Tomorrow at Conservative conference

I will attend the Conservative conference tomorrow.

At 11 am I will give a speech on what conservatism is all about at the Lyttelton Theatre , Birmingham Institute, 9 Margaret Street outside security. All are welcome. Mark Francois as Chairman of the European Research Group  and Sir William Cash will also speak.

At 5.30 I am on a CPS panel in the Conference centre  ( ICC Hall 4 Level 5) to discuss What would Margaret Thatcher do? I will concentrate on the pursuit of prosperity through wider ownership and lower taxes.

54 Comments

  1. Bloke
    September 29, 2024

    The Margaret Street speeches should be broadcast into the International Convention Centre to wake up the remaining elements in the party into reality.

    Reply
    1. Lifelogic
      September 29, 2024

      I think the remaining MPs other than at best 20 or so are beyond hope just LibDems.
      “on the pursuit of prosperity through wider ownership and lower taxes. add on less red tape, less crony capitalism, relaxed planning,, less market rigging in energy, transport, education, housing, less low skilled immigration, less employment red tape, no net zero
 so 180 degrees out from the Starma agenda and the Suank agenda then!

      Reply
      1. Lifelogic
        September 29, 2024

        Things like:- In Britain from next Tuesday it will be a criminal offence to keep a chicken without registering it with the authorities.

        Reply
        1. Bloke
          September 29, 2024

          If solely as a temporary emergency measure to prevent imment risk of bird flu, that would be understandable. Beyond that, it is yet another erosion of freedom.

          Reply
          1. Donna
            September 30, 2024

            It’s not even justifiable then. You cannot legislate for every risk in life.

        2. BOF
          September 30, 2024

          LL
          Be sure to register that supermarket chicken. Collapse the system!

          Reply
          1. Bloke
            October 4, 2024

            BOF: You make a great joke, yet I have yet to see a description of the law on solicitor’s sites, newspapers and others that excludes supermarket chickens, so your caveat emptor might be true. So many people make assumptions of their words being read in a certain way, yet that is how misunderstandings occur.

      2. Geoffrey Berg
        September 29, 2024

        M.P.s make me despair. They are so useless and out of touch with reality. Sir Graham Brady has now revealed that only ten Conservative (out of about 350) had actually written a letter before the General Election to get a vote on replacing that surefire loser Rishi Sunak. On the Labour side Rosie Duffield is again just like the little boy in Hans Christian Anderson’s story of The Emperor’s New Clothes who alone is willing to speak the plain truth (though really she should be going back to the electors of Canterbury in a by-election). These M.P.s are living in their own bubble of delusion instead of chatting (I mean chatting incognito more than door knocking at elections) to ordinary people.
        The way things are we’d be better off selecting our Parliament by lottery rather than by elections – though that is undesirable the results could hardly be worse than what we are getting now!

        Reply
  2. Paul Freedman
    September 29, 2024

    Sir John, the party very much needs your advice and guidance as the senior leadership of the party in recent years has actually confused its MPs, party members and everyone else too what the Conservative Party actually stands for.
    The party urgently needs realigning and to get back on track. If it follows your advice it will once again be a successful party which has the solutions to Britain’s difficulties. Thank you.

    Reply
    1. glen cullen
      September 29, 2024

      Hear Hear

      Reply
    2. Peter Wood
      September 29, 2024

      The problem with the PCP is not insufficient good advice, Sir J has been offering it for the last 14 years! The problem is they don’t want to listen to common sense. Will Jenrick listen now? Even he should know that if you earn ÂŁ100 and spend ÂŁ120, then penury awaits. Our way of managing the national accounts needs fundamental overhaul – has Jenrick said he will do this?
      Good luck Sir J, maybe this time they’ll listen.

