Francis Urquhart - Politics

Politics

Urqhuart is hard right-wing. His policies include abolishing the Arts Council, outlawing vagrancy, reintroducing conscription and banning pensioners from National Health Service treatment unless they have paid for Age Insurance. He describes himself to his wife, Elizabeth, in To Play the King as: "I'm not a brute, Elizabeth, just a plain, no-nonsense, old-fashioned Tory". He is contemptuous of the welfare state. He appears to be at least sceptical of the European Union.

During an interview, Urquhart expounds his views of British society, by saying: "There is a deep division in society today between those who want to work and enjoy the fruits of their labours and abide by and uphold the laws of the land, and an increasing number of what it has become fashionable to call "the disaffected", "the disadvantaged", "the differently motivated", what we used to call lazy people, dishonest people, people who don't want to take responsibility for their actions or their lives". In the same interview, he lambastes youth culture for its depraved morality by saying: "It is not right that our people in the very prime and flower of youth should be spending half the day loafing in bed and the rest selling each other drugs and stealing from each other". In his view, conscription is the best solution to "give young people the chance to learn self discipline again, a chance to feel proud of themselves". Finally, his detestation of the welfare state can be gleaned from his "great belief of Britain, not a nation of social workers or clients of social workers" and the fact that "Britain is a fierce proud nation and still - God willing - a nation to be reckoned".

His analysis of the malaise of certain sectors of society was later used by the media and politicians for finding a rationale to the 2011 London riots. Urquhart, however, never hinted at immigration as a cause to social problems and unrest. Although his ministerial cabinets were all made of white, British, mainly male politicians, Urquhart's policies are not racialist.

His foreign policy takes after Margaret Thatcher's stance on world affairs: in that regard, Urquhart thinks that Britain has more to teach the world and Europe in particular, than the other way round, and would like to see the rest of the EU to speak English - a position that would then completely alienate the Foreign Secretary Tom Makepeace. Besides, his strong belief in discipline and the rule of law shapes his foreign policy in Cyprus, where he authorises the use of force against schoolgirls who were blocking military vehicles.

His economic policies are poorly outlined, but seem to favour the laissez-faire deregulatory approach of Margaret Thatcher and a relaxation of anti-trust laws.