Chapter 33

Freedom, Politics and the Future

Freedom

Many people put health above everything else, but I believe true freedom is actually the most important thing we have. To live without liberty is to not live at all. Democracy, though an imperfect and continuously evolving system, remains the most resilient framework we have for safeguarding human dignity and progress.

A country that is truly free stands on three sacred pillars that we can never allow to crumble. We must protect free and fair elections, the rule of law—meaning laws that apply to everyone equally—and individual liberty or personal freedom. To keep it all safe, the courts must always remain strictly independent, while Parliament and the Prime Minister hold each other accountable so no single person or group ever gets too much power.

Individual freedom is the bedrock of a meaningful life, and protecting it must be our highest priority. When we head to the ballot box, a candidate’s commitment to personal liberty should be the defining factor in how we cast our vote. History has repeatedly shown that when individual rights are surrendered to ideologies like communism, fascism, authoritarianism, or totalitarianism, the state gains absolute control, human dignity is eroded, and oppression inevitably prevails.

Think Independently

True intellectual freedom requires rejecting rigid labels. Beware of a specific faction that currently dominates modern state and public sector institutions. Typically white, middle-class and educated, this group shields itself in the vocabulary of the liberal left and talks constantly about justice and fairness. Much of this behaviour stems from virtue signalling rather than genuine moral conviction. Often it is a calculated performance designed to secure social status, protect careers and signal to the group that they are compliant. The real danger with this group is its vulnerability to authoritarian indoctrination. Driven by an intense fear of ostracisation, lost status, or being labelled outsiders, they naively adopt whichever narrative or linguistic code their institutions dictate. They mistake blind obedience for morality. In their desperate pursuit of conformity, they abandon independent thought and begin policing the minds of others. Their formal education often places them on a self-righteous pedestal, making them entirely closed off to opposing viewpoints and highly vulnerable to manipulation. I regard this as particularly dangerous because it allows conformity to masquerade as morality.

While you should remain polite and dedicated to your work, you must never surrender your critical thinking to them. Instead, think for yourself. Embrace the wisdom of the common working man— someone who is arguably wiser, more grounded, completely free of personal agendas, and has nothing to lose or gain. Through weakness and appeasement, this middle-class liberal elite risks ushering in communism; they treat these ideas as a game, but the consequences are deeply nefarious. Protect your independence of mind, because yielding your thoughts and speech to the crowd means surrendering your fundamental freedom. In my judgement, their willingness to sacrifice individual liberty, freedom of expression and independent thought in pursuit of ideological conformity threatens the very foundations of our democracy.

Beware of labels, and never surrender your independent thought. By refusing to define yourself as a feminist, communist, Marxist, fascist, capitalist, nationalist, or any other ‘ist’, you protect your ability to think critically. When you adopt a predefined ideological label, you inherit a package deal of beliefs that may not entirely align with your personal values. Choosing to live without these labels offers several distinct advantages.

Independent thought means you evaluate ideas based on their individual merit rather than whether they fit a specific doctrine. Nuanced perspectives are encouraged, as the world is complex, and rigid belief systems rarely accommodate the nuance required to solve real-world problems. Open dialogue is fostered.

Moving past labels allows you to connect with people based on shared human values rather than immediate tribal divisions. Furthermore, by remaining free from a static identity, you can easily change your mind when presented with better evidence or new information.

Instead of conforming, focus on cultivating an evolving framework of ethics and logic. Avoid ‘wokeism’ and the modern-day preoccupation with racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. All individuals deserve equal respect and the freedom to live authentically, free from judgement, prejudice, or discrimination. Treat everyone with fundamental decency and respect, regardless of their gender, background, race, or orientation. However, recognise that individuals vary; some are good, and others are not. True evaluation should be based solely on a person’s character.

Every individual deserves equal dignity, equal treatment under the law and the freedom to live as they choose. I defend those principles without reservation. But respecting a person’s freedom does not oblige me to endorse their beliefs, adopt their language or accept an ideology imposed in the name of equality. Respect people as individuals. Challenge ideas on their merits. Never confuse disagreement with mistreatment.

Don’t get overly caught up in political correctness. We need to stop taking everything so seriously and worrying unnecessarily about minorities. People are taking things too far nowadays. Not everything needs to be taken so literally; there’s always room for a little fun. Instead, focus on intent. Don’t let virtue signalling ruin the fun. If a joke is meant in good humour, we shouldn’t overanalyse it through the lens of prejudice or phobias. It’s high time people stopped getting offended by everything and cracked a smile. Ultimate clarity comes from defining your principles by your actions and insights, not by the group identities you claim.

You need to understand that no one has a right to go through life without ever being offended. Nowadays, you see laws changing, and institutions trying to protect people from having their feelings hurt. This is a trap. The moment you make it illegal to offend someone, you completely destroy freedom of speech. If you can only speak when everyone agrees with you, you don’t actually have freedom at all. Once a society starts censoring ideas just because they make people uncomfortable, it sets a dangerous precedent. It’s a slippery slope, and history shows it always ends the same way—with people in power silencing anyone who disagrees with them. This road leads straight to the demise of a free society. Stand up for the right to speak honestly, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Avoid groupthink and never follow the crowd. People often hide their genuine doubts to fit in, leading to flawed plans progressing unchallenged because no one wants to question the leader or the majority. The team then mistakenly believes they cannot fail due to apparent universal agreement. Do not conform. You have a brain; use it. And take everything you read, see, or hear with a pinch of salt.

