Bright Blue, the independent think tank for liberal conservatism, responds to the PM’s Conservative Party Conference 2022 speech.
Commenting, Ryan Shorthouse, Chief Executive of Bright Blue, said:
“The tenacity of Truss throughout her career, rising from a comprehensive education to being one of the longest serving Cabinet Ministers, is deeply admirable. People have constantly belittled or tried to stop her, including Greenpeace protestors today, but she just carries on.
“However, she really must listen to her parliamentary colleagues and the wider public who are clearly telling her that the amateurism and amorality of her Government in its initial weeks must stop.
“The Conservatives have a democratic mandate from the 2019 election to grant greater resources, powers and opportunities to people and places who have for a long time felt forgotten. So far, the radical economic policies that have been proposed by her Government do very little for them. Economic growth is essential, but so is redistribution, if we are to truly level up this country. The focus should be on raising GDP per capita, embarrassingly lower than many other large economies, not just GDP.
“The Prime Minister today delivered a straightforward speech about her principles and the people she wants to support. But she needs to move beyond first principles to detailed plans very quickly if a Conservative Government is to grow the economy, level up the country and get the public finances under control. A lot of livelihoods are now at risk and depend on the policies this Prime Minister pursues in the weeks and months ahead.
“If this Conservative Government has any chance of catalysing growth so GDP achieves 2.5% in a few years, its priority must be to quickly implement policies that substantially expand and educate the workforce.”
ENDS
For further comment or to arrange an interview please get in touch with Max Anderson: max@brightblue.org.uk or 07850 684474.
