The One True Ideological Debate in British Politics?

Douglas Murray and Peter Hitchens on Start the Week.

Regular listeners of Start the Week, Andrew Marr's regular Monday morning radio show, will have heard a fascinating debate recently about the true nature of conservatism. During it, Douglas Murray spoke of the need for ideology in politics and how the only true ideological debate in politics today is that of the benefits cap - the fundamental principle that people should not earn more on benefits than the average family at work. Peter Hitchens, never one to be contented with anything at all, suggested the government was not showing ideological commitment (heaven forbid Peter should agree with the Prime Minister on anything) but an act of triangulation. Achieve the opposition of liberal bishops and the Labour Party and people will be convinced that you are acting in a conservative manner.

For many conservatives (big C and small C alike) this is one of the biggest wins of this Parliament. In the first instance, the Labour Party has set itself up against hard-working families on low and middle incomes, giving the impression of supporting those on long-term benefits rather than the working class. Secondly, having realised their mistake, the Labour Party backtracked into supporting a benefits cap but only if it was regionalised (in my opinion, the politics of this aside, there is much to be said for this position). In doing so, the Labour Party surrendered the idea that people ought to be compensated to varying degrees depending on where they live in the country. Expect this to be seized upon by the government if future austerity measures are needed.

But for many, this debate is not one about being a true conservative. I don't know about your experience, but most of the Labour voters I know are in favour of this policy, passionately (especially the party's working-class supporters, who form the bedrock of its voters). To many, it seems almost instinctive that if the benefits system is all a fall-back for people during tough times, and not an alternative way of life, then people on benefits should not be better off than those who do not require the fall-back.


I don't think the benefits cap is an ideological battle at all. It is the action of a government recognising a long overdue policy and the action of an opposition seeking to demonstrate its ineptitude. If Murray wants to look for an ideological batter, he should look elsewhere.