The new conservatives: David Cameron and John McCain

Not so long ago Britain's David Cameron was something of an exception in global conservatism but that's changing fast.  Two more traditional conservatives - John Howard and George W Bush - have either left the stage or are about to depart.  In Australia John Howard has been replaced by a more centrist leader, Brendan Nelson.  If Super Tuesday votes as the polls predict, Senator John McCain will become the Republican Party's nominee and the de facto leader of America's conservatives.

Here is a summary of how Cameron and McCain are taking conservatism in new directions (and where they differ).

THE NEW CONSERVATISM OF CAMERON AND McCAIN

Greener: Both are of one mind on global warming, supporting government action to force reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.  Both see the European Union taking a lead on the issue.  John McCain has said that “Americans should welcome the rise of a strong, confident European Union."  He continued: "The future of the transatlantic relationship lies in confronting the challenges of the twenty-first century worldwide: developing a common energy policy, creating a transatlantic common market tying our economies more closely together, and institutionalizing our cooperation on issues such as climate change, foreign assistance, and democracy promotion.”

More civil libertarian: Both McCain and Cameron have been very critical of Guantanamo Bay.  Both have more sympathy for protecting civil liberties than George W Bush or Michael Howard.  They have both criticised aggressive interrogation techniques, including waterboarding.

Less impressed with tax relief: Both emphasise fiscal conservatism over supply-side tax relief.  John McCain twice voted against President Bush's tax cuts and David Cameron has pledged to limit promises of tax cuts to only those that can be fully funded by commensurate tax increases or by spending reductions.  Recently, however, John McCain has vowed to extend Bush's tax cuts and has demanded a tough approach to public spending.  UK Tories are pledged to match Labour on spending.

More welcoming of immigrants: Both men have antagonised elements within their parties who have wanted very hardline positions on immigration.  John McCain almost lost any chance of the Republican nomination when he sided with George W Bush on immigration reform and a form of amnesty for illegal immigrants.  David Cameron has substantially softened Tory rhetoric on immigration and towards asylum seekers, in particular.

Pragmatic on controversial medical research: Both men support embryonic stem cell research.

More gay-friendly:  David Cameron has moved the Conservative Party decisively in favour of gay rights issues and favours tax relief for same-sex couples who enter civil partnerships.  John McCain's position is less clear although he has described attempts to secure a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage as "un-Republican".  That opposition stems more from a respect for state rights than social conservatism, however.  He is thought to be sympathetic to civil partnerships.

Zero tolerance of ethical lapses: Both men take a low tolerance approach to ethical indiscretions by politicians.

BUT THERE ARE BIG DIFFERENCES BETWEEN McCAIN AND CAMERON, TOO

The war on terror: John McCain was a leading supporter of the surge of troops into Iraq - in fact Democrats called the surge the McCain doctrine. McCain also supports a major increase in the strength of the US military.  Cameron, in contrast, was very sceptical about the surge and McCain was said to be "deceived" by Cameron on this issue.  Cameron Conservatives won't commit to any increase in defence spending although, as a percentage of GDP, it hasn't been this low since the years of 1930s appeasement.

The United Nations: UK Tory spokesman regularly hide behind the United Nations when they are pressed to act against some international outrage or threat.  British Conservatives have no reform agenda for the UN of the kind proposed by John McCain. The US Senator has called for a new League of Democracies.

Abortion: McCain is much more socially conservative.  He opposes abortion, for example.  Cameron favours a reduction in the abortion time-limit but does not support radical change.

Guns: McCain is a strong supporter of second amendment gun rights.  David Cameron has no plans to weaken draconian British gun laws.

IN CONCLUSION

David Cameron and John McCain have much in common.  That much was clear when, in October 2006, the Republican crossed the Atlantic to give a keynote address to the Tory annual conference.  They are also both free-traders and David Cameron recently went out of his way to identify John McCain as an ally against protectionism. They are also allies on climate change, civil liberties and a conservatism that is more compassionate.  Tensions will centre around the British Tories' rejection of liberal interventionism and an unwillingness to commit to a substantial rebuilding of Britain's overstretched armed forces.  It would also be wrong to overstate the similarities between UK and US domestic policy priorities.  On welfare reform, tax policy and action against crime American public policy is ten years ahead of Britain.  Issues that are less electorally salient in America remain potent in Britain where taxes and crime have not been retired as issues.

Comments

[Europhile, Gay and One Nationl Conservative]

All music to my ears!

[Europhile, Gay and One Nationl Conservative]

I should have added that McCain is also in favour of a federal Europe. I just hope he can convince DC for the merits.

[Sally Roberts]

Although I agree with what Europhile Gay and One Nation has to say above, I am afraid I can't support McCain because of his stance on (a) abortion and (more particularly) (b) guns. IMO the gun law in the US is madness although I do understand it is enshrined in the Constitution and therefore pretty much untouchable! I hope we never go down that road here in the UK.

[Mary Fernandez]

This is a bit disengenuous. Cameron and McCain may have the same position on some issues but for completely different reasons. For instance, McCain only opposed the Bush tax cuts because there weren't commensurate spending cuts. He'd never support spending increases the way Cameron does! McCain doesn't support the Constitutional Amendment against gay marriage (something the UK doesn't have either, btw) because marriage is a State issue not a Federal one. It has no bearing on how he feels about homosexuality. (Of which, I have no idea.)

If I were Cameron, I wouldn't cross McCain too many times (like once). He has quite a temper. See Romney's video of McCain's top ten moments of cursing at fellow Senators.

[IRJMilne]

Very unlikely to be "the conservatism of the future". Just "the conservatism of now". There have always been "softer" Tories and more "forthright" Tories. This is a liberal age, so we have a somewhat more liberal leader. I expect it will come around again in time (I think it will have to ultimately).

