Sir Eric and the Changing Face of Welsh Conservatism
I was saddened but not surprised at Sir Eric Howell’s attack on his old party in today’s Western Mail.
Eric has given superb service to the Conservative party over the years but he has been out of sympathy for some time with the changing face of the party and not least with the Welsh and moderate approach that the party has pursued in Cardiff Bay.
Eric campaigned against our candidate, Angela Burns, in the recent Assembly elections. Angela achieved a magnificent swing in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire and the independent backed by Eric trailed the field.
I can imagine that the rainbow alliance that I pursued in Cardiff Bay would have been poison to Eric but I believe it was the best prospect of promoting Welsh enterprise, of encouraging private public-partnership, of nurturing our culture and of preserving Welsh Conservative successes like no top up fees for Welsh students.
I am sure some of our political opponents (particularly those in the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru who opposed a rainbow alliance) would love us to take a more right wing stance and so to desert the centre ground.
That is not going to happen!