      Reply
      1. Berkshire alan
        September 30, 2024

        +1

        Reply
    3. Lifelogic
      September 29, 2024

      If only they had followed his sensible advice for the past 40 odd years. Was JR for not joining when Heath did without authority and leaving in 1975? Wilson referendum? He certainly was right on the ERM and most things through the Thatcher to Starmer era, but no one listened

      Reply Indeed.I pointed out Labour lied to us in the 1975 referendum saying it was just a common or free market, not a project for European government. I voted to leave. I opposed the ERM and kept Thatcher out of it whilst at No 10.I wrote a pamphlet explaining the damage joining would do. I argued for the government to leave it before we were driven out. I helped the Conservative Opposition 2005-8 to warn against excessive borrowing* and leverage which duly led to the 2008 banking crash. I argued for better control of spending post 2010 when instead the Coalition hiked taxes too much whilst pretending they had cut spending. I argued against the third tranche of QE money printing which was bound to be inflationary. I am now arguing against bad sales of bonds to make huge avoidable losses. Etc

      Reply
      1. Lifelogic
        September 29, 2024

        Well done JR right on almost everything for 45+ years alas the Tory Party and Labour/Libdim/SNP/Plaid were, and still are, largely wrong on almost everything. Certainly since Thatcher went and even Mrs Thatcher fell for climate alarmism, the EU, the ERM, &failed to cut the state back sufficiently or get free markets in education, housing, healthcare, transport, banking
 despite some good efforts in that direction. But a hugely better compass than today.

        It only they had listened more and thought rationally rather more.

        Reply
        1. John Hatfield
          September 29, 2024

          You should have been prime minister instead of Major, John.

          Reply
  3. Sir Joe Soap
    September 29, 2024

    Too busy for the Conference of the future recently then. Why dabble with the party of the past

    Please move on and move up as they say!

    Reply I was invited to speak at two events at the Conservative conference but not invited to speak at Reform.

    Reply
  4. Mickey Taking
    September 29, 2024

    I wonder how many Conservatives who are now ex-MPs will turn up? The policies and actions which led to resounding defeat need to be discussed. Clearly any repeat of the failings will condemn the Party to voter shrinkage and probably 3rd or 4th position behind Reform and even LibDems. Sir John needs to be crystal clear in his serious criticism to guide what remains away from the error of their ways.

    Reply I have made quite clear my criticisms for the last four years!

    Reply
    1. Mickey Taking
      September 29, 2024

      reply to reply…True but I’m talking about your Conference Speeches.

      Reply
  5. Everhopeful
    September 29, 2024

    I hope they listen well and learn!
    Good luck!

    Reply
  6. Old Albion
    September 29, 2024

    Perhaps Sir JR ypu would ask them to get their collective finger out and elect a new leader. Labour are there for the taking and no one’s doing it !!!

    Reply
    1. Donna
      September 29, 2024

      Rosie Duffield’s given it a good shot. Although she accuses Two-Tier-Free-Gear-No-Idea-Keir of “APPARENT” averice.

      There’s nothing apparent about it.

      Keir-ching!

      Reply
      1. Lifelogic
        September 29, 2024

        all too apparent blatant hypocrisy like pathetic children let loose in a sweet shop. Well said Rosie Duffield.

        Reply
        1. Jim+Whitehead
          September 30, 2024

          LL, curse you, I’m having flashbacks to Cherie Blair and even the neighbours are complaining about my tinnitus!

          Reply
      2. forthurst
        September 29, 2024

        I think she means apparel avarice.

        Reply
  7. Narrow Shoulders
    September 29, 2024

    I look forward to reading the text of the speeches here Sir John. What would Mrs Thatcher do? Perhaps for your Christmas (or even Hallowe’en) pastiche you might write a speech on what would Tony Blair do?

    I can only hope that your common sense approach gains traction among the delegates and passes by osmosis in the parliamentary party but I suspect that my hopes will be dashed. It used to be so easy to vote Conservative, no longer.

    Reply
    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 30, 2024

      Mrs Thatcher would listen to the Alan Walters/Redwood/Sherman advice.

      Reply
  8. Bryan Harris
    September 29, 2024

    As your views are contrary to official thinking it is unlikely that the media will report on the response to and details of your speech and panel appearance.

