Douglas Carswell's Blog

Deliver the change people voted for

One of the reasons I backed David Cameron to be party leader early on in his leadership campaign was because I wanted to see a different kind of Conservatism. I still do – and I’d vote for him to deliver it if there was a leadership contest tomorrow. 

One reason I enthusiastically backed the idea of entering into a Coalition with the Lib Dems was because I believed we might fuse together tradional Tory free market ideas with the Liberal tradition of political radicalism. A once in a generation chance to achieve real change, I hoped.

Since then, of course, I have been frustrated at the pace of change. Too often the Whitehall machine has watered down reform. Too often the mandarins carry on as before. 

Too many ministers might have an idea of what changes they want. The problem is they delegate the how to people who do not share their aims. And, perhaps most worrisome of all, the Treasury approach of Continuity Brown has failed to revive the economy.

However often I make these points, let’s be clear about one thing; this is about delivering the change we promised. It is about policy and implementation.

I rather like David Cameron. His breezy charm makes him good company.  He’s very approachable and open to everyone. Those who make personal attacks could not have it more wrong. 

By all means let’s press for bolder change. I am really excited about Conservative Home's "Alternative Queen's Speech" initiative.  Let’s suggest better ways of delivering reform. Let's point out that we could be truly transformational.  But let’s also remember that what we say and do is all about us wanting David Cameron to succeed.   

“We need” in the words of Gavin Barwell, one of the most impressive members of the 2010 intake of MPs “to get back to delivering the change people voted for - sorting out the financial mess, ending the something for nothing culture, mending our broken society and fixing our broken politics."

Spot on.  Let's focus on delivering those changes.  Nothing else.

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