Conservatism under scrutiny: Southampton academic examines the state of the party in the 21st century

A new book by an academic at the University of Southampton may be required reading for all political parties in the forthcoming election campaign.

Dr Kieron O'Hara, a computer scientist at the University's School of Electronics & Computer Science (ECS) has taken his expertise in knowledge management for organisations and looked at how it might apply to a government or a country, and, indeed, a political party such as the Conservative Party.

In After Blair: Conservatism Beyond Thatcher, published by Icon Books, he embarks on a quest for an ideological answer to what he perceives to be the Conservatives' current difficulties, looking to philosophy and history as well as knowledge management for the key.

He comments: "We have seen in organisations, for example in the NHS, how a lack of information can lead to poorly conceived decisions with unanticipated effects. I wondered if the same was true in the wider world. Perhaps our lack of understanding of complex, dynamic societies should lead to careful conservatism with a small "c"."

He explores the extent to which the current party is still influenced by Thatcherite principles and how such allegiances may block inclinations towards change. He concludes: "Most of the senior figures in the Conservative party reached political maturity under Thatcher. I am saying that they need to go beyond Thatcher and create a post-Thatcher, post-Blair Tory party."

After Blair: Conservatism Beyond Thatcher is Dr O'Hara's third book. His previous titles: Plato and the Internet and Trust: From Socrates to Spin, also focused on knowledge and society, and were published by Icon Books.