    Look forward to your writeup of the events.

    Reply
    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 30, 2024

      There is no official ‘thinking’, just the official ‘line to take’.

      Reply
  9. agricola
    September 29, 2024

    You, Mark, and William must have the conviction of Jesuits. Your parrot is dead in its current consocialist form. Directing your fellow Conservative members to get down the road and put their collective support behind Reform, could be your greatest service to a Conservative future. Politics should not be defined by a name, the philosophy is the key.

    Reply
    1. glen cullen
      September 29, 2024

      Agree – You only have to look at the current selection of the candidates in the leadership race ….all libdems

      Reply
      1. glen cullen
        September 29, 2024

        They’re all ‘we’ll review the ECHRs, we want lower immigration, we’re the party that wants lower inflation and taxes’ ….its all talk, they’ve been talking for 14 years …how about committing to a policy, doing the job from day one

        Reply
        1. Mickey Taking
          September 30, 2024

          ‘we want is not the same as we will do’ – in summary of the last 14 years.

          Reply
    2. Lynn Atkinson
      September 30, 2024

      Have you looked closely at the Reform parrot? Is it stuffed? Who exactly are its candidates – never been a ‘leadership race’ – because even under the new constitution, you can’t dislodge the novice, untested ‘leader’.

      Reply
  10. Original Richard
    September 29, 2024

    “I will concentrate on the pursuit of prosperity through wider ownership and lower taxes.”

    There is no hope for “prosperity and lower taxes” whilst both the Government and the Opposition believe that we should pursue the “Great Leap Forward” goal to de-industrialise and ration energy, food and transport through their Net Zero Strategy – Build Back Greener policy.

    To “build back” you first have to destroy the existing system as the unlucky populations governed by the 20th Century Marxist leaders Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot etc. know only too well.

    Reply
    1. Lifelogic
      September 30, 2024

      +1

      Reply
  11. Donna
    September 29, 2024

    Sir John

    Before appearing, I suggest you invest in a badge which says “I told you so.”

    Not that the LibCONs will take any notice.

    Reply
  12. RDM
    September 29, 2024

    ” What would Margaret Thatcher do? I will concentrate on the pursuit of prosperity through wider ownership and lower taxes”

    What would Margaret Thatcher do? First and foremost, she would get a good team around her! Not just Nigel Lawson, because, there are times when we all need challenge! She had some very good, free thinking, Economists around her, even Business Advisors, People that believe in what they are doing!

    There she would establish a narrative describing where we are, as a country!

    Meaning; Stuck with alignment to the EU Customs Union, EU Regulations, and Single Markets rules, all with establishment figures refusing to let go, so she would need Political Support! We are in debt! Very unproductive, very imbalanced with too much emphasize on Finance and Service sector, which alone can’t represent the British Interest and Secure Supply (Food, Energy, Steel,…)! Cutting benefits is going to get you no where, just targeting the Poor! Solve our problems, especially those that would benefit from the Tax cuts, as they are in the most comfortable position! If you think you can’t do it with such cuts, you are not thinking holistically, about an efficient Economy working for everyone! We all need to be investing; money, time, education!

    Then, she would need to establish an Economic Model of the future, and Cultural changes to be aimed at!

    People will need to buy into them!

    Then, she should set out how we would get there, and at what cost!

    So, I believe; this is where we should be, with the candidates setting their version of out! I notice calls for the center ground from George Osborne and T May, over the weekend! I don’t accept this. The center ground is meaningless, and not something I’d support! To me, it would be a waste of even more time!

    For me there is a danger; With the resentment established, over the last 15 years, with the lack of movement on the benefits of Brexit, the resistance to change, with very poor Productivity, very poor house building and NIMBYism, and poor movement against the cost of living and Cost Push Inflation (the lack of UK wide Food, Fish, Energy, production) and the lack of support for an increase in Business Activity rate, a Flexible Economy, and the relevant Tax cuts; Corp, VAT/VAT Thresholds, Fuel Duty,… to increase Supply!

