Mr. Chairman, fellow Conservatives, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening everyone. Before I go any further, let me first take this opportunity to thank Mr. Davis and all of our incredible party staffers and volunteers, who have spent the last several hours painstakingly confirming the results of the election. I know I speak for everyone here this evening when I say how very thankful we are for all of their hard work.
I'd also like to congratulate my opponent, Mrs. Beauvais-Baker, for a hard fought campaign. In the Conservative Party, we pride ourselves on open debate and the expression of ideas. As became clear in the campaign, there were vigorous disagreements on policy and differing visions about where our party should go but now that the contest is over, we can begin moving forward together once more.
Now for those of you who are eagerly awaiting the infamous Croft over-rehearsed set speech, I am sorry to confirm that I will be disappointing you this evening. Rather than delivering some grand victory speech, I would just like to make a few brief remarks as the new leader of our great party.
I am deeply appreciative to the members of the Conservative and Unionist Party for entrusting me to be our party's next Leader. I fought this campaign promising that I would provide our party with the strong and decisive leadership it needed to hold New Labour to account and win the next general election, and I thank you all for now giving me the chance to do just that. It would be wrong of me, however, to not acknowledge the fact that some of you here tonight are disappointed by my victory. The boos and jeers that some of you expressed when my name was announced did not fail to reach me.
To those of you who did not vote for me, I would like to say this. If over the next year I don’t prove to you that I am 100% committed to our common Conservative cause, then boot me out. Over the next year I will endeavor to show you how thoroughly committed I am to our core principles, how determined I am to break the power of the state, and how passionate I am about advancing the cause of personal liberty in our country. I will stick to my guns on issues I believe in and I will ensure that in areas of common agreement with Mrs. Beauvais-Becker that we will move forward together. I work for you, I am your servant, and I will humbly accept my fate if I am unable to convince you that I deserve to be the standard bearer of our movement.
As your leader I will work to transform our party into a vibrant, bold, confident Conservative movement. In the coming days, I will launch a comprehensive review of all party policy, not to stamp my personal views onto them but to more effectively align our policies with our Conservative principles. And when it's complete, you the party members will have the power to determine whether we adopt them via democratic vote. Gone are the days of party bosses making decisions behind closed doors. This is your party, whether or not you voted for me, and I intend to hand control of it over to each and every one of you.
As our country's Leader of the Opposition I intend to fulfill my statutory obligation to hold this Government to account and to keep them honest to the British people. In the next few days I will bring forth legislation that will provide greater scrutiny on public appointments, ending the Blair-era practice of elevating friends and political allies to high office. I will insist that the new Prime Minister either rule out adoption of the euro, or make immediate preparations to hold a referendum on the matter to give the British people the power to protect our pound and our national sovereignty. And I will work to fight every job killing regulation, every policy supporting rising, uncontrolled immigration, and every attempt made by the Government to infringe upon our freedoms and liberties.
I believe that Britain is the greatest country in the world. It's why I decided to drop everything and enlist in the Armed Forces, to fight for our people and for our British values. But I also believe that it is my duty as leader of the Conservative Party to make he case to the British people that the only thing standing in the way of us realizing our full potential is an overbearing Government that is too big and too involved in our lives. Above all, that will be my singular goal. To make the case for an alternative path forward rooted in the power of the British individual, in a dynamic and creative free enterprise economy, and in a society unapologetically rooted in law and order.
Alright, that's enough talking. Now let's get to work.
Croft smiles as he's joined by his wife and kids on stage, waving to supporters. He then leaves the podium, joining the crowd to meet with members and fellow MPs, talking and taking questions before inviting attendees to join him in another room for drinks and appetizers.
