Soft power is sometimes defined as the art of attracting and co-opting others to ‘want what you want’, and is usually said to derive from three primary sources: culture, political values and foreign policy.
The universal revulsion at Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal invasion of Ukraine is rightly leading to a sense of outrage across the international community.
During the early years of the civil war in Syria, I argued in Parliament against arming rebel forces and, by sponsoring a debate and vote in the House of Commons in July 2013, ensured with others that the Government could not provide lethal support to any force in Syria without first obtaining th
The Conservative Party is nothing if it is not a One Nation Party, and must understand and articulate clearly that a thriving economy is a means of better helping those less fortunate than themselves rather than an end in itself.
I believe in a tougher law and order policy. This should include a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to crime, more neighbourhood policing and tougher sentences. I refer to New York’s progress during the 1990s, when such an approach resulted in a significant reduction in crime across most categories.
Having served as a soldier in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, I retain a strong interest in defence issues. I was recently appointed Chair of the Conservative Backbench Defence Committee.
Throughout my time in Parliament I have taken a strong interest in cancer issues. From 2002-2003 (I resigned to vote against the Iraq War) I was a Shadow Health Minister with responsibility for cancer, and from 2009-2018 I was Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer (APPGC).
As the Patron of the British Nuclear Test Veterans’ Association (BNTVA) for many years, spurred on initially by a constituent who was himself a test veteran, I have been closely involved with the campaign on behalf of nuclear veterans and their families.
