Science in the service of society

What is your earliest political memory?

My father took the radio to bed with him on election night in 1979. I didn’t really understand why at the time, but that night marked a new age in British politics. At the following election in 1983, one of our teachers took us to the local polling station – a caravan in a small Buckinghamshire village. I remember thinking how the voting process was both rather mundane and vitally important at the same time.

Did you grow up in a political household?

My parents were teachers. It wasn’t a party political household, even though my parents were Tories. But it was political in the sense that every meal tended to become a debate. As one of my sisters has grown up to be a vegetarian, teetotal vicar, and the other was a bit of a rebel, the discussions were usually lively!

When did you first think about a political career?

I recall very clearly that, during one of those heated mealtime debates, my father said any of us could be an MP if we wanted it badly enough. That planted a seed that took years to germinate but, after spending time as a teacher, working for pension companies and also for David Willetts at Westminster, I decided it was finally time to have a go. I never liked the messianic nature of Tony Blair’s leadership and, inevitably, he could not match the hype, but he was still right to think that politics can be a powerful force for good in the world.

What got you into politics?

I was one of those slightly sad people who became interested in politics as a young teenager. I first tried to join my local Conservative Association in Banbury when I was about 15, but was refused for being too young! Fortunately, it didn’t put me off and I reapplied successfully a few years later.

I then became active as a student Tory – it was a fascinating time as Margaret Thatcher’s resignation occurred during my first term at university. I was the only person our student newspaper could find who was prepared to say it was a sad day! Manchester University’s politics were very febrile when I was there, with lots of small left-wing groups.

Sometimes, it felt like the scene from Life of Brian about the Judean People’s Front and the People’s Front of Judea. But there were quite a few Tories too, and we were pretty successful in student union elections – including the chap who changed his name by deedpoll to Alan B’Stard!

Liam Byrne was a key student union hack at the time, and it was always clear he would go far. Derek Draper was also on the scene and was a controversial figure even then.

Why are you a Conservative?

I have always identified with the Conservative Party because I think, by and large, that we have been on the right side on the really big questions, like the need for economic reform during the 1980s.

However, my views have changed since I was first interested in politics. There is a saying that you have no heart if you are on the right when you are young, and no brain if you are on the left when you are older. But I have shifted in the opposite direction, from being right-wing to centre-right. We clearly did give too low a priority to the social consequences of economic change during the 1980s.

In 2004, I co-authored a pamphlet with John Bercow called Change is Still Our Ally, which argued for a progressive form of Conservatism. So I feel very at home with David Cameron as our leader and where he has positioned our party.

One of the fascinating shifts in recent years, in my opinion, is the way in which social research has confirmed Conservative instincts – for example, on the family, on economics and on boosting the non-state sector. For me, it suggests we are still on the right side of the really big issues.

What have you done in your life so far that qualifies you to be an MP?

As I currently work at Parliament as chief of staff to David Willetts, I am aware that I could be accused of being a professional politician. I don’t have any great antipathy towards the idea of politics as a profession but, having been a teacher for around five years and having worked for private pension firms for nearly as long, I think I understand the importance of both public service and the profit motive, as well as the messy nature of policymaking.

To what extent have you experienced a backlash against politics during your campaign?

Somewhat less than I expected. There is, rightly, no sympathy for the guilty parties in the expenses scandal. But Cambridge voters tend to realise that this election is about the future, and about whether we should have a change of prime minister. It helps that none of the candidates in Cambridge has been an MP before and that our current MP, David Howarth, has not been accused of unacceptable behaviour. That means we can stick to the policy alternatives on offer.

How are you finding the campaign trail?

I am loving it so far. There are so many interesting people to meet, and being a PPC opens doors. Cambridge is an easy city to travel around (except by car!) so it is easy to cover a lot of ground compared to many rural seats. Like many candidates, I would like more activists, resources and so on, but we make the best of what we have.

The most interesting visit I have done was probably the one to Microsoft, who set up their first research lab outside the US in Cambridge. I expected them to say Cambridge was a good base because of the university, the availability of credit and so on. They told me that quality of life was even more important, and that it was good schools, good transport and good job opportunities for spouses that attracted the best staff. That made me realise that the concerns of business are also the concerns of people. But if Cambridge is to be at the heart of our economic revival, as it should be, it needs to be more fairly treated as a city by those at the centre.

What policy areas would you like to concentrate on if you become an MP?

My areas of greatest expertise are work and pensions and education. I would particularly like to focus on education because it is so important to the prestige, wealth and success of Cambridge as a place. Unfortunately, our two universities, our local FE colleges, our many language schools and our schools all face grave problems at the moment. They need a powerful champion and that is what I would seek to be.

Taken from the House Magazine, 22nd March 2010 – see http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/science-in-the-service-of-society/.