In these difficult economic times, book launches have been thinner on the ground than was the case during the boom, at least for economics and politics books. So it was a treat to enjoy a glass of champagne and canape or two at the launch yesterday of Philip Blond's Red Tory, in the splendours of the Carlton Club. Like any arrival on the think tank scene, Blond's ResPublica makes claims to fresh and innovative ideas and generates controversy in equal proportion to its impact. There have been some rather bitter attacks on the book already. I'm intrigued by ResPublica – a mix of the old-fashioned and radical, hence the 'red Tory' tag – and will make my own mind up about the book. The blurb says:

“Red Toryism combines economic egalitarianism with social conservatism,
calling for an end to the monopolisation of society and the private
sphere by the state and the market. Decrying the legacy of both the
Labour and Conservative parties, Blond proposes a genuinely progressive
Conservatism that will restore social equality and revive British
culture. He calls for the strengthening of local communities and
economies, ending dispossession, redistribution of the tax burden and
restoration the nuclear family.”

Incidentally, I chatted to the publisher who really whetted my appetite for a forthcoming title, by the wonderful Francis Spufford, about central planning. His The Backroom Boys is one of the most enjoyable books I've read about technological innovation. Faber also has a new list of out-of-print works, Faber Finds, which makes them available using print-on-demand technology. The economics means a title needs sales of just 40 or 50 to be viable.