Approach political and religious rhetoric with a critical mind. For me, politicians and the clergy are among the most compromised people you will ever meet. Be sceptical of institutions and people who claim moral or political authority; judge them by their conduct.

Politics and the Future

When people talk about good political instincts, they’ll often try to tell you it’s about choosing between the right or the left. But if you look closely at what actually works, I believe that the instincts that truly matter belong to the traditional right. Those are the principles that protect individual freedom and push back against the overreach of the state. As you make your way in this world, consider the merits of a deeply conservative mindset. I believe individual freedom is inherently good, and the unjustified restriction of that freedom is inherently bad. Freedom is the fundamental principle against which I judge political ideas. It is for this reason that I regard traditional conservatism, with its emphasis on individual liberty, personal responsibility, private property, and limited government, as fundamentally good. Conversely, I regard the modern liberal left, with its increasing emphasis on state intervention, regulation, ideological conformity, and restrictions upon individual expression, as fundamentally bad wherever those tendencies undermine freedom. These are my firmly held convictions. But do not accept them merely because I say so. This isn’t about telling you what to believe. Examine the principles, look at the consequences, and judge for yourself.

Also, keep in mind that now, more than at any other time, the liberal left has become mainstream. Political parties that may have once championed conservative and traditional values and still claim to represent them have actually drifted silently towards the liberal left. Don’t listen to what political parties promise—watch what they actually do.

When I speak of conservatism, I mean traditional conservative principles, not the British Conservative Party or any other political organisation. In my judgement, the Conservative Party has abandoned many of the principles it once represented and has moved increasingly towards the liberal left. I do not regard a party as conservative simply because it calls itself Conservative. Political labels mean nothing unless they are reflected in policies and actions. My allegiance is to principles, not political parties.

Conservative values that promote stability and prosperity rest upon three pillars: individual autonomy, economic freedom, and cultural preservation, all bound together by an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.

First, never forget that you are a free individual, and that freedom is a sacred right. A society thrives best under a limited, minimalist government—one that protects its citizens rather than managing their daily lives. Above all, guard your absolute right to free speech and your private property rights fiercely against government overreach. Being able to speak the truth openly is the ultimate safeguard of a free people. But remember, this high degree of personal liberty is inseparable from personal responsibility. You must always remain accountable for your own choices, your own mistakes, and your own well-being.

When it comes to your livelihood, prosperity is driven by the engine of private enterprise, which must be liberated through deregulation and the removal of stifling bureaucratic red tape. Just as a household must live within its means, governments must practise strict fiscal responsibility by reducing public spending. Lower taxes ensure that wealth remains in the hands of the citizens who earned it, maximising your individual financial freedom and empowering you to spend, invest, and save as you choose.

However, our prosperity and freedom cannot exist without security and identity. We must fiercely protect our national sovereignty, ensuring that our nation remains independent, self-governing, and free from foreign dictation. True sovereignty requires both a robust national defence to deter external threats, and strict immigration controls to preserve domestic stability, secure our borders, and maintain civic cohesion. Internally, peace is maintained through an uncompromising dedication to law and order, ensuring that justice is upheld and our communities remain safe places to raise a family. We are anchored by a shared cultural heritage and traditions that we must actively preserve and pass down. Above all, remember that the traditional family structure and strong community networks are the indispensable moral and social bedrock of this nation. Keep these principles close to your heart; live by them, and they will guide you well.

For me, conservatism is about protecting what matters most—and personal freedom is paramount. But one should not defend an idea merely because it carries a conservative label, nor reject one simply because it comes from the left. Principles must come before parties and labels. If conservatism abandons freedom, it abandons the very reason I support it. And, to be clear, liberalism once served a vital purpose. It championed change when children were subjected to factory work, the poor lacked healthcare, and the working class was entirely abandoned while the rich accumulated wealth. It also secured the fundamental civil liberties, voting expansions, and labour protections that dismantled institutional discrimination and expanded personal freedom for millions. Yet, as those hard-won victories became the bedrock of modern society, the movement underwent a fundamental pivot toward a much more sinister project.

Never let a political party, fashionable cause or ideology do your thinking for you. Judge people by what they do, not what they claim to stand for. Be suspicious of anyone who demands that you agree with everything they believe. I have strong conservative convictions because I believe in individual freedom, personal responsibility, private enterprise and limited government. You may reach different conclusions. What matters is that you think seriously about these questions and arrive at your own views.

Progress and Tradition

The future offers no guarantee of human progress; true advancement is not an inevitable law of time. As society races towards an uncertain horizon, the assumption that ‘newer is always better’ risks severing the essential roots that keep civilisation stable. Innovation without direction often breeds chaos, leaving humanity adrift in a sea of unchecked changes. The relentless rise of advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and digital authoritarianism is poised to disrupt your daily existence, steering the world towards control rather than liberation. Rather than ushering in an era of universal prosperity, the rapid fusion of AI and state surveillance threatens to erode personal autonomy, reshape the global economy at the expense of ordinary citizens, and empower regimes with unprecedented tools for manipulation. The promise of a tech-driven utopia is rapidly giving way to a reality where algorithms are weaponised to police thought, restrict freedom, and entrench power in the hands of a select few.

To navigate this volatility, we must look backwards rather than blindly forwards. History and tradition are not chains that hold us back but anchors that keep us steady. They represent centuries of accumulated wisdom, trial, error, and survival—a map drawn by those who have already navigated the deepest complexities of the human condition. When the path ahead grows dark, these time-tested truths remain our most reliable guide.