Sajid Javid on the forthcoming defining decade for Britain
As he sets out his stall to be Conservative party leader and Prime Minister, the home secretary Sajid Javid has a powerful piece on the CAPX website,
"A defining decade for our party and our country."
He begins by saying that
"I believe we are at the dawn of a defining decade – a decade in which building the foundations of our post-Brexit future will just be the start. From changes in the balance of global power to the impact of disruptive technologies, there are new shifts in the tectonic plates beneath us. The traditional dividing lines of politics are tilted by nationalism and populism."
He goes on to argue that today the country faces different issues to the ones our traditional politics has evolved to address, and
"To a whole generation of voters, the pillars of our political philosophy have no purchase or meaning whatsoever. Our task is not simply to win the same arguments all over again, but to demonstrate how politics and our party can be relevant and make a positive difference in people’s lives.
First and foremost, the referendum result reflected years of underlying frustrations about the European Union, and a lack of meaningful consultation about the way it had evolved. That said, it’s also clear that the bitter divide over Europe reflects deep frustration and division in our society more broadly.
The Iraq War, the financial crisis of 2008 and years of believing that Westminster had casually shrugged off concern about uncontrolled immigration have all fed a growing anger over crony capitalism and inequality. This was also personified by a political, business and financial establishment that appeared to enjoy an ever-higher standard of living while others struggled."
"Not since the 1980s has our discourse felt so divided: between north and south, metropolitan and rural, young and old, long-time resident and new immigrant, home-owner and home-renter. And unlike before, we now see the role of social media in reinforcing the echo-chambers still further.
To heal these divisions, we need an agenda that shares the benefits of growth, by investing in infrastructure, equipping people with the right skills, with well-paid jobs and a better chance to own their own homes. It also means strengthening our sense of shared identity, at both a community and national level. That has been a guiding principle for many of my decisions as Home Secretary, as it was at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government."
"‘One nation’ has been a well-worn phrase, but it does speak to something profound in this polarised era. How do we create a sense of belonging that speaks to everyone in our country?
From a white working-class woman living in a post-industrial town to a young metropolitan citizen of the world. From a first-generation immigrant from the Commonwealth to a European citizen who made the UK their home and may be anxious about their future.
I believe there is an authentically Conservative approach to identity. We speak of British values, of our common cultural inheritance and of a local and national experience of membership. The Left purports to speak for minorities, but its approach is too often one of segregation and a conception of identity politics that stereotypes and divides us.
As Conservatives, we don’t categorise you according to your characteristics: we seek to understand your views, your values and your actions as a person and protect the institutions that you belong to, be they your church, your family or your football team. We need fewer labels that keep groups apart, and more layers that overlap them. Layers of community, place, shared experiences, common language and national identity.
This is a central pillar of conservatism, so let me personalise it with some examples from my own experience. The first layer of identity, beyond immediate family, is the community around you. When coming into Government, our party brought new thinking to the role of local community groups and civic society, and it is clear that a sense of geographic ‘place’ is just as important, if not more important now, as it was before the impact of social media."
Sajid also emphasises that
"the biggest thing we could do is no secret: build more houses. Not only are house prices the biggest barrier to social progress in our country today, they are also a barrier to social cohesion.
Moving from tenancy to tenancy, you feel you have less of a stake in society, and without a permanent base it’s harder to lay down roots in the community around you.
But more housing means higher quality as well as quantity – design can play a huge role in making sure the new housing we build actively engenders a sense of community. I won’t focus on all the policy solutions here, but my time at MHCLG convinced me that bold solutions can and must be brought to bear for the sake of the next generation."
There is more to the article which you can read in full here.
I also recommend the #TeamSaj campaign video which you can find at
https://www.teamsaj.com/watch_campaign_video.
"A defining decade for our party and our country."
He begins by saying that
"I believe we are at the dawn of a defining decade – a decade in which building the foundations of our post-Brexit future will just be the start. From changes in the balance of global power to the impact of disruptive technologies, there are new shifts in the tectonic plates beneath us. The traditional dividing lines of politics are tilted by nationalism and populism."
He goes on to argue that today the country faces different issues to the ones our traditional politics has evolved to address, and
"To a whole generation of voters, the pillars of our political philosophy have no purchase or meaning whatsoever. Our task is not simply to win the same arguments all over again, but to demonstrate how politics and our party can be relevant and make a positive difference in people’s lives.
First and foremost, the referendum result reflected years of underlying frustrations about the European Union, and a lack of meaningful consultation about the way it had evolved. That said, it’s also clear that the bitter divide over Europe reflects deep frustration and division in our society more broadly.
The Iraq War, the financial crisis of 2008 and years of believing that Westminster had casually shrugged off concern about uncontrolled immigration have all fed a growing anger over crony capitalism and inequality. This was also personified by a political, business and financial establishment that appeared to enjoy an ever-higher standard of living while others struggled."
"Not since the 1980s has our discourse felt so divided: between north and south, metropolitan and rural, young and old, long-time resident and new immigrant, home-owner and home-renter. And unlike before, we now see the role of social media in reinforcing the echo-chambers still further.
To heal these divisions, we need an agenda that shares the benefits of growth, by investing in infrastructure, equipping people with the right skills, with well-paid jobs and a better chance to own their own homes. It also means strengthening our sense of shared identity, at both a community and national level. That has been a guiding principle for many of my decisions as Home Secretary, as it was at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government."
"‘One nation’ has been a well-worn phrase, but it does speak to something profound in this polarised era. How do we create a sense of belonging that speaks to everyone in our country?
From a white working-class woman living in a post-industrial town to a young metropolitan citizen of the world. From a first-generation immigrant from the Commonwealth to a European citizen who made the UK their home and may be anxious about their future.
I believe there is an authentically Conservative approach to identity. We speak of British values, of our common cultural inheritance and of a local and national experience of membership. The Left purports to speak for minorities, but its approach is too often one of segregation and a conception of identity politics that stereotypes and divides us.
As Conservatives, we don’t categorise you according to your characteristics: we seek to understand your views, your values and your actions as a person and protect the institutions that you belong to, be they your church, your family or your football team. We need fewer labels that keep groups apart, and more layers that overlap them. Layers of community, place, shared experiences, common language and national identity.
This is a central pillar of conservatism, so let me personalise it with some examples from my own experience. The first layer of identity, beyond immediate family, is the community around you. When coming into Government, our party brought new thinking to the role of local community groups and civic society, and it is clear that a sense of geographic ‘place’ is just as important, if not more important now, as it was before the impact of social media."
Sajid also emphasises that
"the biggest thing we could do is no secret: build more houses. Not only are house prices the biggest barrier to social progress in our country today, they are also a barrier to social cohesion.
Moving from tenancy to tenancy, you feel you have less of a stake in society, and without a permanent base it’s harder to lay down roots in the community around you.
But more housing means higher quality as well as quantity – design can play a huge role in making sure the new housing we build actively engenders a sense of community. I won’t focus on all the policy solutions here, but my time at MHCLG convinced me that bold solutions can and must be brought to bear for the sake of the next generation."
There is more to the article which you can read in full here.
I also recommend the #TeamSaj campaign video which you can find at
https://www.teamsaj.com/watch_campaign_video.
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