When 365 of my conservative colleagues entered Parliament in 2019, no one predicted that only 121 of us would return almost five years later.
In 2019, we put forward a bold, positive vision for the future which promised to tackle the priorities of hard-working people and provide greater opportunities for communities across the UK.
There is a lot for us to be proud of during our time in government. We kept people employed and our economy running during the pandemic. We stood up to Ukraine and kept people warm, even when Putin turned off the gas. We fixed Labour’s mess on education to give children the best opportunity in life and revolutionised Universal Credit.
But, ultimately we let people down. We didn’t deliver on our promises, from cutting taxes to immigration. We took voters’ trust for granted and chose infighting and factionalism, which masked our achievements and hindered our ability to deliver.
Now, we face a simple choice at this leadership election: either turn the page and start a new chapter for our Party, or choose more of the same – more infighting, more broken promises and more defeat.
That is why I am standing to be the next Leader of the Conservative Party. I will ensure our party draws a line under the past and unites behind the traditional, conservative values that made us the most successful electoral party in the world. We know the facts of life are Conservative and together, we can rebuild the public’s trust and demonstrate we can deliver.
I say what I mean and I do what I say. Not just because politics, like life, comes down to keeping your promises, but because I learnt this lesson long before I entered Parliament, including when I was serving on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I have continuously stood up for conservative values, whether it was voting against Covid vaccine passports or not supporting the national insurance rise. From the backbenches, I was one of the first to warn of the threats posed by both Russia and China. And in government, I fought to keep our country safe, including through the National Security Act. I also oversaw the arrest and charging of more Russian and Chinese spies than in the previous decade. I have always stood up for what I believe in and delivered. And as a Leader, this will not change.
As well as unifying our Party in Westminster, we also need to fundamentally change our approach towards members and councillors. Members tirelessly carry forward conservative values from doorstep to doorstep and they deserve to shape the future of our Party. That is why CCHQ was created; to serve our members and make sure we’re ready to win elections. Instead, it hollowed out local associations and only contacted members through emails asking them for money.
That is why this week I have pledged to reform CCHQ, launching a survey which will open a new conversation with our members and ensure CCHQ works for them. After all, if we don’t serve our members, then how can we ever deliver for the public?
The choice that the Conservative Party faces has never been more important. Voters don’t want a government that overreaches into their lives and raises their taxes but that is what they’re getting with Labour. It is what we must stand up against and it’s why we must rebuild voters’ trust and unite behind a Conservative values that we know can deliver a more prosperous, secure and fairer future.
We can reach that future if we make the choice to unite our Party, rebuild trust and put ourselves on the path to winning in five years’ time.
If elected leader, this is exactly what I shall deliver.
Voters don’t want a government that overreaches into their lives and raises their taxes, says Conservative leadership contender Tom Tugendhat
