Britain | A flight from reality

How a Rwandan gambit consumed the Conservative Party

The story of how a party can transmogrify from liberalism to authoritarianism

Rishi Sunak gesticulates in parliament during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Image: UK Parliament

THE STORY of the modern Conservative Party can be found in Rwanda. In 2007, then in opposition under David Cameron, the party launched “Project Umubano”. Tory MPs and activists volunteered in impoverished Rwandan villages, where they built schools, taught English or played cricket. Mr Cameron visited Kigali, embraced President Paul Kagame, and talked about aid and climate change. It all showed that the Tories had been “detoxified”.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “A flight from reality”

From the December 16th 2023 edition

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