Policies and Principles

Beginning of article

The policy proposals announced by Tory leader Mr William Hague do not yet amount to a coherent "vision" for the party but at least they represent a step in the right direction and a return to Thatcherism, albeit a watered-down version.

One of the essences of the theory of Thatcherism, as opposed to its practise, was the concept of "freedom". This meant taking power away from Government and all its various octopus arms, and handing it back to individuals and groups of people at a local level.

This is a form of devolution which was scarcely observed during the Thatcher years but which has been thoroughly and resolutely reversed by Mr Tony Blair even as his Government …