Live it like you mean it

IT IS CERTAINLY a good time to be a Welsh Conservative. The historic European results have shown that we have come a long way. The progress we have made under Nick Bourne’s leadership is clear for everyone to see and without him the next stage of our development would not be possible at all. We have a good foundation but the job is only half done. We need to be more than converts to the merits of devolution; more than zealous about the culture of devolution. We need to show that we “get it” and we must add something to the process of devolution.

If we are to become a credible alternative for the Welsh public, then we have to proactively take the Party’s electoral progress – and future fortunes – beyond the realms of Labour-voter apathy. We have to do more to convert the European results into tangible and sustainable progress.

There are a number of significant strategic issues that must be addressed if we are going to build our support back to the levels we gained in 1979, when a third of the Welsh vote was won – a critical level if we are to win future Assembly elections.

I believe there are three challenging questions which must answer in order to shape our strategic planning:

• Why do people vote Conservative at General Elections when, at Assembly Elections, those same people prefer to vote Plaid Cymru?
• What can we do as a party to convince Conservative-minded Plaid voters in general that the Welsh Conservative Party can be trusted on national issues?
• How Welsh is the Welsh Conservative Party?

The next decade of devolution is going to pose a number of significant challenges for Welsh Conservatives, none more so than having a UK Conservative Government. It will mean a new dynamic between Westminster and Cardiff Bay – one which our opponents are looking forward to in great anticipation. We have already heard Rhodri Morgan say that a Tory government in Westminster can only be good for Welsh Labour, as it can only mean a resurgence in the polls.

However, to avoid Rhodri’s dream scenario coming to fruition, we must take decisive action immediately. The way we project ourselves now will prove to everyone in Wales that we are a strong, viable party and one which is willing and prepared to develop devolved government further in the next decade; a party to govern Wales and Britain with confidence and vision.

The Welsh Conservative Party still seems to be suffering from negative perceptions – that we are devoid of a Welsh identity and lack relevance and credibility. That is a real problem for us, particularly as we are the only major party in Wales that has not been part of a Welsh Assembly Government in the past 10 years. We therefore need to ‘Cameronise’ the Welsh Conservative Party and forge a truly Welsh party that is modern and relevant to the people of Wales.

We do not become the Welsh Conservative Party overnight just by calling ourselves the Welsh Conservative Party. We have to mean it; think it and live it.

Therefore our mission must be to show the people of Wales that we are comfortable and confident with our Welsh identity. We must deliverer a good, gritty, no-nonsense Welsh Conservative Party that will stick-up for them; putting them first. But, more importantly, we must ensure that our party belongs to the people of Wales. We must make our party their party. It is here to serve them and it is here to serve the country.

I believe the question of whether there should be a referendum on further powers for the Assembly will fall to a Conservative Government. Yet, at the moment, our position on this vital issue is unclear and incoherent. We need absolute clarity now about our position regarding a future public vote on full powers. In my opinion there can only be one cause of action: if a referendum is requested by the National Assembly, a Conservative Secretary of State would not veto such a request.

The dangers of saying no to a referendum request are stark and really do not bare thinking about. It would mean denying the people of Wales a vote on this vital issue – a position as unjust as Labour’s refusal to allow a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. It would be in opposition to David Cameron’s agenda of localism, it would make us look arrogant and anti-Welsh and it would destroy our credibility in Wales. So let’s be absolutely clear where we stand now – this cannot be allowed to happen.

The Welsh Conservative Party must become a more autonomous organisation. The only way we can be flexible and responsive to the changing political environment in Wales is if we are more self-sufficient in resources and more self-reliant in long-term planning and campaigning. We cannot remain dependent on London for donations and direction. We must do our full bit in Wales for the Conservative cause and choose our own priorities.

Put simply, a dependency culture in a political party – just like in a community, just like in a family – limits the potential for success.

We cannot afford to be seen just as David Cameron’s ambassadors in Wales: we must be his partners. That means not being afraid of being critical or standing up for Welsh interests when we believe central government has got it wrong. We must be confident in being different where Wales demands that difference, and we must fight for that when occasion demands it.

We also need to make the Welsh Conservative Party more interesting, exciting and relevant for the next decade of devolution. The most effective way for us to reconnect with people and for people to trust political parties again is for them to have a greater stake in our Party; the direction in which it should travel and, ultimately, who should be the leader of the Welsh Conservative Party.

That is why I have put forward the idea of giving everyone in Wales the opportunity to elect the next leader in a US-style open primary. If we are to convince the people of Wales to embrace the party and make it theirs then we have to make it a party they are openly proud to support and vote for. There’s no better place to start than with the selection of the person at the top.

Developing an innovating and exciting campaign strategy is also a crucial part of our future growth in Wales. In forging a more distinct identity and enabling us to successfully re-engage and reach out to voters and supporters, we have to expand our direct communication links beyond the traditional methods and media.

The only way to overcome voter apathy and negativity is to reach out to the disaffected, to young people, to new groups of voters and get them discussing and debating politics – issues that concern them, and policies that affect them. We must take our distinct message and find a direct route into people’s living rooms and people’s everyday lives.

I believe we can do this by fully embracing the use of the internet. However, we have to be imaginative in how we capture people’s attention. We need to look at regular pod-casts, real-time updates, online video broadcasting and the facilitation of online events like virtual hustings. We need to realise new communication ideas fit for the twenty-first century.

Achieving these initiatives will enhance our ability to share our messages. It will make discussion with voters easier and will also be an effective tool to recruit volunteers. The only way we will engage with people and create democracy in action is by being open in what we say, transparent in what we do and different in how we do it. These are the challenges that we need to face up to. These are the changes we have to make.

Ultimately, we will not win elections just by mobilising Conservative members. We will only do it by convincing those who have not supported us to back us. I believe these moves will give voters confidence, that a vote for the Welsh Conservatives is a vote for a Party that truly listens, a vote that really counts.

Jonathan Morgan is Conservative Assembly Member for Cardiff North