Cameron Conservatism By Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP

Do Cameron Conservatives have a theory?

This is not, of course, the same as asking whether Cameron Conservatism is theory-driven.

Like any distinctively Conservative discourse, Cameron Conservatism is radically pragmatic rather than radically dogmatic. It is a practical response to felt need - a balanced answer to what are understood to be real and present challenges.

But a political position which is not theory-driven, (which, indeed, is profoundly sceptical of theory as a guide to political action) may nevertheless disclose deep theoretical dispositions - distinctive patterns of thought which, through their internal coherence, lend strength to pragmatic responses as these come under attack in the battle of ideas and strengthen also the unity of purpose displayed when pragmatically tackling the perceived real-world challenges.

In this sense, then, I repeat my question, do Cameron Conservatives have a theory?

And my answer, in that same sense, is yes. The pragmatic responses of Cameron Conservatism to perceived real-world challenges do disclose a set of coherent theoretical dispositions.

In particular, Cameron Conservatism is an attempt to achieve two paradigm shifts - a shift in the locus of political debate and a shift in the theory of the state.

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