Here’s What Britain’s Political Parties Should Look Like
Following the Referendum it has become increasingly clear that our existing party-political system isn’t working. It makes no sense for a pacifist socialist like Diane Abbott to sit on the same benches as an interventionist neoliberal like Liz Kendall. Equally it is difficult to see how social conservatives such as Peter Bone and Christopher Chope can remain in a party which legalised same-sex marriage. We need a political realignment, and thanks to Jeremy Corbyn’s intransigence, we might be about to get it. When the existing system does come crashing down, here’s what I think should take its place.
The Green Party
Made up of — ‘Corbynite’ Labour, the Green Party, the Liberal-left.
Key figures — Jeremy Corbyn, Sadiq Khan, Caroline Lucas, Tim Farron.
In the tradition of — Ed Miliband, Harold Wilson, David Lloyd George.
Appeals to — The young and the hard left.
The left wing party. Believes in redistributing income from the 1% and international corporations to Britain’s poorest. Not afraid to step in with price controls, or even nationalisation if they think the market is acting unfairly (e.g. housing, the railways). In terms of social policy they are very progressive, voting in favour of same sex marriage, assisted suicide, drug legalisation, and stronger animal rights legislation. Tackling climate change would be a key priority, even if that comes at the expense of overall growth. In foreign policy they reject the prevailing orthodoxy of realpolitik, favouring sanctions against Israel for its settlement programme, and Saudi Arabia for its human rights violations. The defence budget would be slashed and Trident scrapped, with some of the money being used to increase our international aid budget. They broadly voted in favour of saying in the EU.
The Progressive Party
Made up of — New Labour and the ‘Progressive’ Conservatives
Key Figures — Chuka Umunna, Liz Kendall, Anna Soubry, Stephen Crabb
In the tradition of — David Cameron, Tony Blair, Roy Jenkins, Hugh Gaitskell, Robert Peel
Appeals to — The centre ground, the middle class, the risk averse.
The Progressives have been the dominant force in British politics now for almost twenty years. Their defining characteristic is pragmatism. Taxes high enough to fund public services, but not so high as to deter business. They broadly shun market intervention but are willing to make an exception when its politically expedient. They aim is to take a prominent role on the global stage, be that through ‘soft power’ or more direct intervention. Trident is sacrosanct. When it comes to climate change, their approach is one of gradual improvement, rejecting the drastic policies proposed by the Green Party. They supported remaining in the EU, but believe the organisation needs to change to become more accountable and less bureaucratic.
The Libertarian Party
Made up of — Some ‘Thatcherite’ Conservatives, the ‘Free Market’ Kippers, the Liberal Democrat ‘Orange Bookers’.
Key figures — Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Daniel Hannan, Douglas Carswell.
In the tradition of — Margaret Thatcher (fiscally), Friedrich Hayek, William Ewart Gladstone.
Appeals to — Classical liberals and radical conservatives.
An unknown force in British politics to date, the libertarians are on the right economically but the left when it comes to social policy. They favour low taxation, low government expenditure, privatisation (including of the NHS), and a simplified ‘citizen’s income’ to replace the existing welfare system. Their social policies are largely the same as the Green Party in so far as they take a permissive approach to drugs, prostitution, religious attire, and sexuality etc. Their foreign policy is essentially ‘live and let live’. They don’t believe in military intervention because they don’t think it works, and they would try and find savings in the defence budget. Unlike the Green Party, they are wary of trying to impose Western values on other nations, so they wouldn’t support any move towards human-rights-based sanctions. The Libertarian Party was split over the EU. While members value the Single Market (including free movement), they worry about the democratic deficit.
The People’s Party
Made up of — Social Conservatives and UKIP.
Key Figures — Andrea Leadsom, Nigel Farage, John Mann
In the tradition of — Michael Howard, the Marquess of Salisbury, Benjamin Disraeli, the Duke of Wellington.
Appeals to — Social conservatives, the older generation, the anti-globalisation working class.
The ‘Brexit coalition’. They believe in low taxation, low benefits, and protecting the interests of British industries. Their key priorities are stamping down on crime (though heavier sanctions), cutting immigration, and reducing international aid. Social changes such as gay-marriage, drug liberalisation, and especially the ban on fox-hunting are strongly resented. Climate change is not seen as a priority — indeed they question whether it is happening at all — but they do believe in protecting the beauty of the British countryside. They were fiercely anti-EU, feeling that it undermines Britain’s hard-won independence.
What do you think? Are these the parties to see Britain through the next hundred years? Have I missed anyone out? Send me a tweet @YeIndividualist.
The Individualist
10th July 2016
