Cameron hails fresh ideas of 'Red Tory' think-tank

David Cameron hailed the "fresh and radical" thinking of a so-called "Red Tory" today as he helped launch his new think-tank.

ResPublica has been set up by former theology lecturer Phillip Blond, whose society-centred philosophy has helped shape the new Conservative thinking.

Mr Blond, who is critical of elements of Thatcherism and the free market, wants control of public services handed to local communities and a "re-moralised" market economy.

Under Mr Cameron, he suggested, the Tories now recognised that "state and market have visibly and manifestly failed and we cannot and must not return to the bankrupt version of either".

The potential influence of his new body was highlighted with the announcement that Mr Cameron's policy chief Oliver Letwin is one of three senior MPs on its advisory board.

Speaking at the packed launch event in London, Mr Cameron was careful to make clear that he did not agree with all of Mr Blond's thinking.

"I have got to know Phillip and his work a little bit over the last few years," he told the audience about the man who has been dubbed his "philosopher king".

"While I would not say I agree with everything he has said or indeed everything he and his think tank are going to say, I think they are making some important contributions to thinking in Britain and also contributions that I think Conservatives can particularly welcome."

He said Britain's "broken" politics, society and economy meant there had "never been a more important time for deep and radical thinking about the change we need in this country.

"And I think it is very welcome that another think-tank is setting off on the journey of doing the deep thinking."

Mr Blond's thinking represented "a direct connection back to out past where there was a lot more thinking in Conservative circles about what a richer society would be", he said.

"If we want to tackle poverty, if we want to make opportunity more equal across our country, if we want to green our economy...these progressive goals, I profoundly believe, now need much more Conservative means to tackle them.

"And I think that having a new think-tank that is going to be addressing some of these issues, helping us with the big changes that we need in our country to tackle the broken politics, the broken society, the broken economy, I think it is a great step forward.

"I look forward to engaging with you in the future...and I hope that we can crack some of these huge problems facing our country with some fresh and radical thinking that I know you'd make."

Mr Blond set out his vision of a "radical transformative conservatism".

"(It) is nothing less than the restoration and creation of human association and the elevation of society and the people who form it to their proper central and sovereign station".