The Conservative party has shifted too far to the right. We must fight for the centre ground | Timothy Kirkhope

There is a huge gap in British politics, a gap partly created by the Conservative party looking to the right and apparently neglecting the centre ground. The party today is unrecognisable compared with when it entered into government following the 2010 general election. And many in my party have turned a blind eye to this rightward shift.

This trajectory and attempts by some to offer the electorate a form of “Reform-lite” have been bad for our country, our international standing and the party itself. Whichever way you look at it, the 2024 general election was a disaster.

Traditional centrist Conservative voters, essential to David Cameron’s winning coalition, abandoned the party, choosing to stay home or vote for Labour or the Liberal Democrats. As for younger generations, estimates suggest that the chance of someone having voted Conservative is just 8%, behind Labour, the Lib Dems, Greens and Reform UK.

By pandering to ever-smaller subsections of the electorate, we have failed to address the country as a whole. As a former immigration minister, I know all too well the sensitivities surrounding issues of migration and refugees, and the importance of language. Some have found it politically expedient to conflate the issues of legal migration and asylum seekers. This is wrong. They are two very distinct and separate issues, each with its own legal and political requirements.

I have always been in opposition to the Rwanda deportation policy and have been appalled by some of the language deployed during the debate. The current situation in Britain, with levels of social unrest not experienced for a very long time, is deeply worrying. Divisive rhetoric, including by some from the previous administration, has certainly not helped. “Stop the boats” has been one of the riot chants and that is most unfortunate.

Those in my party who feel as I do must act. What is required is a strong, passionate defence of moderation and a vision for a centrist agenda for our country. This cannot be taken for granted; it must be fought for. We need to be bold and have the courage to take on the extremes, who have been better funded and better organised for decades.

We have to recognise the need for change and do it now. Politics today is more volatile than ever. Any attempts to “unite the right” by morphing or merging the Conservative party with Reform UK could not only undermine social cohesion but also set my party on the path to an electoral defeat from which it may never recover.

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In all of this we must be proudly internationalist, strengthen our relationship with the European Union, uphold the rule of law, develop a comprehensive offer to younger people, seek to unite not divide our society, be environmentally responsible and return to the highest standards in public life. I would implore all Conservative leadership candidates to embrace this centrist agenda.

Only through the wholehearted embrace of a such an agenda can the Conservative party return to being outward-looking, at ease with modern Britain, deriving support from all parts of our society. Only then will it be ready to govern the country again.