What we believe

The essence of our individual freedom are our God-given liberties and our belief that all men are created equal. Amongst our inalienable rights, which finds its roots in the Magna Carta, are our rights to life, liberty, freedom of conscience, free speech, the free exercise of religion and beliefs and the ability to pursue happiness, own property, build wealth, a shared wellbeing and the right to protect ourselves and our families.

Our belief in Individual Responsibility is best summed up by Margaret Thatcher:

Christianity intertwines deeply within British national life. Our British way of life, laws and legal system are based on our Judeo-Christian heritage and values. While many in Britain do not attend church nor profess a firm belief in Jesus Christ, they nevertheless participate in the Christian traditions which provides us our sense of meaning and a shared identity, forming the basis of our shared British culture.

Deeply embedded in that shared identity and shared culture are Judeo-Christian values derived from scripture such as justice, morality, decency, fair play and for practicing Christians that of worship, doctrine, ethics, mission, evangelism, social compassion, the desire to serve those in need and do justice and the pursuit of right, respectful and righteous living according to the ordinances of scripture and the teachings of Jesus.

In re-emphasising our Christian heritage we do not in any way negate the right of others within our country to follow their beliefs and faith in mutual respect.

We challenge the prevailing militant anti-Christian atmosphere – the new liberal intolerance – that is attempting to confine our Christian beliefs and values as a mere footnote in history.

It is as Margaret Thatcher declared that our “Judeo-Christian heritage should be preserved and fostered. For centuries it has been our very life blood”.

The Christian faith is a part of our national heritage. We should not abandon our Christian heritage just to be politically correct.

Our values and shared culture did not exist and has not come from a vacuum. The innately small ‘c’ conservative values of most British people finds its culture, worldview and roots in Biblical teachings. The Christian worldview encompasses the worth of every individual, the centrality of the family, justice for the oppressed and work for our wellbeing as being ordained by God for the betterment of our lives and good outcomes towards a more just society. The Christian does not belief that the perfect will ever be in this temporal existence but that life is an aggregate of struggles, setbacks and successes which leads to happiness and contentment through our relationship with God and our faith in Jesus Christ.

In celebrating our Christian heritage, we do not diminish the beliefs of the many who are of different beliefs or faiths.

Our small ‘c’ conservatism of equal opportunities, simple justice, social compassion and fundamental respect for economic freedoms and individual rights comes from the command in Micah 5:8, ‘… to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God’.

The many ills in our society has come from the lack or absence of faith and or intrinsic moral foundations based on Judeo-Christian values which shapes individual characters.

We believe that real healing and wellbeing will come to our land when ‘God’s people who are called by His name will humble themselves, and pray and seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways, then God will hear from heaven, and will forgive our sin and heal our land’ (1 Chronicles 7:14).

We will, time and again, call and continue to strive for as many of us to find our hope in the surprising joy of knowing Christ and the confidence and ever present hope that brings, as we live a good and fulfilled life.

For individual liberty to be championed, government must be reduced.

Big government is an antithesis to fundamental freedoms. We believe a government limited by its size and scope will be more efficient, less corrupt and less prone to special interests.

The separation of powers between the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary in our Westminster Parliamentary system of government is designed to protect our individual liberties against the overreach of government.

The British government – represented by Westminster and Whitehall – has become one of the most centralised governments in the western world.

We believe that the proper devolution of power, decentralised authority and the elimination of unnecessary regulations and bureaucracy help ensure that government serves the people. As it should and not the other way around.

Centralisation and concentration of power lends itself to increased authoritarianism and abuse and less inclination to consult and seek consensus. It is the reason why we strongly advocate a federal United Kingdom of devolved power and shared responsibility at a local level.

We are in favour of more participatory form of government – with the people having a firm voice and say in how their local taxes should be spent and communities need to be governed according to local priorities, in a similar style to the consultative Canton-style governments in Switzerland. We believe over a period of time citizens will be enthusiastic and determined to govern their own local affairs when encouraged and empowered to do so.

The Rule of Law is at the core of the values of those who defend a free society and is the guardian of everything else that is of value. The essence of the rule of law is the restraint of arbitrary exercise of governmental authority. The rule of law and social order encompasses our fundamental individual rights, the right to personal liberty, the ability to live in peace, security and personal safety without anarchy and intimidation, the secure ownership of property, the freedom to transact business with openness and confidence, safe borders and safer communities and an effective Australian-style Points Based immigration framework based on best talents and needs and that which commands the requisite confidence and trust of all citizens.

