Speeches

HomeSpeeches
April 27, 2022

Lucy Frazer QC MP: Tax reform in the 2020s

I’d like to start by saying a huge thank you to Ryan Shorthouse and to Bright Blue for the invitation to speak at today’s event… which is a really important…
HomeSpeeches
January 26, 2022

Greg Hands MP: The Roaring Twenties? A ‘One Nation’ decade of economic reform

You can watch Greg Hands' keynote speech here. Good morning, as you can tell I am not Kwasi Kwarteng, he sends his sincere apologies he is a big supporter of…
HomeSpeeches
September 21, 2021

The Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Global green giant? UK leadership on biodiversity loss and climate change

Thank you, Ryan. It’s wonderful to be here at the British Academy. – and Patrick, it has been a pleasure to read Nature positive? as well.  I’d like to say…
HomeSpeeches
May 24, 2021

The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP: What’s next for immigration?

For too long – for several decades in fact – immigration was a democratic outlier. And when politicians and commentators discussed immigration, we inevitability heard a discussion based on economics…
HomeSpeeches
September 16, 2020

The Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP: The centre-right case for social housing

2020 has undoubtedly been and continues to be one of the most challenging and difficult years in living memory. While Covid-19 has wrought heavy blows on our economy and our…
HomeSpeeches
September 14, 2020

Bim Afolami MP: Beyond Thatcher – a new conservative economic policy

Beyond Thatcher – a new conservative economic policy Covid-19 gives us the chance to examine deeper questions about the nature and direction of economic policy, the second seismic economic event…
HomeSpeeches
July 29, 2020

The Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith: A green recovery

It’s good to be able to join you today. It was a pleasure to be part of Bright Blue’s Global Green Giant report – and I encourage everyone to read…
Speeches
July 15, 2019

The Rt Hon Matthew Hancock MP: Social media, young people and mental health

An Irishman, a Barbadian and a Kiwi… Sorry, there’s no punchline – I just wanted to talk about our brilliant England cricket team… …And our brilliant England captain, star bowler…
Speeches
November 21, 2018

The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP: Bright Blue’s Women in Work conference speech

Today is the centenary of women’s suffrage. This is the moment when women finally gained a foothold in political life. There are some that say: “So what?” They’re the sort…
Speeches
June 12, 2018

Dr Phillip Lee MP: Bright Blue’s Fighting for Freedom? Conservatism, human rights and discrimination conference

It is a real pleasure to speak to you today. Because Conservatism and human rights are two things I ardently believe in and that drive my personal politics. They are…
Speeches
May 16, 2018

The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP: Social Mobility

I stand here today to make the case that this country should take up a noble cause. The cause of social mobility. The cause of equality of opportunity for all.…
Speeches
November 1, 2017

Claire Perry MP: Bright Blue’s Green conservatism conference

Good morning it’s a real pleasure to be here and great to see some old friends in the audience. I’m really proud to be asked to open what I think…
Speeches
July 1, 2017

The Rt Hon Damian Green MP: Bright Blue’s Social Reform Conference

I want to thank Bright Blue for inviting me, but more importantly for providing an opportunity for serious Conservative thinking to take place. As we look ahead to the next…
Speeches
March 22, 2016

The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP: Conservatism and human rights

Thank you for inviting me to come along here this morning to participate in your conference and in particular in the launch of the essay collection on Conservatism and human…
Speeches
January 21, 2016

The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP: Opportunity for all

What kind of society do we want to live in? How can we help Britain to be and remain that kind of society? But I want today to set out…
Speeches
March 16, 2015

Nick Gibb MP: A winning formula for young people

It is a real pleasure to be able to take part in this Bright Blue conference focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing young people in modern Britain, not least…
Speeches
March 10, 2015

The Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP: Preparing young people for life in modern Britain

The last time I spoke at one of these I made waves by saying I thought our Party needed to talk a bit more about what we’re for than what…
Speeches
March 5, 2015

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn: Putting poverty at the heart of the 2015 election

Many thanks to the Fabian Society and Bright Blue for organising today’s event and to the Fabians for your important Inequality 2030 report.  Thanks are also due to the Webb…
Speeches
November 26, 2014

The Rt Hon Damian Green MP: True Modernisation

In some Conservative circles modernisation has followed the path of “human rights” and “health and safety”: perfectly sensible concepts which have been distorted over time so that they are now…
Speeches
July 7, 2014

The Rt Hon Matthew Hancock MP: Aspiration Nation

It’s great to be here, and I want to begin by thanking Bright Blue for hosting this conference. The central message from today is that we win elections when we’re…
Speeches
November 19, 2013

Nick Boles MP: Which party should a liberal vote for in 2015?

Three years ago shortly after the formation of the coalition I called for an electoral pact between the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats at the next election. I now see…
Speeches
January 10, 2013

Matthew Hancock MP: Tackling low pay the Conservative way

Can I start today with a mea culpa. I used to be an economist. Worse, for a while I was an economic forecaster. My only defense is that I was…
Speeches
December 12, 2012

Damian Green MP: What will Modern Conservatism mean in 2015?

Some of the most resonant phrases which encapsulate deep truths come from obvious sources: the Bible, Shakespeare or the great novelists. Others come from less elevated sources. I have always…
Speeches
July 28, 2012

The Rt Hon David Willetts MP: Tory modernisation 2.0

It is evidence of true political dedication to be gathering on a weekend in July to discuss Conservative modernisation. You might be wondering whether the exercise is worthwhile when you…