This article first appeared on iNews
Never speak ill of a fellow conservative. This was sentiment Ronald Reagan echoed a few decades ago about his fellow Republicans. It seems, however, that despite being a self-described Thatcherite, and despite more than four decades of advocating conservative ideas and policies, I am no longer considered a “proper” conservative by the ideologues and bigots who seem to regard themselves as keepers of the conservative flame. Apparently, according to many on social media, I am a “woke Marxist” who should “bugger off to the Liberal Democrats” where I belong. I mean, who knew?
What has provoked this barrage of online abuse? Suella Braverman and her outrageous speech yesterday to the so-called “National Conservative” conference in Washington. Or rather my reaction to it.
To remind readers, she launched a vitriolic attack on the Pride flag and the fact she failed, as home secretary, to remove it from government buildings. She also said some pretty disgusting things about trans people.
Braverman said that the Progress flag, a variation of the rainbow LGBT flag, had been flown over government buildings “as if they were occupied territory” and expressed her disappointment at not being able to get them removed.
“I couldn’t even get the flag of a horrible political campaign I disagreed with taken down from the roof of the government department I was supposed to be in charge of.”
She exaggerated her case by the use of lurid language, designed to appeal to those on the extreme right who rejoice in being anti anything that isn’t 100 per cent straight. I took her on and on X (formerly Twitter) said: “What a disgusting speech. And she seriously thinks she has a chance of leading the Conservative Party. Not while I have a breath left in my body. Moderate Conservatives need to stand up and be counted. This will not stand.”
Not for the first time, Braverman’s eye-catching (and I’m being kind here) use of language has let her down. Last time she was in the US she made some explosive comments about immigration. This time she spoke about “child mutilation”, referring to young people medically transitioning. Her words were designed to do one thing: stoke up the culture wars and cultural divides. It is perfectly possible to agree, as I do, with the conclusions of the Cass Review without resorting to incendiary language like that.
All Braverman was doing was trying to appeal to the very worst in human nature and to people who, as a former cabinet minister, she should not be associating with.
I am no cultural snowflake. I have been called a “terf” for defending women-only spaces. But I believe it is perfectly right and proper to debate these issues in a calm and respectful manner. Suella Braverman, on the other hand, just wants to create division and build up hatred towards a vulnerable section of society.
I, for one, am fed up with her self-indulgent and hateful approach and I won’t stop calling it out. She is expected to enter the race to succeed Rishi Sunak, but she is not fit to lead the Conservative Party. No one, let alone anonymous social media trolls, will silence me in saying that. But I am only one voice. It needs people far more well known than me to call her out and stand up to her. No one is going to drive me out of the Conservative family, let alone some amateur extremist wannabe firebrand.
Yes, I am a social liberal. I do believe in quality and sexual freedom. Yes, I do believe that what anyone does in the bedroom is their own business and nothing to do with the morality police. Yes, I do believe that immigration is a good thing, but I also believe it needs to be controlled. But I am also a fiscal Conservative who believes in sound money, a small state and low taxes.
I couldn’t be a Liberal Democrat if I tried. I supported Brexit and still do. I don’t believe in proportional representation and I don’t believe in big government or high taxes. So when I am told by right-wing ideologues I belong in the Lib Dems I laugh at their sheer ignorance.
The Conservative Party wins elections when it is a big tent. If it follows the US Republican Party and turns into a quasi religious sect, its days as a viable electoral force will be numbered. And if the likes of Suella Braverman continue down this disturbing road without anyone fighting back, we’re in for a very long period of Labour government.
