Strategy is an overworked and thus devalued word, and strategic thinking can be no guarantee of success. But certainly in business, and especially at times of discontinuity, the strategists have at least a tendency to win, while the tacticians are almost certain to lose.”
“Stepping Stones” report to Mrs Thatcher by John Hoskyns and Norman Strauss, November 1977
The statement above rings as true today as it did half a century ago. Onward exists to think strategically – that is to say, to consider the biggest, most challenging questions of our time.
This pamphlet sets out our intention to do exactly this – for two fundamental reasons. First, the centre-right is in a battle for survival. We need urgently to demonstrate that we understand and have answers to people’s deep and legitimate frustrations about a stagnant economy, unsustainable mass migration and broken public services. To do otherwise will mean extinction and replacement by the radical right, who offer anger without solutions.
Second, and paradoxically, because it is possible for the centre-right to win the next election. The Government’s woes mean all outcomes are possible. But power without purpose is pointless. For the Conservatives to pick up where they left off would be utterly futile.
Following our landmark Breaking Blue report on the route back for the centre-right, Onward’s future programme of work will therefore focus on the issues that matter to most people, most of the time. That means a relentless focus on themes including jobs, real living standards, energy security, crime, housing, families, healthcare and social cohesion – which means considering both immigration and integration policy.
Our three new research programmes, set out in the pages that follow, will cover the economy, society and the state. In each, Onward will champion evidence-led, compassionate and unapologetically centre-right solutions. We will also be very mindful that, exactly as Hoskyns and Strauss said in 1977, this is a time of discontinuity. The public knows that profound change is needed, if not yet what form it should take.
What does that mean, in practice? It means questions like how we support the UK birth rate need to be on the table – there is arguably no greater challenge for our public finances than our demographics. It means we need to develop policies to deliver a high growth, low immigration economy. It means we need to champion reindustrialisation with as much seriousness as decarbonisation. It means we need to tackle the deep intergenerational unfairness arising from our broken housing market. It means we need to reimagine how our public services are delivered, and how to raise standards while bringing their costs (and our taxes) under control.
Through all of this we will be hopeful travellers. And through all of this we will be very grateful for your support.
