Andy Street: Conservatives can beat Reform with centre-right policies
The Conservatives can beat Reform UK if it leans into pro-business policies put forward by a new centre-right group, former Birmingham mayor Andy Street has said.
Street said his new political group co-founded with former Scottish Conservatives leader Baroness Davidson – and backed by dozens of former Cabinet ministers and policy officials – can help Kemi Badenoch’s party win over around seven million voters who are said to be politically homeless.
Prosper UK, the title given to the “pragmatic politics” movement, is set to focus on researching pro-business policies for the Tory leadership to take up before the next election.
Speaking to City AM, Street said the new policy platform was focused on “returning centre-right ideas” back to the mainstream.
“The Conservatives will be at the next election if it brings centre-right ideas,” Street said, squashing claims that votes would be split between Reform UK and Labour.
“There is a huge market to be addressed.”
Prosper UK has not committed itself to a set of policies, with proposals still yet to come in the coming months. The group will also not field candidates to stand in local or national elections.
Conservatives group gets business backing
Street also said a decision not to welcome sitting MPs was “deliberate”, suggesting the group would like to provide support through research.
Former home secretary Amber Rudd and ex-justice secretary David Gauke are among those to join the group, while the likes of Michael Heseltine, Philip Hammond, Justine Greening and Ken Clarke have expressed their support.
Prosper has already received endorsements from senior business figures, including the former chair of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Rupert Soames.
Street said Reform UK did not have “serious” proposals, adding there were contradictions between pledging £9bn welfare cuts and backing the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap.
He also said the Labour government’s planning reforms were “nowhere near enough” while greater focus should be brought to allowing the City to fund defence manufacturing, national re-armament and housing development.
Suella Braverman’s defection to Reform UK also made it “even more obvious” for the Conservatives to double down on centre-right values.
Some points of diversion between Street and Badenoch include net zero and immigration, though the group hopes it can help the party on “tip of the sphere” issues on economics and business.