On the 27th September the Bow Group, in partnership with Elevation Networks, will be launching the new book ‘Winning the Race’, exploring the Conservative Party's apparently declining ability to engage with non-traditional and minority voters. The book has already received a widespread response from the press, being featured in the Independent on Sunday, New Statesman, The Voice, among other media outlets.
- Independent on Sunday Page 4
Bow Group Chairman Ben Harris-Quinney commented: "Reflecting on the recent history of the Conservative Party there was, strangely, much more of a feeling of inclusiveness of appeal in the 1980s than there has been in the 2000s. Thatcher widened the appeal of the Conservative cause at a time when Britain was entirely different demographically, the inclusion of ethnic minorities in British society since, and projections that within 25 years ethnic minorities will form between 20 and 30% of British society means that there are many new voices to hear.
Blair and Cameron, whilst making grander allusions than their forbears, have each since failed to engender political engagement with those from ethnic minority backgrounds that go anywhere too far beyond PR and spin. With only 16% of ethnic minorities voting for the Conservative Party in 2010 it is clear that if the Conservative Party wishes to remain a relevant force in British politics, it must engage with those from ethnic minority backgrounds much more effectively.
The goal is far more important than mere psephology, and far wider than just engagement; it is to find our collective national voice and set a direction as a country. It is a voice which is never easy or convenient to find, and one that involves all of us stepping out of set backgrounds and into a wider, national community. Despite the great challenges it is the goal which every major party must set itself, and that everyone should benefit from."