    External/Internationally driven inflation of Energy, Wheat, etc,… is best countered by increasing home grown, secure supply! Especially, home produced, and stored, Gas, Fuel! Why are we Importing so much?

    For me, we need to move back to Free, Flexible Markets, strong regulation and competition authority, and major reforms, back to an Enterprise culture, assuming a banking system to match!

    The last thing we want is a blind free market Libertarian just cutting costs, to drive through a smaller state, and opening our markets to powerful, oversea, forces (China/Indian steel)!

    A David Cameron, George Osborne special! Blind Ignorance! We lost so much high valued manufacturing, which we require even more of today! Many People, that now need benefits, that didn’t before, were reliant on those industry’s, and next the Government starting to cut benefits/pensions and house prices kept raising!

    Lets hope Kemi Badenoch has learnt the lessons of Primary Steel making!

    Next; the constitutional structure of the UK, needs to be reestablished; As it stands we can’t have a UK wide Price Mechanism, open markets to all, with competitiveness the key driver between regions! Flexible internal regions increase flexible economy! Universal Credit is fine with a Customs Union, but stupid in a free market, as it stops Labour bidding up or down, wages 70% of costs!

    And, political operators working against a central government! Devolution cannot work! Blocking the influence, and needs, of the People of the regions, getting to Westminster!

    Devolution cannot, and never has worked! Not for the People of the Regions (25yrs of Welsh Labour, and the Welsh People individual Wealth Generation has gone backwards)!

    Haven’t mentioned the structure of State, that need reform! The size of BA, RN, RAF, Intel, are far too small and under equipped!

    I hope I’ve covered everything, sorry about going on!

    Regards,

    RDM.

    Reply
    1. Ed M
      September 29, 2024

      90% of this comment GREAT! Other 10% not sure about.
      Great comment overall. Thanks.

      Reply
  13. Ian B
    September 29, 2024

    Sir John
    Wish you well with this I am sure it will be well received by all Conservatives. Unfortunately the party organisation, the leadership contenders wont ‘get-it’, wont understand what is said or even want to hear what is said. The Party has been high-jacked by faux conservatives the one nation derivatives that cant call themselves Liberal Democrat and Ed Davy wont welcome the either they are too left wing.
    Its a shame this once great party, hasn’t seen a Conservative since Margaret Thatcher. She wasn’t revolutionary in the political sense of being ideological, not even right wing, she just managed and controlled that what was spent kept in line with what the Country earnt ( taxes are not earnings).
    Some will buy the leaderships contenders reincarnation more fool them and shame on the Party. If you are collectivity responsible one day, your personal history and background says you still inclined to uphold the continuity of failure – that’s exactly what will happen. We have all had enough of the lies.

    Reply
    1. Ian B
      September 29, 2024

      I would guess, pure guess Rosie Duffield would have crossed the floor if she wasn’t moving from one bed of incompetents, sleaze and lies to another.

      Reply
    2. Ian B
      September 29, 2024

      In essence what Margaret Thatcher did was basic ‘home economics’ as practised by the majority of UK households, she balanced expenditure based on actual real earnings. She knew as most government now have forgotten, tax is not an earning, it is the removal of money from the economy. Some would like to call knowing what you can afford balanced against what you can spend is ‘right-wing’, others just get real. You support those that support you, you support those that work with you – this Century has seen a Political Class with wound up perverse ideology just fighting everyone and going no-where and dragging us to a place that is making it difficult to recover from

      Reply
  14. JayCee
    September 29, 2024

    Any chance of viewing your presentations online?

    Reply I will just talk, no texts. It will be based on what I have written here. I will write new blogs based on anything new. Tomorrow’s blog will set out my main thrust.

    Reply
  15. Ian B
    September 29, 2024

    An MP reflecting on the their Party “The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale. I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party.”

    Which Party? They all equally own the accusation

    Reply
    1. Donna
      September 30, 2024

      True. Don’t forget the Tory Boys who rushed to place a “bet” on the date of the election ….. with “insider” knowledge.

