- 23 Jun 2012 05:41
#13990896
Rather than referring to a combination of classical conservatism and free-market economic ideas, it refers to free-market (in this context, "conservative", because most conservative parties in Europe have adopted economic liberalism) economics allied with culturally liberal views—on issues such as same-sex marriage, for example. This position is sometimes associated with support for moderate forms of social safety net and of environmentalism. "Liberal conservatism" in this sense is for instance represented by Michael Portillo or the Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt of the Moderate Party, the Conservative Party of Norway, and the Finnish National Coalition Party. In a recent interview with journalist Andrew Marr, for BBC Television, David Cameron described himself as a liberal conservative. He defined this as believing in individual freedom and human rights, but being sceptical of "grand schemes to remake the world".[