New Tories: Eurosceptic, Gay Friendly, Barely Unionist and Definitely Not Libertarian

Friday, 17th July 2009

Conservative Home's survey of 144 of the Tory candidates most likely to enter parliament after the next election is very interesting. It's hardly a surprise that the Tories want British history to be taught in schools, nor that they're in favour of school vouchers and strongly euroscpetic. Nor is it an enormous shock that 48% of them say they would have voted for Barack Obama in the US presidential election (that says more about the state and temper of the contemporary Republican party than it does about either Mr Obama or the Tories).

But it's a sign of how the times have changed that 62% of the Class of 2010 think that same-sex couples should enjoy the same benefits as married heterosexual couples.

And it's also striking that 46% of the next generation of would-be Tory MPs say they are "not uncomfortable about Scotland becoming independent". As Jeff at SNP Tactical Voting suggests, that's an uncomfortable finding for Scottish Tories, some of whom have long-wondered what happens to the Union if England says "no". Now, the Tories aren't there yet and some of this sentiment may simply be a recognition that devolution is here to stay and that if the Scots want to take it all the way to independence then that's their prerogative. It might be a matter for some regret if this old song comes to an end but, well, it's had a good airing and nothing endures forever...

On the other hand, it also creates some difficulties for David Cameron since the combination of a parliamentary party that's clearly going to be less instinctively Unionist and an SNP administration in Edinburgh determined to depict the Tories as a party that's irredeemably hostile to Scottish interests is a pretty toxic one. A Tory party that is less tolerant of some of the inconsistencies and accomodations Unionism has previously embraced as a necessary cost of the deal is one that's likely to further Alex Salmond's interests. (Granted, there's still no majority at Holyrood for a referendum, but still...)

Bizarrely, the Guardian argues that this survey demonstrates that the new breed of Tory is "strongly libertarian". How this poll supports that conclusion is a mystery, given that it finds just 6% of would-be Tory MPs favour relaxing the laws governing the medicinal and recreational use of cannabis while fully 57% either support existing laws of favour toughening them...

Indeed, who'd have thunk that gay marriage would enjoy ten times the support of sensible drug laws? Clearly, some battles still need to be fought and won...

Then again, the Guardian also thinks that the finding that only 32% agree with the statement that intervention to bring about regime change in foreign dictatorships is right in principle, and 57% disagree demonstrates that the Tory party has a "strong isolationist tendency", suggesting that the paper's definition of isolationism is as ignorant and shallow as its idea of libertarianism.

Filed under: Britain (275 more articles) , Drugs (43 more articles) , Libertarians (90 more articles) , Scotland (191 more articles) , Tories (80 more articles)

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Steve

July 17th, 2009 9:43pm Report this comment

Don't forget the Tories have merged with the Ulster Unionists in Northern Ireland. I suspect the mutterings on Scottish independence are more to do with the fact that the SNP are currently better placed to purge Labour MPs of their seats north of the border. Although that may change as the Goldie/Cameron effect is slowly making the Tories palatable in Scotland again.

Richard

July 18th, 2009 3:26am Report this comment

You have found one policy you disagree with, and think is not libertarian. Legalisation has cause problems in the Netherlands, with some calling for a ban due to the wider effects on people who have no interest in cannabis; harming others is certainly not libertarian. However that aside a single policy (that is less authoritarian than a government introducing drastic and illiberal measures against tobacco) when you have listed five libertarian policies and could have found far more hardly makes the choice difficult for libertarians.

I am libertarian. I am not sure what the best drug policy is. However there is no way I could vote for the undemocratic, illiberal LibDems or the self-righteous, interfering Labour Party. By any measure of serious British politics the Conservative Party’s current and prospective MPs are libertarian.

I’m with you on isolationism though. That is a bizarre conclusion.

Wardog

July 18th, 2009 8:48am Report this comment

Damning stuff Alex

Rhoda Klapp

July 18th, 2009 9:18am Report this comment

Freeing you to smoke dope legally is not libertarian but licentious. Freeing all drugs is a libertarian position, but is fraught with difficulty. Just get your dope the usual way and smoke it in private, why don't you. The chance of being caught is minimal, the punishment is light.

Oh, and as a libertarian myself, I want the right to drive at whatever speed I like, long before I legalise Heroin.

Corsair

July 18th, 2009 10:08am Report this comment

I’m a Scot living in Scotland, and I’m a libertarian. An actual libertarian, that is: a fan of von Hayek, Friedman, Popper yadda yadda. I like the union, and have no particular desire to live in a People’s Democratic Republic of Jockistan. Who the f*** should I vote for? Is there even a point?

PS It’s long been a mystery to me why the English don’t just declare UDI

Wyrdtimes

July 18th, 2009 2:35pm Report this comment

"what happens to the Union if England says "no"."

Do you really think that the English are going to have any say in what happens?

the people of the "north east" voted against regional government but we still have the "English regions."

The English weren't consulted or offered a referendum on an English parliament.

The government never says the word "England" even when dealing with England only legislation!

I would say yes, yes, YES to Scottish independence but the English won't be asked because as far as the British establishment is concerned; England doesn't exist.

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