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Louise Thomas
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One of Boris Johnson’s most outspoken Conservative critics has called on the party to ban those who put personal ambition above public duty from becoming Tory MPs.
Ex-Tory minister Jesse Norman warns the party risks an even bigger defeat at the next election unless it takes “drastic remedial action”.
Among his proposals designed to win back voters’ trust is a refusal to allow anyone to stand as a Tory at the next election without a proven track record of “meaningful public service”.
Hereford MP Mr Norman has issued a rallying cry for the Tory Party to get back to “real conservative values”, and show it is “serious and competent” and devoted to “the public good”.
He opposes the “creeping presidential” style of prime ministers, says there should be no more referendums and is critical of “bogus claims to represent the will of the people”.
Mr Norman was among the senior Conservatives who called for Mr Johnson to resign as prime minister in 2022.
In a public letter to Mr Johnson at the time, Mr Norman accused him of “trying to import a presidential system into No 10″ and “casual law-breaking” over the Downing Street Partygate scandal.
The letter contains distinct echoes of his new manifesto for a Tory revival.
Mr Norman was also a fierce critic of the decision to hold the 2016 EU referendum, when ex-journalist Mr Johnson claimed his successful Brexit campaign with its “take back control” slogan was “the will of the people”.
In an article for the Conservative-supporting Onward think tank Mr Norman states that “far from bouncing back”, the Conservatives could be “wiped out altogether” in the next election.
To avoid this, it must introduce “intellectual and practical” changes to restore its “core values, authenticity and legitimacy”.
It must “earn a measure of trust and belief, to show it is serious, competent and oriented towards the public good”.
Mr Norman, 62, who does not refer to Mr Johnson or any other current Tory figure by name, questions how during the Brexit debate “some Conservative leaders” claimed to have represented “the will of the people”.
Such a claim “taken literally, is invariably bogus,” he says.
It was part of a “dangerous attempt to win by emotion what may not be winnable by calm discussion”.
According to Mr Norman, being a “real Conservative” means “avoiding slogans and seeking to dial down public emotions, not inflame them”.
Mr Norman, who supported Mr Johnson when he became prime minister and was a Treasury minister in his government, calls for “two specific tests” for parliamentary candidates.
They must prove they have already “made a meaningful commitment to public service”. The Independent understands this could include those who have been local councillors, done voluntary work or served in the Armed Forces. If candidates failed either test they should not be allowed to stand at the next election.
Mr Norman also urges Tory supporters to re-examine some of their traditional attitudes, adding: “Conservatives will naturally and rightly rejoice at the achievements of great heroes from Elizabeth I to Winston Churchill.”
But they could not “ignore the many histories of British discrimination, domination and injustice to others”.
Mr Norman’s letter calling for Johnson to resign as PM in 2022 said: “I have always been deeply committed to public service. You have presided over a culture of casual law-breaking at 10 Downing Street in relation to Covid.
“You are the leader of the Conservative and Unionist party, yet you are putting the Union gravely at risk. Sensible planning has been replaced by empty rhetoric.
“Worse still: you are trying to import elements of a presidential system entirely foreign to our constitution.
“All these things are at odds with a decent, proper conservatism, integrity and the public good. For you to prolong this charade by remaining in office insults the electorate.”
