Conservative Party Conference Extra- Road to the Manifesto

October 6th 2009

By: Graham Wilderoder

This morning a question and answer session was hosted by Oliver Letwin, (Chairman of the Policy Review and of the Conservative Research Department) and Francis Maude (Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster) in Manchester Town Hall. In this session, light was shed on the Conservative Party’s future manifesto plans for the forthcoming General Election.

Here is a quick overview of some answers given to audience members:

Law and Order:

The issues of tackling binge drinking in this country and ‘breaking the drugs culture’ were seen as being important in reducing the causes of crime. They intend to tackle alcohol related issues by giving local authorities more power in the remit of licensing and also by being tougher on supermarket practices. Whilst breaking the drugs culture would involve the rehabilitation of former drug-addicted prisoners, in order to reduce the 70% of them re-offending and going back to prison within two years. This would be done through paying voluntary sector and social organisations to assist with rehabilitation, reducing the long-term social and economic costs to society. In another answer, criticism was also levelled at the “bureaucratic micromanagement,” and the top-down career structure (from the Home Secretary downwards), in the police force. Instead, a move to a more community-orientated police force was proposed, partly through the creation of a serious crime map website, which would allow residents to see the crime statistics in their neighbourhood. Finally, another future aim is to have a police force making decisions as close to the frontline as possible.

Education:

The Conservatives do not want to dramatically alter the exam system. Instead one policy proposed would be to introduce ‘technical schools.’ They would like these to give students vocational diplomas and key GCSEs. Allowing them to compete with other schools and increasing standards across the board as a result.

Whilst in universities, they want to increase the places available during the recession, to raise the number of skilled workers for afterwards. This would be achieved by creating an incentive for some students to pay their loans back early, putting more money back into the system. On the issue of student debt, the present loan system looks like it will remain in place if they were to come into power. As for contact hours, it would be student feedback of universities that could pressure change.

Long Term Goals:

In ten years from now, if they were hypothetically still in power, they hope to have solved the “deficit crisis,” by balancing the books, and the “job crisis,” by not wasting the job opportunities of a generation. Fundamental reforms of public services was mentioned, with the aim of it being more transparent and decentralised. Deregulation of businesses among other points was also raised. They emphasised the long term nature of their goals, and the time required to address some of their above ambitions could take longer than the five years.

Mention was also given in another answer, to starting the planning of a high-speed railway after a possible victory, regardless of the economic crisis. They hope this will have cultural and economic benefits for the UK.

Foreign Policy

With aid they wish to increase transparency in the ‘chain,’ work closely with donor states and civil societies, with weight being put on how the money is spent. In Afghanistan, they hope to ‘re-orientate’ policy, with a more ‘overall development approach’ and creating a stronger, peaceful society. They also emphasised that they were not ‘neo-conservative,’ and reject the idea of imposing social structures on Afghan society.