Many thanks for signing up to The Centre Right Newsletter.  The aim is to set out information about the book – The Case for the Centre Right – but, over time, also highlight articles and podcasts of interest to those who want to see a revival of liberal centre right values.

We think our book is timely.  If we didn’t need reminding, last week’s by-election results demonstrate that the Conservative Party faces a daunting task at the next General Election.  There are already plenty within the party arguing for a core vote strategy to motivate right of centre voters to go to the polls.  In the event of an election defeat, these same voices will call for a shift to the right as a means of recovery.  We argue in the book that such an approach would be bad for the country and, ultimately, an electoral dead-end.

If you are interested in these arguments, there are few recent columns and podcasts that you might want to take a look at.

Danny Finkelstein wrote an excellent piece for The Times on the definition of “centre right” – Why I still believe in the political centre (thetimes.co.uk)

The book is also discussed by another contributor, Rory Stewart, who, you may have heard, does a podcast with Alistair Campbell. 176. Can the Tory Party be saved? – The Rest Is Politics | Podcast on Spotify

William Waldegrave reviews The Case for the Centre Right for the New Statesman  – How the centre right was lost. Shattered by Brexit, the Tory party has been captured by populist disrupters. Can true conservatives win it back? (newstatesman.com).

I have written a couple of pieces discussing the book (editor’s privilege, I get to promote my own columns here!).  One for ConHome David Gauke: Introducing a new book that I’ve edited. The case for the Centre Right. | Conservative Home and one for the New Statesman Labour shouldn’t hope that the Tories lurch further right – New Statesman .  And, on the topic of shameless self-promotion, there are also three interviews to highlight.  One with Marie Le Conte of The Bunker The Bunker (podmasters.uk), one with Paul Goodman at the Tory Party Conference In conversation with David Gauke: the case for the centre right | Conservative Home and one with Iain Dale on LBC Former Lord High Chancellor David Gauke joins Iain Dale to take your calls | Watch Again – YouTube.

A couple of pieces to highlight on the challenges facing the centre right from two of the smartest writers on the topic – Matthew D’Ancona The missing centre (prospectmagazine.co.uk) and Simon Nixon The eclipse of the centre right should worry us all (substack.com).

Justine Greening wrote a very good piece for The Guardian on why presenting Rishi Sunak as a right winger won’t bring electoral success to the Tories – The ‘let Rishi be Rishi’ plan is a disaster. Only a John Major strategy can halt Tory armageddon now (guardian.co.uk).

There are a couple of encouraging pieces of news in the last few days.  Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, has set out some sensible reforms on prison sentencing.  Alice Thomson discusses them at Set ’em free and stop banging on about jails (thetimes.co.uk) and Rory and Alistair discuss it at 184. Question Time: Why Britain Needs Shorter Prison Sentences – The Rest Is Politics | Podcast on Spotify

The other piece of news is the defeat of the populist Polish government by a coalition of parties led by the liberal centre right figure Donald Tusk.  It is worth listening to Nick Robinson’s interview with Radek Sikowski Political Thinking with Nick Robinson – The Radek Sikorski One – BBC Sounds on this.  

Many thanks for signing up to our email and to encourage others to sign up, too.

Best wishes,

David Gauke