[Tony Makara]

Foreign policy remains a worry for me, particularly over relations with Tehran. Both men have made hardline rather than diplomatic statements over Iran. I fear that a president McCain and a prime minister Cameron may just be too close to have a working relationship and we could be back to Bush/Blair all over again only with Iran as the whipping boy rather than Iraq.

On the subject of compassionate conservatism, I feel that the Conservative party is starting to drift away from compassion now that a lead has been established in the polls, and I don't believe McCain represents anything close to a compassionate position.

[Jon Gale]

I think "Immigration" should be in the Disagree pile - McCain supported reform and amnesty as you say, while Cameron's policy is a strict quota on non-EU immigrants and border police.

[Andrew Ian Dodge]

Using the term "conservative" in conjunction with either of these two men is pushing its definition. Alas, this will be a centrist election in the US and I think McCain is the only man who can defeat either Democrat.

We can only hope he gets a decent VP candidate. On domestic policy McCain's record is frankly awful (McCain/Feingold, McCain/Kennedy. voting against tax cuts etc).

[Moral minority]

Both Cameron and McCain are liberal centrists who have a record of deliberately antagoning the conservative grassroots in their respective countries. I hope that Ron Paul and/or Pat Buchanan (possibly as a joint ticket) will run as anti-war traditional conservatives.

[Adam in London]

When did a conservative fiscal policy stop being about balanced budgets and start being about funding tax cuts with profligate borrowing?

[Donal Blaney]

I don't think the delegates in Washington this week for CPAC will agree with you, Tim, that McCain will be the leader of the conservative movement!

[rightsideforum]

If anything, it shows how far behind Cameron is.

Very poor on the pro life matter - the Tories like our other parties shamefully ignored the disgraceful rubber stamp approval of the status quo for our out of touch liberal abortion laws.

- on civil liberties, the Tories did support extending the detention limit and control orders did they not? The fact they didn't jump as high as the government baselessly wanted to is not important.

As for the surge - it worked. Shame on our Tories for not supporting it, and continuing to ignore its success.

- As for the UN, it is corrupt and so pathetically inclusive of the most despicable regimes on the planet, it's another success of McCain over Cameron.

[Lindsay Jenkins]

Mary Fernandez @7.14 is spot on. The difference on tax between Cameron and McCain stands out a mile.

Furthermore the US has a substantially lower tax take than the UK.

Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute in Washington has just produced this short punchy video on the Laffer Curve - Cameron and Osborne should watch and learn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIqyCpCPrvU

[Free Marketeer]

Can we please stop calling George Bush a traditional conservative. This is a man who reportedly exclaimed in frustration that the Constitution "is just a damn piece of paper."
There is nothing conservative about treating the Middle East like a chessboard that can be re-ordered at will.
A conservative would not have Bush's exaggerated faith in the ability of democracy to yield good government and social stability in the Middle East.

And for good measure, McCain's campaign finance legislation, which took a hammer to the First Amendment, is not the stance of a civil libertarian.

[Nick Locke]

John McCain will never be the de facto leader of American conservatives. He may become the "leader" of the Republican Party as a presidential candidate, but he will never be accepted by U.S. conservatives.

[Buckinghamshire Tory]

Andrew Ian Dodge. You are quite wrong. The American Conservative Union gives John McCain’s voting record 83%. That is only 3% less than Fred Thompson and 7% less than Newt Gingrich. I do not think you would have called Newt Gingrich or Fred Thompson “centrists”. McCain is a consistent conservative, unlike Mitt Romney for example.

Moral minority.A Ron Paul/Pat Buchanan-ticket? Now that would be rich. That would only drain votes from the serious Republican candidate, and help the Democrats win the White House.

[James]

Cameron/McCain's conservatism: an offer to try taking the nation over the cliff at a slightly slower speed than that of a Labour/Democratic government.

Sally Roberts, I'm not American, but I don't see how you can be pro-civil liberties and not in favour of the right to bear arms.

[David]

It seems to me that John McCain becoming the Republican nominee would be like a strong pro-European becoming leader of the Conservatives. Much infighting and bitterness is likely to follow.

[David]

Sounds good, and good to see Cameron is sounder on abortion.

All this isn't really new though; they are strands of Conservatism that have always been there, and have been at the forefront before. Once again, it's the view that the Conservatism espoused in the 1980s is the one true model.

[pro_usa1776]

Hey Sally ROberts, I am American and I support the second ammendment. You know the same ammendment that allowed us citizens to send firearms to the UK in 1940. If I was you I would be more worried about the growing population of muslims and the allowance of muslim men with multiple wives to go on the dole. 25% of the UK is suppose to be on the dole, is that true?

[Jon]

Surely a parody?

[Ben Stevenson]

"25% of the UK is suppose to be on the dole, is that true?"

Lots of people in the UK work in the public sector, or get various benefits, and so may personally benefit from high taxation.
However, we don't have 25% of people claiming unemployment benefits, if that is what you mean by on the dole.

[Eddie Heath]

Cameron would be more likely to side with former Governors George Pataki or William Weld.

[jdun]

pro_usa1776 wasn't joking and he is right.

To conservatives in the US, Britain's conservatives and US Democrats are the same. So yes McCain is center left and not right or center right. McCain is a RINO.

[Joanna]

I think the analysis is missing something elses that's huge: abortion is a make-or-break issue in the U.S. It's something with consequences. There are plenty of people who vote Republican kicking and screaming because their first issue is abortion. It is not a minor issue to be tucked in under the heading: things McCain and Cameron disagree on. It's a major difference in political culture.