What type of Conservative are you?

What type of Conservative are you?

This is just a bit of fun. Please don’t get all hot under the collar if you don’t agree with it’s analysis, questions or “types.” Also please note: this quiz is based on British political positioning. Elsewhere in the world, conservatism moves around the political spectrum in quite different ways. The U.S.A. for instance, is somewhat more “to the right” than our own.

It’s often said that the Conservative Party in the UK is a broad church – and I believe this is absolutely true. There are issues where some of us feel closer to some of the opposition parties than we do to each other. But broadly there is a theme to being a Conservative which is reflected right across the membership.

I’ve been thinking about the different types of Conservative and I think I’ve narrowed it down to six main types; Fiscal Conservatives, One Nation Conservatives, Conservative Libertarians, Cultural Conservatives, NeoConservatives (Thatcherites) and Religious Conservatives. I may have missed one or two obscure groups, but I think you could fit most Conservatives into one of these groups.

It’s true that policy views tend to be quite varied and of course you can never put somebody into a box with a label on it. Somebody may be mostly a “One Nation Conservative” but hold views which stray towards others groups on key issues. What a simplistic quiz like this is trying to do is find out where your overall tendencies lie and categorise you. Conservatives are not big fans of categorisation, particularly when applied to ourselves, so no doubt you’ll disagree vehemently with wherever the outcome of this quiz puts you. So remember to keep thinking – it’s just for fun. It’s just for fun. : )

Pick the answer that most closely resembles how you feel about the question, even if its not quite right. If you do not think you are small-c conservative at all then this quiz wont be of much interest to you. But welcome to the blog anyway and why not give it a try? You might be surprised.

What do you think about the legal situation regarding abortion?

Abortion should only be legal in extreme cases; rape, incest, severe danger to the mother's health. Perhaps not even then.

It should always be legal but the parents should have to pay for the procedure.

Pregnant woman should be given information to help them make the right choice.

What women do with their bodies is no business of the State.

Parents should receive as much support as possible in making their decision, and afterwards.

The cut off point for legal abortion should be earlier to reflect changes in medicine and treatment.

How do you feel about unrestricted global free trade?

We should encourage trade with our friends and allies, but tread carefully with our enemies.

It does some good but also some great harm. It must be carefully monitored and controlled by governments and international bodies.

It has it's place, but we must legislate to protect our own jobs and industries from unfair competition.

We should choose our trading partners based on their moral and human rights records.

It's broadly good, but there must be controls to avoid debt bubbles and financial tomfoolery.

It's a wonderful thing.

Should we engage in wars to prevent despotic governments murdering their own people?

No.

We do have a responsibility to other nations, but it should be looked at on a case-by-case basis.

How are we going to pay for it? We have our own problems to solve and limited funds to do so.

Yes, In co-operation with other nations as part of an international agreement.

Only where the issue involves preventing the spread of dangerous ideological and religious beliefs.

Only if the issue relates directly to our own national interests.

How do you feel about the Minimum Wage?

It's harmful, but our vast national welfare bill is a much more immediate issue.

It seems a sensible idea and is about the right rate.

Companies have an obligation to provide their staff with a living wage and this is just a start towards achieving that.

It should be higher. We have a duty to look after people less fortunate than ourselves.

It's too high and is preventing some people from ever getting jobs.

It hurts the people it is meant to help and should be scrapped.

How do you feel about same-sex marriage?

I think we spend too much time arguing about social issues, when fiscal issues are wildly out of control.

The law is the law. Same-sex marriage is now legal, so how we feel about it is neither here nor there.

Who people marry should be their own business and nobody else's.

It was completely the wrong time to make a change like this.

It was a terrible law and should be repealed.

It is a sin.

How do you feel about the BBC and the TV license?

The license fee should be scrapped and the BBC sold to the highest bidder.

Given its state-backed position - some of the BBC's profits should be given back to the state.

The BBC is a much-loved national treasure and should be preserved.

The BBC is out of control and needs to be cut back and the license fee reduced or frozen.

The BBC should do more to defend our national culture, but I do support it.

I support the BBC but think ability to pay should be a bigger factor when setting the license cost.

What do you think about our membership of the EU?

It has its up and its downs.

There are much more pressing issues to the public and we spend too much time talking about the EU.

We need to be in control of our own country's laws. If this is no longer possible as EU members, we should rethink our membership.

it is allowing catastrophic uncontrolled immigration - we need to put a stop to that.

Take a closer look at the cost to benefit ratio and make sure it's actually an overall benefit.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. We should leave.

What are your views on crime and punishment?

The Police must be supported in whatever way necessary, in order that they can carry out their important job. Prisons should emphasise rehabilitation.

The costs of the Police and the Prison Service need close review, Our public purse is not a bottomless pit.

We should be careful about condemning others. Criminals are often victims too. It is only through understanding that we can make real change.

We should be tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime.

Our society is going to the dogs. Something must be done. Prisons should be much tougher.

We'd have a lot more resources available if we would stop criminalising people for crimes which harm nobody but themselves.