29th Sep 2008
The Conservative Party Conference
Last week we shared our thinking on the Labour Conference. Here is the considered Weber Shandwicktake on this week’s conservative gathering in Birmingham. I guess the point we are trying to make is that they will have much bigger issues to discuss then the UUP - Tory love in.
Whilst Gordon Brown’s government has suffered through the Northern Rock, data loss and by-election sagas since last September, David Cameron’s Conservatives have gone from strength to strength. Taking their cue from Brown’s election U-turn, the Tories have since delivered landslide local election gains, a Conservative Mayor of London and the first Conservative by-election gain for 26 years. Given the Conservatives’ strong position in the polls, it is hardly surprising that Cameron is approaching this year’s Conference baying for a general election.
Yet while some within the Party may be allowing themselves to get carried away, key insiders acknowledge that widespread enthusiasm for ousting Labour has yet to be matched by public enthusiasm for a Conservative government. The main aim for the Conservatives will therefore be to convince onlookers that they are both fit and prepared for office.
Adhering to tried and tested wisdom used by both Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair whilst in Opposition, the Conservative leadership is expected to steer clear of making hard commitments which could alienate some voters in the run up to the next election. This year’s keynote Conference speeches from the Shadow Cabinet are therefore more likely to represent attempts to maintain the current momentum through broad promises of fresh thinking, increased efficiency and accountability.
Birmingham’s past and future will be the theme for the Conservative Conference this year. Speakers will use Birmingham as a case study to showcase their plans for the future. The Shadow Cabinet will also take time out during the Conference to perform voluntary work in and around the Birmingham area.
Conference Agenda
As with the previous Conferences under Cameron, the days will be arranged around key domestic and international issues. However, unlike last year, there is no time for a guest speaker on the agenda. It would seem the Leadership sees this year’s Conference as too significant to allow the focus to waver. Similarly, there has also been markedly little time allocated to Boris Johnson to set out his vision for London, as the emphasis is instead placed firmly on the Shadow Cabinet.
Sunday’s first sessions are dedicated to the Conference theme of Birmingham and to celebrating the past year’s electoral successes. After this, and a short interlude from London’s Mayor, it will be down to business as the Party looks to woo Britain’s disillusioned electorate. Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox will outline plans to repair the links between the country and the armed forces, followed by an account of the Conservatives in the nations and regions, where Labour are fast losing ground. Monday will begin with a look at the economy as George Osborne and his team are expected to attack the Government’s performance during the credit crunch. The afternoon session will examine the NHS at 60 and care for Britain’s older people, where the Government have recently come in for criticism from groups such as Help the Aged. Tuesday’s agenda will expand on the recent Conservative pledge to “mend Britain’s broken society”. Shadow Secretary of State for Children Schools and Families Michael Gove, Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve and Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Chris Grayling will outline their visions to transform the school, criminal justice and welfare systems, as well as strengthening the family unit
Wednesday will bring the post-election vision to a crescendo, as Chairman of Conservative Policy Review Oliver Letwin and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Francis Maude confirm the Conference’s intentions in the bluntly titled discussion “Preparing for Government”. After a nod to the environment and international issues from Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles and Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague respectively, David Cameron will rally the troops in what is, most likely, the penultimate Party Conference before the nation goes to the polls.
On the Fringe
Each year, the fringe agenda offers businesses and other interested groups the opportunity to influence the direction of the Conservative Conference as front bench representatives join the experts in discussions relevant to their remits. This year’s fringe agenda is dominated by the “broken society” theme, and will feature a number of events looking at reforming the schools and welfare systems, improving skills, regenerating cities and supporting Britain’s poorest communities. On Tuesday, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Chris Grayling will address the subject directly in a session entitled “Fixing Britain’s Broken Society”.
The agenda also provides an opportunity for discussion on headline current events. On Monday, for example, former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis will be among the speakers proposing solutions to the problems of gun and knife crime. Tuesday’s session on “President Obama or President McCain: Who should a Tory vote for?” threatens to split opinion over the Party’s historic ties with the Republican Party.
Traditionally, the fringe agenda provides an opportunity for Conservative Party members to speak candidly about the Party’s policies and direction. Though most of the events look to be safe bets for the leadership, Monday’s afternoon session “The NHS at 60: Time for Retirement?” may raise opinions that sit uncomfortably with David Cameron’s pledge to make the Conservatives “the Party of the NHS”. Also on Monday, Chairman of Conservative Policy Review Oliver Letwin will be challenged to answer the doubters in a discussion entitled “How progressive are the New Conservatives?”. In a fringe programme largely bereft of danger spots, it will be important for the key figures to perform well in these sorts of discussions, in order to dispel doubts over their future ability to govern.
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