Time for a New Party of the Right

When pollster ask the British public about issues of governance, there is usually a majority in favour of policies which most people would typify as Right Wing.

This is particularly so when the questions are contentious. For example immigration, capital punishment, benefits and work, crime and punishment.

This Right Wing constituency is not well served by our current political parties.

The Conservatives are centrist. Although many of their MPs do actually favour proper Right Wing policies, the leadership cannot. This is for good electoral reasons. In order to win elections they have to appeal to voters outside their traditional supporters. That means attracting disaffected Liberal Democrats and Labour supporters who would be frightened off by policies too overtly on the Right.

So if there is a natural majority for Right wing policies, why don't the Conservatives have a natural majority?

Well, it's because many people do not vote for policies, they vote for a Party. Many of those with Right Wing views are from the British working class. They have a long and deeply embedded history of voting Labour, and tribal loyalties would never allow them to vote Tory. Despite many Tory policies that fit better with their basic instincts. (Many of these are BNP supporters, a surprising jump from the soft Left to the very hard Right).

A great many of these 'Labour by tradition' voters are in the Celtic fringes of Scotland and Wales. (In England the Conservatives have a majority almost 'built in'). In those areas, historically, the Conservatives are irretrievably linked to wealthy land owners and factory bosses. The decline of heavy industries and the 1980s Conservative government's removal of the subsidies essential for their survival hit those areas hard. Not only did that reinforce their traditional image, but much of the employment which replaced it was in the public sector. A long standing source of Labour supporters.

All very good reasons why the Conservative Party can never be a standard bearer for principled Right Wing views.

The BNP has been growing in popularity, and many of its policies do articulate the views of that inbuilt right wing majority. But - and it's a very large, deal breaking, but - It is hopelessly contaminated with the politics of hatred and thuggishness. Its current leader, Nick Griffin has done a lot to make it more electable. But, in the past he has been linked to outrageous statements, kept some very dubious company and encouraged hostility based entirely on race. He has tried to disclaim his former life, but his opponents will never let him forget it. And despite some decent and respectable supporters the BNP still has some very unsavoury characters in both its rank and file and its leadership. 

The natural standard bearer for the Right should be UKIP. They are respectable, untainted by violence or racism, have a charismatic orator as leader in Nigel Farrage and are generally to the Right of the Conservatives. So what's the problem?

They are clearly perceived as a single issue party. Even their name reinforces that view. Nigel Farrage is an MEP, so every well known speech he makes is about the EU. They do have distinctive Right Wing policies, but they all seem to eventually concern the EU. Their web site seems entirely concerned with - the EU. Even their party logo features a pound sterling symbol clearly in opposition to - the Euro.

Nobody can doubt the EU and our place in it is a critically important factor in the future of this country. But do voters regard it as the most important issue right now? No, they are much more concerned about the economy, immigration and unemployment. It is possible and maybe justifiable, to link these issues back to the EU. But in the simplistic world of political presentation the link is too extended to resonate with voters. It can too easily become "just UKIP banging on about the EU again".

I wish most sincerely, that UKIP could become the new party of the Rational Right, but sadly I see no signs of that happening.

So, it seems to me that the UK needs a new party of the Rational Right (just a provisional working title). One untainted by violence and racism. And certainly one unconnected to slightly crackpot religious groupings like the American Tea Party!  A secular party that reflects the views of millions of respectable British men and women. It would not be a party of government. There is not enough electoral support for that, and the British system works heavily against minority parties. But it would be a party that could take votes from the BNP, the Conservatives, traditional Labour party working class supporters and sadly UKIP.

So, a major plank of policy would be to openly state they would enter into a coalition government with the Conservatives. Certainly such a party would be a much more comfortable fit for the Tories than the current Liberal Democrat alliance. It would give comfort to those concerned the Rational Right was a stalking horse for rather nasty right wing extremism and it might even give comfort to traditional Conservatives concerned about the Party's drift to the centre.

As for other policies, I think they are fairly obvious. Just look at the opinion polls. And incidentally, I think the Rational Right should support far more direct democracy, with major policy matters being put directly to the electorate with referenda. As for the name, well it could be The Rational Right, but I would prefer something that connects with the middle and working classes, does not sound too nationalistic and without any historical baggage from this country or any other. The People's Democratic Party? Answers on a post card please to . . . or maybe just leave a comment here.