evaluate the view that the current conservative party is a thatcherite party

What did thatcher do in her time as PM

• She transformed the party’s policies in almost all areas

• she introduced Neoliberal economic policies, embodied strong conviction policies, including her crusade against trade unions

For: the current Conservative Party continues Thatcherite economic principles through support for low taxation and reduced public spending

Evidence:

• Thatcher cut the top rate of income tax from 83% to 40% and corporation tax from 52% to 34%.
  
  

• In the 2024 Spring Budget, National Insurance was cut from 10% to 8%, with a manifesto pledge to lower it further to 6% by 2027.
  
  

• Liz Truss’ 2022 mini-budget planned to abolish the top income tax rate and cut corporation tax, echoing Thatcherite tax-cutting strategies.
  
  

Explanation:
These moves mirror Thatcher’s belief in incentivising individual enterprise through lower taxes. Even when met with backlash (as with Truss), the underlying policy instinct of tax reduction remains embedded in modern Conservative thinking.

Link:
The emphasis on tax cuts and restrained spending shows a clear ideological link to Thatcherite economic policy

For: Thatcherism is defined by support for privatisation and limiting state intervention, which continues in todays conservative party

Evidence:

• Thatcher’s era saw major privatisations starting in 1981 with British Telecom.
  
  

• Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservative Party remains committed to privatisation, particularly in public services and energy.
  
  

• There have been no major reversals of Thatcher-era privatisations under recent leadership.
  
  

Explanation:
The Conservative Party’s ongoing refusal to re-nationalise services and preference for private sector delivery aligns with Thatcher’s aim to reduce the size and scope of the state.

Link:
This continued reliance on market-driven solutions demonstrates the party’s adherence to core Thatcherite principles.

For: Thatcherite attitudes towards welfare - favouring reduced dependency - are still present in Conservative Party and rhetoric

• Evidence:
  
  

  • Thatcher cut social spending early in her premiership and was sceptical of the welfare state.
    
    

  • In April 2024, Sunak criticised what he called a growing “sicknote culture” and described disability benefits as overly generous.
    
    

  • He questioned their sustainability in comparison to essential areas like education and policing.
    
    

• Explanation:
  These comments reflect a clear Thatcherite view that excessive welfare spending discourages self-reliance and burdens the state.
  
  

• Link:
  Sunak’s rhetoric and policy direction show that Thatcherite values around welfare remain influential within the party.
  
  

Against: the Conservative Party under Rishi sunak moved away from Thatcherite principles by rejecting the radical free market reforms of liz truss

Evidence:

• Truss’ 2022 mini-budget, which aimed to cut taxes and boost growth through borrowing, was reversed by Sunak.
  
  

• Truss’ tax-cutting approach was explicitly inspired by Thatcherite economics.
  
  

• In contrast, Sunak’s government raised corporation tax from 19% to 25% in April 2023.
  
  

Explanation:
By rejecting Truss’ economic strategy and raising taxes, Sunak distanced the party from the low-tax, small-state ideology central to Thatcherism.

Link:

This shows that the current Conservative leadership prioritises fiscal stability over free-market experimentation, diverging from Thatcherite orthodoxy

Against: Sunaks economic policy focuses more on pragmatism and fiscal responsibility than on Thatcherite ideology

• Evidence:
  
  

  • His policies are framed around reducing inflation, cutting national debt, and addressing the cost of living crisis.
    
    

  • There has been no significant push to shrink the state or slash spending in the way Thatcher did in the 1980s.
    
    

• Explanation:
  While Thatcher aimed to roll back the state to unleash market forces, Sunak has taken a more interventionist approach, using state mechanisms to stabilise the economy.
  
  

• Link:
  This pragmatic and cautious fiscal strategy marks a clear departure from Thatcher’s bold, ideological economic reforms.
  
  

Against: even under current leader Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party hasn’t embraced a return to Thatcherite tax cutting

Evidence:

• Since becoming leader in late 2024, Badenoch has not proposed cuts to VAT, income tax, or corporation tax.
  
  

• Her economic programme so far suggests continuity rather than radical change.
  
  

Explanation:
A true Thatcherite agenda would feature immediate and aggressive tax-cutting policies. Badenoch’s caution shows the party’s shift away from this.

Link:
The absence of tax cut proposals signals that Thatcherism is no longer the dominant force shaping Conservative economic policy.

For: the Conservative Party under Rishi Sunak reflects Thatcherite values through its tough stance on crime and law enforcement

Evidence:

• Thatcher increased funding for police and the armed forces despite wider budget cuts.
  
  

• Sunak met the 2019 manifesto goal of 20,000 extra police officers, and pledged 8,000 more in 2024.
  
  

• March 2023 Anti-Social Behaviour Plan introduced fast-tracked punishments such as community service within 48 hours (e.g., graffiti removal, litter picking).
  
  

Explanation:
Both Thatcher and Sunak prioritised public order, reflecting a belief that strong policing is central to civil society and governance.