At the heart of the rule of law is a firm and fair approach to maintaining peace, equal justice and social order. To maintain ordered liberty and a society of shared values, public and private virtue should be encouraged and justice must be administered, without fear or favour, equally and impartially to all.

The rule of law emanates from Parliament and Constitutional Conventions and the judiciary must not be allowed to assume or exercise legislative or executive powers.

Above all, we believe that transparency and accountability are the essential foundations of the rule of law and order for good government.

The first duty of government is to the defence and security of the Realm, to protect our Sovereignty and our Strategic Interests abroad. In these increasingly turbulent times we believe in a strong and vibrant Armed Forces and readiness to defend our territorial integrity at home and across the world.

To underpin our strong and resolute commitment to NATO and our obligations under ANZUK, AUKUS and Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom (all Commonwealth members), the United Kingdom must maintain smart and adequate investments in our air, land, sea, nuclear and cyber capabilities to deter foreign aggression and defend the territorial integrity, sovereignty and unity of all the Realms and Territories of the United Kingdom.

The primary obligation of any government is to live within its means, as its citizens do.

Unproductive debt is an evil that will destroy the capacity for enterprise of individuals, businesses and a nation. The unprecedented debt incurred by this generation will be an unbearable burden on the next – depriving the next generation of opportunities to define their own destiny within their very own British journey.

It is the conserving belief of every conservative that fiscal responsibility and controlled spending is the fundamental guarantor of continued wellbeing and expanding opportunities for all citizens.

Our current fiscal path is unsustainable and dangerous. It will jeopardise the economic growth of our nation, the stability of our monetary policy and the security of future generations. This is not a left vs right debate. It is common sense, ‘good housekeeping’ as Margaret Thatcher pointedly said.

We must, as a country, bring spending under control, restore regular order and accountability in the budget, balance the budget, reform and modernise the social benefits programme, eliminate fraud, waste and abuse, eliminate the disincentive to work, pursue continued pro-growth tax reforms and tax reductions towards establishing the United Kingdom, in the post Brexit era, as the low tax Switzerland-of-the-world, while providing compassion without taxing motivation.

Government often stands as the greatest obstacle to the progress and prosperity of free people. Free markets and free trade agreements allow for innovation, improvement and economic expansion as risk-takers, entrepreneurs and business owners are given the liberty to pursue their genius for enterprise and create more jobs and upward mobility for more people.

We believe competition should be encouraged and that government intervention and regulation should be limited. The people are better qualified to make decisions about their own lives and finances than civil servants. We believe that the private sector with its free market values and discipline will outperform the public sector in virtually every scenario. The free enterprise system rewards hard work and self-sacrifice.

Aspiration, ambition and competition is at the heart of an innovative economy.

We believe communities across the United Kingdom are innately small ‘c’ conservatives who respect and desire the value of hard work and just rewards and firmly believe in wealth creation, shared wellbeing and individual wellness based on free and fair markets and every day bargains and transactions in the market place.

The principal precondition for free and fair markets to thrive and succeed are the moral foundations and culture it is built upon and virtues such as trust, honesty, integrity, liberty, loyalty, authority, purity, care, generosity, fairness, equality of value and intrinsic worth of every individual, sense of justice, motivation, self-discipline, self-sacrifice, the desire to achieve the best and excel, the determination to overcome challenges and strife for success.

We believe in regulation and oversight over markets and businesses insofar as not to facilitate laissez faire hedonism and materialism. In promoting free markets we believe in fairness, competitiveness and accountability.

Because all men are created equal and in the image of God, every human life has inestimable dignity and value. Every person should be measured not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. We believe that in our God-given individual liberty no one is deemed better than another and in a country where all of us are equal. Not equal in abilities, but equal in intrinsic worth and value.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn declared that “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”

We advocate social mobility through meritocracy and equal access to opportunities. Work and the opportunity to work and the ability to look out for themselves and their families is an intrinsic part of the dignity of men and women.

A just government protects life, honours marriage and family as the primary institutions of a healthy society and also recognises the vital cultural influences of religion and morality. Public policy should always encourage education and emphasise the virtue of hard work as a pathway out of-poverty, while public assistance programs should be reserved only for those who are truly in need and are genuinely motivated to change their circumstances – at their own pace and ability – through personal initiative and acceptance of individual responsibility.

We believe that in modern Britain – poised in this early period of the 21st century of unimaginable opportunities to come – that everyone who plays by the rules should get an equal access to opportunities and a fair shot.

