John Major has told the Conservatives that forming an alliance with Reform UK would “for ever destroy” the party, which he said had already left traditional supporters “politically homeless” by lurching too far to the right.
The former prime minister dismissed a pact with Nigel Farage’s party as “beyond stupid”, saying that any Tories tempted to defect to Reform should go now because his own party would be better off without them.
As the Tories struggle with the existential threat posed by Reform’s surge in popularity, Major warned far more than the future of the party was at stake with autocracies on the march across the world.
“Frustration with democracy should not blind us to the toxic nature of nationalism, or any and every form of populist or authoritarian government,” he said.
Addressing a Conservative party lunch on Tuesday, he urged the party not to reject the centre ground of British politics, saying they were “seriously alienating” voters by coming down on the wrong side of public opinion on Europe, climate change and overseas aid.
The Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, supported Brexit, and has committed to scrapping the UK’s net zero by 2050 target and cutting the overseas aid budget by another £7bn, while moderates fear the direction the party is taking under the influence of rightwingers such as Robert Jenrick sounds the death knell for one-nation Conservatism.
In a wide-ranging criticism of the current direction, Major accused the Tories of a loss of pragmatism, tolerance and nuance, and of ignoring the 43% of the nation’s voters in the political centre. The party must “change or cease to be relevant”, he said.
“To embrace such a narrow philosophy shrinks the party from being a broad-based national movement to resembling a petty and mean-minded cult.
“The party needs its right wing, its centre, and centre-left Conservatives back together in the fold. If that can be done, then we may once again widen our appeal and be a power in the land. The alternative is bleak.”
Major also urged scepticism over the archetypal “strongman leader” who promised voters a shiny new world. “For such figures lead no one to utopia. Instead, to gain and keep power they sweep away the compromises and decencies of democracy.”
He said Reform was trying to be “all things to all people” and as a result was making promises that could never be kept, such as nationalising the water industry. “This is amateur populism let loose. Such foolish promises illustrate their unsuitability for power,” he said.
He acknowledged, however, that “we, as a party, are ourselves in part to blame” after a tumultuous few years in power for “anxious people … turning to populist politicians”.
His speech comes a day after another former prime minister cautioned the Conservatives against turning to populism for “short-term political ends”.
In a speech to peers on Monday, Theresa May took issue with her party’s approach to net zero, the judiciary and human rights as she urged the Tories to show leadership instead.
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