bn of tax cuts and believes that the Tory Party should take a tougher approach to public spending if there really is to be a 'sharing of the proceeds of growth'.  At the weekend he backed an early referendum on the Union for Scotland and England.  He fears that a delayed vote will only play into the hands of SNP leader Alex Salmond.

9th: Lord (Nigel) Lawson: 1%

The former Chancellor has returned to prominence recently with his sceptical views on climate change.  He has attacked biofuels as 'useless' and compared carbon offsetting to the indulgences of the medieval church.

10th: Graham Brady MP: 1%

Mr Brady hit the headlines nearly a year ago when he resigned from the frontbench over the leadership's grammar schools policy.  A eurosceptic, free-marketeer he recently warned of the consequences for Britain's economic competitiveness of Labour's plan to tax the airlines industry.

11th: Michael Fallon MP: 1%

Mr Fallon - ConservativeHome's Parliamentarian of the Year - has become a champion of the party's small government wing.  He has raised serious questions over George Osborne's approach to the taxation of non-doms.  He also opposes the Tory decision to match Labour's spending growth.

12th: John Whittingdale MP: 0.5%

A former chief aide to Margaret Thatcher, Mr Whittingdale chairs the Culture, Media & Sport Select Cttee.  His blueprint for BBC reform has hugely influenced the draft Tory policy of forcing the BBC to share the licence fee with other broadcasters.  'Whitto' is a leading candidate to succeed Sir Michael Spicer as Chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs.

Comments

[Ken Stevens]

I have never understood the justification for Mr Redwood having been dubbed The Vulcan. Maybe just a passing jibe by opponents within & outside the party that unfortunately stuck?

(Yet 'Mr Bean' Miliband is touted as a possible future leader of Labour?!! Bleedin' 'eck.)

Mr R's talents should be fully utilised as a front bencher.

[MakaraFan]

I like the fact that you have used a *left* wing to illustrate this post.

[Richard]

What about Roger Helmer?

[Jon]

Ann Widdecombe won't be missed. When an MP starts to exploit their status as an elected representative to do television adverts for pasta, its time they left the Commons.

[Jitter]

Redwood and Tebbit?!

That's the right well and truly down the toilet!!

[comstock]

"What about Roger Helmer?"

Richard, it says 'a voice from within Parliament but not serving on the frontbench'

Helmer is an MEP not an MP

[Robert McIlveen]

What's interesting is how these are mainly figures from the past - it would be interesting to ask who their equivalents on the left of the party would be.

[prziloczek]

I read Daniel Hannan's and John Redwood's blogs regularly.
Both are quite excellent - well thought out and in really clear English too.
Much to be recommended.

[Richard Calhoun]

John Redwood is an excellent MP and his strengths appear to be economics.

He has worked well within the present Tory Front bench and the sooner he is given a more senior post the better

[Richard]

Does the "Tory Right" encompass:
a)libertarian free marketeers
b)authoritarian traditionalists
c)a mixture of both?

or only one or two of these?

[comstock]

Interesting question, richard. Arguably groups a) and b) disagree about at least as much as they agree on.

[Phillip Noel Baker]

A good list of persons normal people can't stand. Well done!

[Margaret on the Guillotine]

Ahahahaha. Redwood? Tebbit? IDS? Edward Leigh?

"The Right" really don't get it, do you? Really *really* don't get it? Not just that they're deliberately pouring scorn on anyone who might be - horror! - a "liberal" (used in it's non-offensive English, not American, sense - because this is Britain after all), but you reeee-a-lly don't get it.

The British public does not want Edward Leigh nosing into its private life. It does not want Ann Widdecombe or the divine Miss Dorries telling it that abortion is banned. It doesn't even want IDS telling it to get married or else be castigated for ever more. It does not want the abolition of the welfare state in favour of some idealised Victorian virtuous self-reliance either.

Instead it wants the resources of the state used for good, in providing a safety net and encouraging industry, if need be through direct financial promotion. None of this is out of kilter with real Tory philosophy. The worshipped Lady may not like it much but the public says "Tough. She isn't the be all and end all of politics".

Thankfully, the majority of the modern Conservative Party is in line with centrist thinking too. It instead likes the secular Conservatism put forward by Cameron, as evidenced by your last article on "the Right" with even Tory members realising the harmful effects of the dogmatists and the core vote strategies on their chances at the next election.

And no, before the commenters start, that isn't Tories being "brainwashed" by the BBC away from "real Conservative" ends. It is the assertion of real British Toryism over Whiggish economic policy and American social policy within the Tory Party. Three cheers for that.

[ross warren]

The reason Redwood was originally called the Vulcan was because he was supposed to be intelligent and lacking in emotion. Like all such jibes it was not very accurate. Although he may lack a certain empathy with normal folk that being those who's IQ's are below 150. I prefer the more cutting "the Welshman" referring to his perfect grasp of the Welsh language and his amazing singing voice.