While we adjust to ever changing times and we must hold to unchanging principles and our enduring values.

We believe strong families form the basis of a vibrant society and a coherent Community based on compassion, social justice and diversity of talent. The family is the most basic unit of government. As the first community to which a person is attached and the first authority under which a person learns to live, the family establishes society’s most basic values.

The foundations of a cohesive society are freedoms and free choice for individuals, families and communities. Our identity and values are formed through our relations with other people.

The family protects against and reduces the need for an intrusive state.

Motherhood and fatherhood within marriage is the most secure basis for a strong family and should be encouraged and supported especially by the tax system.

The family defines and nourishes a moral culture, discipline, learning and behaviour. It is the heart of healthy, vital, vibrant, meaningful and mutually respectful relationships.

At the heart of the family – and that of our country – are our precious children. Children are God’s special gift. They are our ever present joy and future happiness – no matter what challenges family life brings. The family is the secure space within which our children can grow and mature and learn the essential values of life and resilience, thus ensuring the flourishing of future generations.

We believe every individual should have the unhindered opportunity to work hard, form good judgments and wisdom through learning and experience, gain desired personal rewards and fulfil their aspirations within the framework of rules and regulations that establishes the open market conditions for wealth and job creation.

In the tradition of Edmund Burke we firmly believe that the more the national government gets involved in local and provincial affairs, the more distracted government would become from carrying out its primary responsibilities.

We believe that certain welfare functions are better undertaken and are more effectively delivered by non-state entities like churches, charities and social welfare organisations.

Edmund Burke advocated that assistance for those in need was “without doubt, a direct and obligatory duty upon Christians” which at that time included the large majority of people in Britain. However, Burke emphasised that “the manner, mode, time, choice of objects, and proportion are left to private discretion” as to how that care and compassion is provided.

We believe that the time has come in the life of our nation to return to the Biblical principles of ‘loving your neighbour as yourself’. They form the quiet values of our villages and communities across the country in our care and compassion for each other, without being an intrusive nuisance and vexation to our actual neighbours. Love and respect is at the crucible of a coherent society.

As small ‘c’ conservatives we profoundly believe that the sources of these preconditions are families, church, genuine communities, shared values and tradition.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

As the fulcrum that holds the Commonwealth together, Britain is in a unique position to lead the change of transforming old colonial ties into a dynamic and evolving relationship of equal and independent nations, dedicated to creating common wealth and economic wellbeing founded on democratic values, economic freedoms, human dignity and human rights, and the rule of law based on the shared heritage of the Common Law and legal system of a vast majority of Commonwealth countries.

We must seize this moment and firmly direct the creation of a free economic and trade area within the Commonwealth. We call for the establishment of C.E.F.T.A – the Commonwealth Economic Free Trade Area based on economic opportunities without any political objectives or free movement of peoples and a genuine free market trading area of 54 countries from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific with over 2.4 billion people.

Through the period of the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union, Britain’s commitment to the Commonwealth was tragically lessened to the point of ignorance and neglect. While focusing on its largest trading block, the United Kingdom – through successive governments – ignored and neglected the vast and promising potential of the rapidly developing Commonwealth of nation states.

We believe that Brexit now presents that singular opportunity – which must not be squandered through arrogance, ignorance, neglect or incompetence – to nurture a new and vibrant economic, political, historical and cultural relationship with the Commonwealth, not as old colonial masters but one of equal partners for progress and with respect for each other and for the rights and dignity of every individual across the Commonwealth.

In that spirit we will actively engage with and champion the transformation of the Commonwealth and its institutions into a dynamic force for good and for individual rights, economic freedoms, human dignity and democracy. We understand the limitations of realpolitik, however we remain idealists without illusions and realists who still believe in the old dreams of justice, liberty and prosperity.

An Outward Looking Britain

Alongside our other international obligations and treaties, we will champion an outward looking Britain. We do not believe nor do we accept – as the left seem inclined to – that Britain is on an inevitable decline.

Unhindered by excessive regulations, we believe in the vast potential of the British people and British businesses to emerge from this period of post-Brexit transition and compete successfully and meaningfully in the emerging global marketplace, including China, India, ASEAN and the GCC countries – while expanding our businesses, competitiveness and market share within the European and the North and South American markets.

It is essential in this new Commonwealth and global push that we project ourselves as an economy with global opportunities and strengthen our global and multilateral partnerships and not as a country hijacked by militant unions and rendered impotent by the fear and a defeatist mindset of the left and so-called liberals. Global Britain must read ‘Go Britain’.