Nick Bourne AM

Politics has moved on considerably from the old argument of capitalism versus socialism.

Oliver Letwin, our policy review chair put it that “”From Beijing to Brussels, the free market has won the battle of economic ideas” and he’s hit the nail on the head. That’s why people don’t perceive a difference between the major parties (even though there remain very real fundamental differences).

Conservatives are radically different from Labour’s top-down approach towards society and we need to get this message across. We won the argument on economics; we must now become a socio-centric party, a party that puts society first and foremost.

We need to stop the culture of direction and control when it comes to providing public services. All to often targets, reorganisations and initiatives are imposed on schools, hospitals, the police and councils. We need to trust the professionals in our public organisations to do the job to the best of their ability – they have the ground floor experience and they should lead on decisions that affect the running of those services.

Over the next four years I want to see the Conservative Group consulting more widely and more locally than ever before – with ideas coming from the grass roots up.

 I believe passionately in putting society first and the party will use the next four years to prove it. 

Sir John Major will be visiting Mid and West Wales later this month to speak about his love of cricket at the Hay-on-Wye Festival. I am a huge fan of John’s and there is no doubt in my mind that as the years have passed he has become regarded as a truly leading world statesman.