[marian.warren]

If we are going to win the next election then we need to keep the mad dogs of the right firmly on their leads. The last thing we need right now is a barrage of foolish remarks from these political dinosaurs. We should also distance ourselves from the Iron Maiden because people have long memory's. Like Labour we need to control our more out of order personality's whilst being vocal about our more caring and responsible instincts.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Slightly suprised that Redwood is ranked higher than IDS. Many of IDS' ideas are likely to become party policy whereas Redwood's ideas have not been taken up.
Undoubtedly the 'right' are being eclipsed in the Conservative Party at the moment with few of the names above having much influence.I suspect though that if they argue their case with skill people like Dan Hannan could still have a big role to play in our party. I hope so.

[Richard]

"Instead it wants the resources of the state used for good, in providing a safety net and encouraging industry, if need be through direct financial promotion."

By "resources of the state" you mean tax money, money that is extracted from the most productive members of society who are not allowed to say "no, I would prefer to choose how my money is spent". Fortunately we see a lot of businesses moving abroad to where taxes are lower. I say "fortunately" because if enough businesses do so then the welfare state will be brought crashing to its knees and there will be no more arrogant demands for the confiscation of the wealth of the successful.

[Dr Edmound Smith]

Richard is making the kind of ill thought out comment that will have to be suppressed if this party is going to return to power. The Welfare state's destruction would result in a revolution as those at the bottom of the pile rightly looked for revenge on those who have befitted most from our economy. The simple fact is the welfare state is popular for all the right reasons. It offers a safety net to the sick and a place of refuge to the unfortunate. Thankfully people like Richard are few and far between in the party today, but those that remain much like the militant tendency of the old Labour party do great damage with they self centered mutterings. Frankly we should treat them like militant and show them the door.

[Richard]

"Richard is making the kind of ill thought out comment that will have to be suppressed"

And how do you intend to suppress me?

"Frankly we should treat them like militant and show them the door."

Show me the door from where? Are you suggested I be banned from posting on this site? Or be thrown out of the Conservative Party in which I have zero influence?

[Richard]

PS Whether you agree with me or not the fact is that businesses are doing a runner. Perhaps you can suggest ways we bring them back?

[Libertarian]

"Does the "Tory Right" encompass:
a)libertarian free marketeers
b)authoritarian traditionalists
c)a mixture of both?

or only one or two of these?"

The Tory Right is made up of authoritarian traditionalists rather than libertarian free marketeers. The Right includes Fox, IDS, Leigh and Howard. It does not include Redwood, Fallon, Forsyth or Lawson. They are libertarian radicals not right-wing Tories.

[Libertarian]

Malcolm Dunn is wrong. Many on the so-called Right, especially the neo-conservatives, are at home in the authoritarian Cameroon big tent. Most of Fox's supporters, including the Cornerstone Groupers, supported Cameron against Davis. It is the libertarian free marketeers who have been excluded and purged. That's why Redwood and Fallon are not on the frontbench.

[Chad Noble]

""What about Roger Helmer?"

Richard, it says 'a voice from within Parliament but not serving on the frontbench'

Helmer is an MEP not an MP"

Comstock, when did Dan Hannan become an MP?

[Afleitch]

The voice of the economic right, as opposed to the social right is easily Alan Duncan. I guess the above shows how difficult it is to define the 'right'

[Amy]

John Redwood. A man who feels that date-rape should be considered a 'disagreement between lovers

[Amy's Mum]

Err, Amy, he said nothing of the sort. Either you didn't read the article in question or you're seeking to misinterpet it. Don't be so pathetic.

[Amy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/1572962/John-Redwood-Treat-date-rape-differently.html

I think you'll find he did. And This is written in the Telegraph so you can be pretty sure it's not anti-Redwood.

[Amy's Mum]

I think you'll find he didn't. Try reading the original artcle, rather than just blindly swallowing whatever the media choose to put in front of you.

[Thomas]

Amy has a point, sorry you insulting swine taking up a name "Amy's Mum". Redwood sets that out in open language.

If you think date rapists are slightly less dangerous than psychopaths on the street, okay maybe, we can debate that. Yet he does use the language "disagreement" and to say that “Young men do not want to have to take a consent form and a lawyer on a date" is amazing!

How conservative is that? It is implicit support for the casual sex culture that facilitates date rape!

Instead of standing up and saying this is what a good man does and how he treats a lady, this is a virtual defence of the average sexual predator, who is not a psychopath, but gets what he wants out of women because he can get away with it.

[Marian]

Lord Tebbit seems to have forgotten that he represents this party in any way shape or form. His recent comments have been wicked and destructive. Thankfully he will not be getting his hands on the reigns of power. I have always seen Tebbit as a, jester. Something of a hangover from a differ ant age, Tebbit belongs in a museum far away from Westminster.

[generic viagra]

Iron maiden is one of the best rock band from the history, songs like fear of the dark, the number of the best are awesone

[NFL Jerseys]

The voice of the economic right, as opposed to the social right is easily Alan Duncan. I guess the above shows how difficult it is to define the 'right'