UnHerd: Are Conservatives Doomed

Oct 6, 2021

Listen to the podcast version here: https://shows.acast.com/lockdowntv-wi…

Accompanying article here: https://unherd.com/thepost/debate-are…

Featuring: Peter Hitchens, Ed West, Miriam Cates and Matthew Goodwin.

re Conservatives doomed? Following a General Election that resulted in an 80-seat majority for the Conservative Party after 11 years of uninterrupted rule, this might seem like a rather strange question to ask. But firstly, there may be long term challenges to the Tory coalition. By 2030, typically Left-leaning groups that tend to vote Labour — the young, renters, the childless, and the more urban people — are not only growing in numbers but becoming increasingly liberal too. More importantly, are the Tories even a Conservative party? Even if the British Tories have a talent for remaining in power, where does that leave true Conservatism? At this week’s Conservative Party conference in Manchester, UnHerd gathered together some of the country’s most optimistic  — and doomerist — conservative voices to get to the bottom of this question. In the pessimist corner sat writer Ed West who recently published a book, ‘Small Men on the Wrong side of History’, and columnist Peter Hitchens, who has been calling for the destruction of the Conservative Party since 2010. In the more optimistic corner: Miriam Cates, a Conservative who was elected as MP for Penistone and Stockbridge as part of the feted ‘Red Wall’ intake in 2019; and Matthew Goodwin, a contributor at UnHerd and professor of politics at the University of Kent.

00:00 – 03:34 – Introducing the debate and speakers 03:34 – 8:38 – Ed West’s opening statement 8:38 – 13:53 – Miriam Cates’ opening statement 13:53 – 18:31 – Peter Hitchens’ opening statement 18:31 – 25:51 – Matthew Goodwin’s opening statement 25:51 – 27:54 – Ed West: I’m not a complete doomer – but the Tories are still doomed 27:54 – 30:18 – Peter Hitchens: there is no sign of conservatism in the Conservative Party 30:18 – 34:44 – Miriam Cates on Tory family policy and social conservatism 34:44 – 37:46 – Matthew Goodwin: it’s Labour who are doomed 37:46 – 39:30 – Freddie Sayers: is the new Tory electorate really conservative? 39:30 – 40:53 – Peter Hitchens: there is no conservative discussion of climate change 40:53 – 43:02 – Miriam invites Peter to York 43:02 – 45:12 – Hitchens: we must destroy the Conservative Party 45:12 – 49:30 – Goodwin: Blairism is over – this is a new Conservative Party 49:30 – 51:00 – Ed: COVID proved Brexit voters right over immigration and wages 51:00 – 51:50 – Danny Kruger MP destroys Peter Hitchens 51:50 – 55:00 – Matthew Goodwin’s closing statement 55:00 – 58:43 – Peter Hitchens’ closing statement 58:43 – 01:00:30 – Miriam Cates’ closing statement 01:00:30 – 01:03:22 – Ed West’s closing statement 01:03:22 – 01:04:58 – Audience vote