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Can the Scottish Conservatives become the true Tartan Tories?

The Conservative party’s dearth of support in Scotland is one of the reasons why we got a hung parliament in 2010. In 1997, the Conservatives were completely wiped out north of the border, their vote share reduced to 17.5 per cent. Fourteen years, two leaders and numerous reforms later, 250,000 more voters were lost in May 2011.

The received wisdom is that Margaret Thatcher’s time in office was the fatal blow to popular Scottish Conservatism. However, Iain Gray’s anti-Thatcher rhetoricfailed to rouse Labour support earlier this year. Scottish Conservatives are no longer seen as a threat, more an irrelevancy. Alex Salmond, the First Minister, even said that Scots simply “didn’t mind the economic side” of Mrs Thatcher’s policies.

One World Conservatism is an idea that defines David Cameron, but has he defined it?

In July 2009, David Cameron launched the Conservative party’s new international aid agenda with a distinctly One Nation feel to it, under the title of One World Conservatism. The phrase has rarely reappeared despite it being one of the defining features of the modern Conservative party. David Cameron has adopted an internationalist stance in a globalised world.

The most prominent policy is international aid. The coalition government has pledged to spend 0.7 per cent of GNP on aid by 2013, meaning a £12.6 billion budget for Dfid by 2015, in order to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals. The Conservative party is encouraging the spread of international aid organisations, NGOs and numerous pressure groups which now constitute what some are calling ‘international civil society’. David Cameron’s International Citizen Service seems to reinforce this idea. However, international aid is also being used to boost economic growth by investing in infrastructure, training, roads, railways, internet and microfinance projects.

What does the 21st century Conservative party stand for?

The preservation of institutions has always been a guiding principle of the Conservative party. In the ‘Tamworth Manifesto’ of 1834, traditionally seen as the founding moment of the party, Sir Robert Peel stated his belief in traditional Tory values and the importance of institutions. As the historian Andrew Roberts put it, in his superb work about another Conservative leader, Salisbury: Victorian Titan, the Conservative party has stood for:

“The Established Church, the British Empire, the House of Lords, High Tory and High Church Oxford, Crown prerogatives, the rights of property, the landed aristocracy, the Act of the Union…the very foundations of English governing society.”

Most of these institutions have either faded into history, are in their last death throes, or currently at threat. With such rapid change in the fabric of British society, what does the 21^st century Conservative party stand for?

The eurozone crisis: what Cameron & Osborne must do next

Eurozone leaders have announced a new €109 billion bailout package for Greece, which includes restructuring Greece’s national debt and inflicts further cuts to public spending. Money markets have rallied but the fear is that this cannot last. Meanwhile, Westminster remainsmesmerised by the hacking scandal.

Ireland and Portugal have already been bailed out. Greece has now been bailed out twice. Italy is teetering on the edge of collapse and Spain looks risky - bond markets remain turbulent. A new European rescue fund is reported to have $464 billion ready to defend these two countries should markets scramble. If any of these eurozone countries fall to an uncontrolled default then financial contagion could spread right across the continent, cause the eurozone’s collapse and unleash a new global recession.

Officers and Committee for Michaelmas Term 2011

Following the Elections and TGM, the following members are elected to serve as the Executive and Committee for Michaelmas Term 2011

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Notice of Elections

Polls will be held for the elections of Vice-Chairman and of Secretary on Thursday 16th June, in the Anchor Inn, Silver Street from 11am until 2pm.
All members of the Association, who joined before the opening of nominations (June 2nd 2011) are entitled to vote. Please bring your University Card with you, as it may be required as identification. It is not possible to vote by proxy or by post.

The Candidates, whose manifestos are linked by their names:
For VICE-CHAIRMAN to serve in MICHAELMAS 2011 and thence to ascend to CHAIRMAN in LENT 2011:
PRICE, Sophie

TURNHAM, Edward

For SECRETARY to serve in MICHAELMAS 2011
GOODE, Michael

MOTTRAM, James

Any questions may be directed to the Returning Officers at ro@cuca.org.uk.
Mike Morley (Chairman, Easter 2008)

Callum Wood (Chairman, Lent 2011)

Returning Officers

CUCA is pleased to annouce the appointment of a new Vice-President

CUCA is pleased to annouce that following last term’s Termly General Meeting motion to approach the Right Honourable Andrew Mitchell MP, the Secretary of State for International Development, to become our new honorary Vice-President, Mr. Mitchell has graciously accepted the position.

Mr. Mitchell has a long history of association with CUCA. He was an undergraduate at Jesus College where he studied History. He was Chairman of CUCA in Michaelmas in 1977 and President of the Union in 1978. He has also provided a great deal of assistance to CUCA during his Parliamentary career and has spoken to the Association on a number of occasions. We are delighted to have Mr. Mitchell as our Vice-President.

Royal Wedding Gin and Tonic and Edward Garnier QC, MP

The Royal Wedding Gin and Tonic party has been moved to Wednesday 4th May in the Old Kitchens at Queens’ College. We shall thus be celebrating the 5 day anniversary of the happy couple. This will require more Gin consumption than previously planned, so we hope to see many of you there!

CUCA is also delighted to welcome Mr Edward Garnier QC, MP to speak to us on Friday 6th May. Mr. Garnier is the current Solicitor-General and is on the socially liberal wing of the Tory Party. A former Guardian lawyer, his talk will be on ‘Politics, Government, and the Law’.

Easter 2011 Termcard

The Easter 2011 Termcard is now available for your perusal. Please note that some of the timings and locations may be subject to change.

CUCA termcard ppt

Obiturary of Sir Simon Milton

Sir Simon Milton was a graduate of Gonville and Caius College and former Chairman of CUCA in Michaelmas 1982. He was also President of the Cambridge Union during his undergraduate career. Sir Simon was born into a family which ran a chain of patisserie shops in North London, where his experiences of the high taxation on businesses influenced his later political career. He was leader of Westminister Council from 2000 to 2008, during which time it was noted for imposing some of the lowest council tax rises. He was knighted for services to local government in 2006, and became Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff to Boris Johnson in 2008. His contributions to City Hall included drawing up the London Plan, the Mayor’s vision for London, and acting as liason between Boris and central government.

Diagnosed with leukaemia in 1990, the long-term damage to his lungs led to his untimely death at the age of 49 on Monday. Boris Johnson said, “In Simon Milton London has lost a brilliant public servant and one of the nicest and cleverest men in politics.” He is survived by his Civil Partner Robert Davis, to whom we extend our sympathies.

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