AFTER the Labour landslide, the Conservative Party faces the huge challenge of trying to rebuild itself. Some Tories want to move to the Right, and, perhaps, even into some kind of alliance with Nigel Farage. But this would be to betray some core Conservative values — in particular, those that have Christian roots.
Christian Conservatism values the past as a source of stability and wisdom. National unity is represented by the universal reach of the Church of England and the continuity of the monarchy. Everybody belongs, being bound together by common interests that are stronger than class divisions or ideology. Everyone has some responsibility for promoting the common good, and, in this sense, traditional Conservatism is essentially participative. This is why, in the end, many Tories struggled with the Rwanda policy. Immigration must be managed, but you can’t just throw people out.
Lord Cameron, when he was Prime Minister, called this kind of Conservatism “the Big Society”. It is still around, more in the countryside than in the cities, more in the armed services than in the social services.
Margaret Thatcher was suspicious of this kind of Conservatism — a suspicion revealed in the phrase “our people”, which she sometimes used. John Major understood it, though he ruined it with the cliché of the old maids cycling to communion. Lord Cameron seemed to get it, but he spoiled it with his unwise lobbying ventures after he stood down. Boris Johnson never had time for it, because his heart craved drama, and the point of traditional Conservatism is to reduce the drama and let everyone get on with their lives. Theresa May understood this. Liz Truss didn’t. Rishi Sunak, in an Easter message last year, described Christian communities as an important part of the national fabric, and praised the Christian values of “tolerance, compassion, and charity”.
Today, ironically, the nearest articulation of “One Nation Conservatism” comes not from Conservative politicians, but from Sir Keir Starmer. Tomorrow’s Conservatives have time now to learn why this unglamorous party leader won such a convincing majority. The victory has been called wide, not deep — and that is, perhaps, the point.
If the Tories opt for the Farage option, they might find themselves prisoners of an ideology that is hostile to the Christian heritage. Not all will see this. Danny Kruger, for example, (still MP for East Wiltshire) used to write speeches for Lord Cameron in which he tried to promote greater respect for Christian culture. But, on social issues, he veered away from consensus, supported Brexit, and has been a long-term friend and ally of Dominic Cummings.
If they are going to influence the party and work for that elusive common good, Christian Conservatives need to return to the insights of faith. Social righteousness is a quest, not a given. It is stability, not revolution, that allows everyone a chance to fulfil their aspirations.