10 Robert Halfon

What is conservatism about: 2). Community

ROBERT HALFON on what conservatism means to him

f - as I suggested in my last FREEDOM TODAY article - conservatism is more a way of life than an ideology - is there then something which conservatism should represent? Is there a common cause that every conservative should be identified with? What brings us conservatives together? The answer to this is defined in one word community, a simple word, much abused by the left, but for conservatives it simply means a group of individuals brought together through circumstance, connected by mutual interest, whether it is through an association of some sort or another, or simply living in the same area. Why is community so important to conservatives? Because, whilst we believe in freedom of the individual, strong communities act as a force of good for society as a whole. Communities have ties, an anchor, a sense of familiarity, a feeling of belonging and often some kind of tradition. A community which draws people together - through voluntary persuasion rather than Government diktat - builds up social capital: flourishing voluntary groups, neighbourhood associations, good schools and effective local charities. This not only increases the level of trust and stability in a neighbourhood, it also enhances civic engagement. Crucially, it also reduces the need for centralised state intervention. If disadvantaged individuals are benefiting from spontaneous community action, why then, is there a need for Government involvement? Community conservatism represents something more than just economic freedom or the liberty of the individual. It is bigger than just being anti-statist or believing in lower taxes (albeit important). It is wary of big government but not civic engagement. It is what distinguishes conservatives from classical liberals. It resonates with the grain of the electorate - especially in these difficult times and counters the still widely held view that conservatism is about the survival of the fittest. Whilst the public are wary of government authoritarianism, they do not want

a neo-Darwinist free-for-all either. Particularly in periods of economic hardship, they want the reassurance, comfort and steadiness that communities can bring. Community conservatism recognises that creating a prosperous, harmonious society needs more than just a free market. It accepts that some localised public spending (with democratic checks and balances), where it enhances participation and strengthens community, is worthwhile. It presents a vision to the public, which, far from being hard-hearted, offers a genuine alternative. How would this work in practice? In essence, community conservatism should support those institutions in the locality that increase social capital and add to community well-being. For some conservatives, it would require difficult decisions, in supporting more local expenditure or local intervention rather than less, but community conservatism does not mean replacing Whitehalls heavy hand with that of the Town Halls. In fact, community conservatism actually encourages every kind of democratic mechanism that increases devolution and engagement in local politics. Elected Police Commissioners, allowing parents and voluntary groups to set up schools and giving people a chance to hold referendums on council budget decisions are all likely to act as a spur to increased community participation. Community conservatives should support more referendums and other practical and regular ways to involve local people in decisions that effect their neighbourhood. But community conservatism also involves strong support for existing schools, hospitals, general practitioners surgeries, small shops and businesses (even bingo clubs), voluntary associations and charities. Why? Because these are the bodies that truly bind a community together. They are places people can identify with, visit, meet, become familiar with the staff and members and look to for support. Take them away and you lose a vital chink of stability; a retreat of community, unlikely to be replaced. Communities are very

much like the broken windows theory of crime. A window smashed and not replaced soon leads to more broken windows, then the whole neighbourhood becoming crime-ridden. In the same way, chipping away at genuine local community institutions leads to desolate neighbourhoods as people retreat to their immediate comfort zone of the home, social interaction recedes and Darwinism takes over. A community conservative would support a local school against closure, even if it had falling rolls (provided it maintained good standards). Why? The answer is simple. At a time when community structures have weakened, the school is often the last institution left standing. Schools are classless, bring people together and act as a focus point for community endeavour. He would also fight to keep the Post Office as this is a core community body and would welcome schemes like that of Essex County Council, to subsidise Post Offices. A community conservative would fight against the closure of a local hospital - perhaps offering a referendum which offered a hard choice - an increase in local rates perhaps, in order to keep it open. He would probably support the local theatre, another central point of community activity. Whilst not opposing supermarkets, a community conservative would seek to create a level playing field - such as offering small corner shops tax rebates and free parking. He would fight to preserve local bingo clubs by removing double taxation so as to ensure that a club which has thousands of members in an area survives. The importance of community conservatism is that it doesnt negate all the other elements that mitigate against an authoritarian state - it is complimentary. Social capital and economic capital go hand in hand. Strong local communities mean a smaller state. Values-based community conservatism is a powerful message to sell on the doorstep - if only we have the courage. Robert Halfon is Conservative Party PPC for Harlow halfon4harlow@roberthalfon.com

FREEDOM TODAY Autumn 2009