Opportunity – going back to basics

By Councillor Ameet Jogia

Opportunity. That was the theme of this year’s Conservative Party Conference.

It was rather fitting, as given all the speculation around Brexit, this year’s Party Conference represented a back to basics to one of the most fundamental Conservative values.

It was a helpful reminder to Party members and activists alike about why we are Conservatives – to empower people to be the best they can be and to create the freedom for everyone to seize the opportunities available to them. Opportunity should always underpin all Conservative policies.

Organisers deliberately tried to give Brexit a low profile at Conference and instead all sessions provided Ministers a chance to brief members on the opportunities that this Conservative Government continues to provide, to make sure we have a country that works for everyone.

In a clever strategic move, by the end of Conference Brexit itself was portrayed as an opportunity. A huge opportunity. The greatest opportunity perhaps in a generation.

Despite the nation – and the Party – having divided itself over Brexit, this year’s Conference went against the odds to help bring the Party together. Whether it’s the “Chequer’s Deal” or a “No Deal”, we must work together to ensure we get the best opportunities out of the final deal.

Europe’s continued resistance has to an extent actually helped the Prime Minister’s cause in helping the nation realise our true potential – that we can do it ourselves if there was a no deal. To date, the media has heavily shown Brexit as doom and gloom, but throughout Conference there were constant reminders that Europe need the UK that as much. A good deal is therefore in everyone’s interest.

The prime minister also seemed to rise above speculation over a leadership contest. A poll just before the start of Conference suggested that Mrs May would be more likely to beat Mr Corbyn in a General Election, as opposed to Mr Johnson. The poll result was yet another boost in bringing the Party together at a Conference which was expected to be extremely divided.

Conservative Party Conference 2018 – the last Party Conference before Brexit – under all the odd helped to bring the Party together. By going back to basics, to our core values, the Party seemed to unite, as we left equipped to face the greatest change in post-war history.

Ameet Jogia is a Conservative Councillor in Harrow and also stood as a Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in the 2017 General Election. He is one of the Party’s rising stars. Ameet spoke at this year’s Conference pledging his support for nurses following his personal experience with the NHS after this father was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer.