The Common Good in The National Interest
The SDP reshaped politics in the 1980s and almost ‘broke the mould’.
The resurgent SDP now offers millions of disenchanted voters a new centre-ground choice.
The party, which has quietly been signing up hundreds of new recruits in recent weeks, is about to go high profile with its ‘New Declaration’ of aims and values – to rival the famous ‘Limehouse Declaration’ launched by its founding “Gang of Four”. Key to its resurgence is a promise to respect the Brexit referendum – unlike the Liberal Democrats.
SDP leader, William Clouston said: “The ‘New Declaration’ is a powerful call for a communitarian, social democratic Britain. There are millions of British people who want a sensible ‘red and blue’ centre-ground party to represent them. We’re here to offer the balanced programme which people seek – a better alternative to the old Labour/Conservative regime which has mis-managed our country. We’ve had phenomenal support from the grassroots all over the country – we’re speaking for Britain’s hidden majority.”
The New Declaration is a call to:
- Pursue the Common Good rather than the vested interests of the Labour/ Conservative duopoly.
- Return the railways to public ownership and to initiate a national public housing programme.
- Honour the 2016 EU Referendum and to enact Voting Reform.
- Defend the democratic nation-state against utopian supranational projects.
- Promote the Social Market Economy – a balanced pro-state, pro-market programme with an active industrial policy and sound finance.
- Defend the family as society’s foundation, to reject divisive, individualistic ‘identity politics’ and, instead, to re-enforce communitarian impulses in the interests of unity and social reconciliation.
- Provide a political home to all social democrats and to unlock Britain’s hidden moderate majority.
