Kemi Badenoch is more interested in liberalism than conservatism

Kemi Badenoch made a speech today which mentioned the terms ‘liberal’ or ‘liberalism’ seven times before the word ‘conservative’ got a look in.

The liberalism she was extolling in her address at the ARC conference in London was not of the leftist kind, but the ‘classic liberalism of free markets, free speech, free enterprise, freedom of religion, the presumption of innocence, the rule of law, and equality under it’. And there is not much to cavil over in that little list. Although when one person’s desired ‘freedom of religion’ impinges on other people’s basic freedom of expression then clearly there are priorities to be ranked.

But the bigger point, given parlous Tory poll ratings right now, is that this kind of liberalism – classical or ‘Gladstonian’ liberalism – is very far from being a potent, election-winning cocktail. Back when I was reasonably influential in Ukip, I lost count of the number of senior party figures who told me they were ‘classical liberals’ and asked me what I was.