By Daniel Forman - 25th July 2005
The liberals have constructed an empire of cultural assumptions which, conservatives must realise, you either surrender to or fight
Edward Leigh
A new group of Conservative MPs has called for a fight back against liberalism.
In a riposte to the "modernising" wing of the party, the new Cornerstone group has mounted a defence of social conservatism.
The 25 Tory MPs, led by senior backbencher and former minister Edward Leigh, want the party to adopt a traditionalist approach under its new leadership, emphasising the church, patriotism and the family values.
In a pamphlet released on Sunday, Leigh argued for the Tories to copy the US Republican right's "faith, flag and family" stance which led to electoral success for President Bush.
The pamphlet was also critical of the outgoing leader Michael Howard's general election campaign, which it accused of being "too timid" on tax cuts, public service reform and family values.
"We believe that these values must be stressed: tradition, nation, family, religious ethics, free enterprise," Leigh said. "We want to use the leadership election to argue for principles and policies, not about personalities."
He attacked modernisers who want to ape New Labour's cultural liberalism.
"The liberals have constructed an empire of cultural assumptions which, conservatives must realise, you either surrender to or fight," he said.
"Emulating New Labour both lacks authenticity and is unlikely to make us popular.
"We must seize the centre ground and pull it kicking and screaming towards us. That is the only way to demolish the foundations of the liberal establishment and demonstrate to the electorate the fundamental flaws on which it is based.
"It is understandable that after three general election defeats, many in our party have lost confidence... But it is unacceptable for people whose electoral success is dependent on carrying the Conservative badge to use it to conceal fundamentally unconservative attitudes.
"Such critics usually have little to offer as a clarion call beyond the shrill cry for evermore unbridled liberty."
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