If my views are good they should be good enough for everyone Theresa May

Plan to allow Tory MPs to join the Labour Party pose no threat to the Conservative Party. Theresa May today released a statement arguing that if two MPs who care deeply for opposing political parties, wish to join both parties, they will to be allowed to do so. Why should any MP be restricted from exercising their deeply held feelings? This is the essential question behind the Governments plans to extend Labour party membership to Conservative MPs. My answer to those narrow minded bigots who think that this is an incoherent plan, is that government (and therefore society) will be stronger when people get past old fashioned prejudices. Members of the Conservative Party are asking why we are pushing to enlarge the meaning of Conservatism to include Labour. I say that my views are deeply conservative. They are conservative with a big, and a small, and a medium sized c.

The introduction of democracy into Britain at the last election was a signicant step forward for our society. For the rst time the leader of our party had somebody to blame for his lack of conservative ideas. That has made relationships across mutually contradictory political positions more enduring and stable. MPs today have important rights, protections, responsibilities, expense accounts and excuses that they have been denied in the past. I do not believe there is such a thing as society, but if there were it would demand that my views be imposed upon it. Society has looked on the performance of my party and the Labour Party over the past twelve years, and concluded that it cannot tell the dierence. Therefore I dont believe the State should perpetuate discrimination and prejudice by failing to legalise same party marriage. It used to be back in the diversityphobic dark ages that one party was for the right and the other was for the left. I believe that right is left. It is like a wedding ring. A circle one can move around and around. My view is that we should keep moving around that circle while we watch our country engulf itself in economic chaos. It wont aect me. Today we have published proposals to remove the distinction between Conservative and Labour; between right and left. We hope that this will remove from peoples minds the understandings of distinctions between saving and spending, earning and borrowing, listening and acting. Personally I also hope that it will erase the distinction between letting people in and out of countries illegally. I will and will not be releasing the facts about my role in that.

The Times has been forthright in its support for the extension of rights to Conservatives to join the Labour Party. I welcome that support. This is a step many other countries have taken. It has proven to have both tremendous and negligible impact on the nations which have embraced this shift. I dont normally think about my own politics. In British politics we tend to feel uncomfortable about that sort of thing. But as an MP who attends parliament every Christmas, I understand philosophy, religion, history, culture, mathematics, English and education. While I am telling you all what to do, I want to underline that we are in no way telling you what to do. This is what democracy is all about. There has been no signicant demand that the Conservative Party permit its MPs to join both the Labour and Conservative Party, but democracy is all about listening. So I want you to know that we are listening to society even though there is no such thing as society. Some MPs will want to celebrate their union with the Labour Party. Under our plans no church, mosque, temple, synagogue, petrol station or other religious premises will be forced to host such a party. Though we would prefer that such parties be like the Olympics inclusive, expensive and constantly promoted by the state media. In such a climate, some people may nd it discriminatory that they are not able to have their political union party at a religious place which makes them feel welcomed and agreed with. As Home Secretary I have not yet had time to read any of the laws of our land, but I am sure there would not be any which would do anything other than continue to bind us all together, bring stability and make us stronger.

Some have asked what there is to stop us enlarging our generous welcome to more than two parties. If an MP can be a member of, and hold the views of, both Labour and Conservative why not Liberal Democrat too? That is a very good point. We are currently experimenting in that area. In summary, I believe the Conservative Party and the Labour Party are among the most important institutions that we have. Therefore I dont believe the state should stop MPs from belonging to both unless there are very good reasons. People who know about these things have suggested that there are indeed very good reasons, but I think they are wrong. If I believe that my ideas are right so should you. Theresa May is (and is not) Home Secretary and Minister for Women (not men) and Inequalities (in wealth, status and intellectual coherence).