      Reply
    2. Mickey Taking
      September 30, 2024

      I had to stop for a moment on hearing that, which Party was she representing? Then it was said the letter was aimed directly at Starmer.

      Reply
  16. David+L
    September 29, 2024

    If you can bring any influence to bear on the Party’s enthusiasm for Net Zero it would be appreciated (although futile considering the zeal for this disaster shown by Labour and Lib Dems.)
    Yesterday I visited the Earth Fair at Wokingham’s All Saints Church. The lady on the Stop Fossil Fuel stand was so depressing in her total inability to grasp reality. I was told that the number of wind turbines needed (which she didn’t know) didn’t matter since “we are surrounded by a lot of sea” and constancy of supply was guaranteed by us having a nuclear power back up. I remember the Friends of the Earth campaigning for the end of nuclear power in the 1970’s. I tried to explain that the average life of a wind turbine at sea was 17 years (from various reports I read). So not only would we need a massive programme of building new, there would also be an ongoing replacement of expired ones. And who is going to make these thousands of turbines? Our industry has been hamstrung by environmental and other considerations. China of course, and they are mining hundreds of thousands of tons of coal as well as buying a lot from other countries while continuing to bring more coal fired power stations into action. The good lady also waxed lyrical about her own, Chinese made, solar panels. I’m reluctant to get into conversation about this subject with people these days as they believe their own propaganda.

    Reply Indeed. The Greens do not usually know all but one of our nuclear stations soon closes. I do point out the implausibilities, costs and damage U.K. net zero policy is causing.

    Reply
    1. Dave Andrews
      September 30, 2024

      Reply to reply
      Do they have to close, or is there the possibility of keeping them going a while longer? No doubt the government will try to do that if they can.
      Then there’s the gas fired power stations. I believe many of these have a short time before they have to be closed as well. I remember reports saying we would be building new ones in the interim before renewables are in place (!exactly), but has the new government put these on hold for the sake of their net zero zeal?
      How long before we can expect rolling power cuts?

      Reply
  17. Abigail
    September 29, 2024

    Wish I could be there, but alas! Work calls, and is particularly busy just now. You will do very well, I know. Will you post transcripts?

    Reply
  18. javelin
    September 29, 2024

    Thatcher would need to remove the increased state before the country became prosperous.

    Including Human Rights Act, migration pact, net zero, supreme court, etc etc.

    Reply
  19. agricola
    September 30, 2024

    Adendum,

    Best wishes for your speech today. I hope plenty of wet one nationals attend and learn something.

    Reply
  20. Hat man
    September 30, 2024

    I see the taxpayer is forking out ever more on wind farm subsidies, which reached a total of over ÂŁ230 million last month alone. This was the third highest total on record, and by far the highest level for the month of August. Is everyone at the Tory party conference happy with that, I wonder?

    I believe the ‘Contract for Difference’ wind farm subsidy system was set up in 2014, when Cameron was in thrall to the LibDems. It will be interesting to hear if anyone at Birmingham suggests it needs drastic revision.

    Reply
  21. Rita
    September 30, 2024

    A thankless task in today’s political climate to get anyone to listen to common sense, but I do wish you all the very best, Sir Jo

    I gave up on the Party this year. All the best MPs are gone and the party faithful has changed beyond recognition in my view.

    Yet still I hope some will listen to your wise words.
    Miracles do happen.

    Reply
  22. hefner
    September 30, 2024

    Anyone interested in the future of the Conservative Party would do well reading Lord Ashcroft’s ®Losing it: The Conservative Party and the 2024 General Election’.
    And getting as far as possible from the divagations of Lettuce Truss (or of her supporters).

    Reply
  23. James4
    September 30, 2024

    Well Sir John by now you will have met them all again including headbangers and ERG types also ex PM Truss your protĂ©gĂ© from the ‘trickle down’ past – I hear she is hoping for another crack at the no.10 job. Wow! such confidence – so then any other insider snippets you’d like to share? – wow! Talk about living in interesting times.

    Reply

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