Setting the scene

The Constitution of the Conservative & Unionist Party states that “Its purpose is to sustain and promote within the Nation the objects and values of the Conservative Party”. From Sir Robert Peel’s 1835 Tamworth Manifesto to Michael Ancram’s 2007 booklet “Still a Conservative: Conservative beliefs and principles for the Twenty-first Century”, the Party has regularly attempted to set out its values—to define what makes us Conservatives. In theory—and ideally in practice—these values are the unchanging set of principles that explain who we are and that should be evident in all that we do as a Party. They are applied afresh by each new generation as we develop new policies in response to emerging challenges, ensuring that the Conservative movement stays relevant and up to date. With the Party choosing a new leader, now is a good time to re-examine these foundations.

In 2017-18, over 1,200 CPF members and about 4,000 wider Party members helped us to identify the common set of values that define who we are and inspire our policies:

1. Pro-freedom (freedom of choice, liberty, free speech)

2. Pro-defence (strong national defence, security, safety)

3. Pro-justice (rule of law, justice)

4. Pro-enterprise (living within our means, support for responsible free market economy)

5. Pro-democracy (patriotism, limited government, pro-family, sovereignty, localism)

6. Principled (fairness, integrity, pragmatism, respect)

7. Responsible (personal responsibility and self-reliance)

8. Forward-looking

9. Pro-opportunity (equality of opportunity for all, aspiration, empowerment, education, social mobility)

10. Compassionate (prioritising the vulnerable, social justice, civic-minded)

11. Pro-community (diversity, tolerance, inclusive, openness, international)

Questions for discussion

• On a scale of 0-10, to what extent do you think each of the values identified by Party members through the 2017-18 CPF consultation should define the Party and its activities?

• If you could add one more value to the list, what would it be?

• How important to you are the aspects of each value identified in brackets (e.g. for “pro-freedom”: freedom of choice, liberty and free speech)? are there any extra aspects that you think are missing?

• On a scale of 0-10, to what extent do you think each of the following stakeholders are involved in the process of (i) making and (ii) presenting the Party’s values and policies:

        a. Party leader

        b. Cabinet members

        c. Backbench MPs/Parliamentary candidates

        d. Members of the House of Lords

        e. Ministers’ special advisers

        f. CCHQ’s Conservative Research Department (CRD)

        g. Party/CPF members

        h. Party donors

        i. Voters

        j. The media

        k. Think tanks

        l. Civil servants

        m. QUANGOs

• In what ways do you think the Party could improve how it develops and applies the Party’s values and policy?

• In what ways do you think the CPF could improve how we identify, refine and promote Conservative policy ideas?

• How might these values be better embedded in all aspects of the Party and its activities?

For further details, download the consultation brief.

N.B. Please submit all responses via the online form. A downloadable form is provided for those groups that like to circulate a draft report among participants before submitting their final version.