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Dear John,

In their desperate bid to stay relevant amid the collapse of centre-right parties across Europe, the Conservatives have found new depths to plumb.

Today, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick demanded that prospective Tory candidates pledge to support leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – despite the fact that it’s not settled party policy. Issuing such a mandate from on high, without consulting members, drags the party closer to both Nigel Farage’s agenda and his leadership style.

Jenrick is clearly positioning himself to challenge Kemi Badenoch for the leadership when the 1922 Committee rules allow in November. With the Conservatives’ dire performance at the last election and in subsequent polling, he is staking his future on pulling the party into Farage’s national-populist camp.

But this kind of power grab runs against the foundations of democracy. Whether Britain abandons the ECHR, or scraps hard-won protections like the Equality Act and Human Rights Act, is not a decision for party elites or backroom manoeuvres. These are questions that demand open debate and a democratic mandate from the people.

By aping Farage’s rhetoric and autocratic party management, the Conservatives are not renewing themselves. They’re erasing what little relevance they have left. A party that once claimed to stand for stability now risks becoming nothing more than an echo of Reform UK.

True democracy means more than power struggles at the top. It means decisions that shape our rights and freedoms are made transparently, with the consent of the people. Britain’s future should be built on open debate, equal rights, and accountable leadership, not dictated by political elites or driven by fear.

If our leaders won’t uphold those principles, it’s up to us – as citizens – to demand a fairer, stronger democracy worthy of the name.

All the best,

Open Britain Team
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