Centre For Small State Conservatives

This week saw the publication of Ungovernable, the diaries of former Tory Chief Whip Simon Hart. Here’s how to turn Conservative MPs into a team that’s not only governable, but ready to govern the country as well. Infighting, splits,“effing useless” Ministers and rescuing MPs from brothels. Former Chief Whip… Read more: Want better-behaved Tory MPs? Here’s how…..

UK energy costs are already amongst the highest in the world and current Government policies will make them even more expensive; limit household choices (for example by forcing people to buy particular types of cars or home heating); and cost jobs, investment and growth by creating higher costs… Read more: New Policy Thumbnail: Cheaper Energy

Churchill is supposed to have said that America can usually be relied on to do the right thing, but only after they’ve tried everything else first. It’s a phrase that applies just as strongly to today’s Conservative Party as well. In 14 years of Government we did plenty… Read more: Small-State Conservatives need to revive the mission to deliver supply-side reforms

With all the fuss about Labour’s ‘heat or eat’ decision to means-test pensioners for their winter fuel allowance, and the ‘did-she-or-didn’t-she’ media hyperventilation about Kemi Badenoch questioning the future of the pension triple lock, it’s easy to forget that Britain’s state pension is basically broke.  It was set up… Read more: Britain’s pension system is bust – it’s time for radical reform

Pat McFadden, a senior cabinet minister, has called for “responsiveness” and “calculated risk-taking” within the civil service, as reported by the Institute for Government. But just wishing for something won’t make it happen, as John Penrose, founder of the Centre for Small State Conservatives, pointed out.

Marcus Bokkerink, Chair of the Government’s top competition watchdog the Competition & Markets Authority, has been forced to resign by Government Ministers. John Penrose, author of the Government-commissioned report on competition policy…

PM Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves & Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds have written to regulators, including Ofwat, Ofgem & the Environment Agency, asking for ideas on how to boost economic growth. The move has been greeted with a mixture of groans and raspberries. They could have asked business… Read more: If Only They’d Asked Us First…. Ministers Ask Regulators How To Grow Faster

This week Labour Cabinet Minister Liz Kendall announced that ‘WASPI’ (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women won’t get any redress for Government mistakes which caused injustice to some (although not all) of them. That’s in spite of her (along with PM Keir Starmer & the rest of the… Read more: Betrayal Is Never Pretty: Why Labour Should Rethink Their Response To WASPI Women

Despite international gas prices coming back down in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, British households are still struggling with high energy bills because of outdated regulations pushing up costs. ‘A Cheaper Route to Net Zero’ by John Penrose, former Conservative MP and minister, Competition Tsar, leading… Read more: A Cheaper Route to Net-Zero: 20 Ways to Cut Energy Bills

The Government have, at last, appointed the new Anti-Corruption Champion after a whopping 917 days of vacancy. Previous Anti-Corruption Champion John Penrose congratulated the new champion, Baroness Hodge of Barking, on her new role within the government, highlighting her record for being fearless and hard to ignore. John… Read more: Labour (finally) appoints new Anti-Corruption Champion