Link:

This continuation of a “law and order” agenda shows that modern Conservatives still embrace key Thatcherite principles

For: the current Conservative Party like thatchers aims to restrict the power of trade unions and disruptive protest movements

• Evidence:
  
  

  • Thatcher famously called trade unions the “enemy within” and passed laws to make striking more difficult.
    
    

  • Sunak’s Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 requires minimum staffing levels in essential services during strikes.
    
    

  • The Public Order Act 2023 introduced criminal offences like “locking-on” and obstructing infrastructure, targeting groups like Just Stop Oil.
    
    

• Explanation:
  These policies limit disruptive industrial action and protest, much like Thatcher’s confrontation with unions in the 1980s.
  
  

• Link:
  By legislating against strikes and disruptive protest tactics, the Conservative Party continues to apply Thatcherite control over dissent.
  
  

Against: law and order and the unions

• though the current conservative govt has taken a relatively strong approach to striking workers, arguably hasnt been as harsh or uncompromising as the policies of thatchers governments

• For example, the govt did negotiate with some striking workers and come to an agreement with both teachers and nurses

For: the Conservative Party under Rishi Sunak continues Thatchers legacy of a strong, assertive foreign policy

• Evidence:
  
  

  • Thatcher was known for her assertive foreign policy, including standing up to the USSR during the Cold War and defending British interests in the Falklands War.
    
    

  • Sunak has shown a similar commitment by supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, committing £2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine (2024).
    
    

  • In February 2025, Kemi Badenoch supported increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 to strengthen military readiness, especially against Russian threats.
    
    

• Explanation:
  Thatcher’s foreign policy was grounded in national interest and global assertiveness, and Sunak's policies reflect these values by positioning Britain as a key player in international security.
  
  

• Link:
  The current Conservative government, like Thatcher, maintains a strong, interventionist foreign policy to protect Britain's global interests.
  
  

For: like thatcher the Conservative Party is deeply eurosceptic and prioritises national sovereignty

Evidence:

• Thatcher was famously eurosceptic, seeking to protect Britain’s sovereignty from what she perceived as an overreaching European Union.
  
  

• The current Conservative Party has followed suit by opposing the political union of the EU, with a focus on taking back control after Brexit.
  
  

Explanation:
Thatcher’s rejection of deeper EU integration has been mirrored by the Conservative Party’s stance on Brexit and their commitment to national sovereignty over European unity.

Link:
The Conservative Party’s opposition to the EU political union and commitment to Brexit reflects the Thatcherite desire for Britain to retain full sovereignty.

Against: the conservative party’s policies on Brexit and economic trade are more economically reckless and anti free trade than thatcher would have supported

Evidence:

• Thatcher, while eurosceptic on political union, was strongly supportive of free trade within the EU and the European Single Market.
  
  

• The current Conservative government’s Brexit policy has led to economic uncertainty, with the UK's departure from the Single Market resulting in trade barriers that are detrimental to the economy.
  
  

Explanation:
Thatcher’s policy was focused on economic growth through free trade, while the current government's Brexit approach undermines that principle, prioritising national sovereignty over economic stability.

Link:
The current policies diverge from Thatcher's pro-free trade stance, showing that the current Conservative Party is no longer adhering to the economic principles Thatcher championed.

Against: the conservative party’s anti immigration stance is at odds with thatchers approach which was not strongly opposed to immigration

Evidence:

• Thatcher recognised the economic benefits of immigration, whereas the current Conservative Party has formalised its anti-immigration stance with policies such as the Rwanda immigration policy.
  
  

• The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act (April 2024) allows for the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing, despite criticisms regarding the safety and fairness of the process.
  
  

Explanation:
Thatcher was not an advocate for open borders, but she understood that immigration could benefit the economy. The current Conservative Party’s approach, with policies like the Rwanda deal, is more restrictive and cost-intensive, without clear economic advantages.

Link:
The current government’s anti-immigration policies, such as the Rwanda deal, reflect a shift from Thatcher's pragmatic immigration stance, where the economic benefits of immigration were more recognised.

Against: the cost of the Rwanda immigration policy reflects a reckless economic approach that would have been opposed by thatcher

Evidence:

• The initial £290M payment to Rwanda, alongside additional costs for flights (£11,000 per asylum seeker) and processing (£151,000 per person over five years), makes the policy economically inefficient.
  
  

• Thatcher would have likely opposed such massive costs for a policy that provides little economic return.
  
  

Explanation:
Thatcher was known for her focus on economic efficiency and fiscal conservatism, and she would have opposed the wasteful spending associated with the Rwanda policy, especially considering its limited economic benefits.

Link:
The high costs of immigration policies under Sunak and Badenoch demonstrate a departure from Thatcher's fiscal discipline and her reluctance to support economically inefficient policies.

Overall conclusion: conservative party is still certainly a Thatcherite party

• Can be seen through economic policy, as party has strong support for privatisation and low taxes

• Also clear in strong approach of Sunaks govt to trade unions, foreign policy and law and order

• Further, as was clear in Liz Truss mini budget, there are significant parts of the Conservative Party that seek to take Thatcherite reforms even further