Campaign for Conservative Democracy

Newsletter January 2005

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Archive 2004

Contents:

- Parliamentary Take-over - "We cannot negotiate with terrorists" - Impeach Tony Blair - Party Conference - Tony's Personal Reasons - By-Elections - Fox Hunting - Interference - Rules for a Leadership Election - Alternative Approach to the Rules - Reform of the Conservative Party Constitution - Party Membership - Wally of the Week - Party Conference - ***Star of the Week*** - The Sun's Harmful Rays - Lord Butler's Report - Party Democracy? - Party Board of Conservative Central Office - Directly Elected Prime Minister - more letters to "The Times" - Terminal Decline? - "The Times" Readers Reply - ***Stars of the Week*** - Directly Elected Prime Minister - Central Office Move - Trouble at the Top - Memoirs of Michael Ashcroft - Wally of the Week - How history might have been changed if? - MEPs for an Area - The EPP - What is going on Follow up(2) - ***Stars of the Week*** -Today COPOV, Tomorrow "The Times" - European President - Defining Democracy - ***Star*** and Wally of the Week - What is going on? Follow Up - Election Points - Surrey Heath Candidate Selection - Conservatives Direct - The Story the Media Missed - The Campaign - Weasel Words - The Ballot Paper - European Election - "Question Time" - Lying Libs - Unforeseen Consequences - Honours - Euro Election - How not to win friends - The "Today" programme - European Election Campaign - Conservatives after the War - Abuse of Prisoners at Abu Ghraib Prison - Heartlands - European Election - European Constitution - Peerages - Proposals for the Party Conference - European Referendum - An evening with William Hague MP - Referendum on the European Constitution? - European Constitution - A Fair Electoral System? - Anti Terrorism Acts - Civic Partnership Act - A European Constitution? -Target Constituencies - Luton Airport - National Convention/Spring Forum - Primary Elections - Party Bulletin ***The Conservative Party*** - Disgraceful - Liverpool Conservative Clubs -  Lord Chancellor - Little Wally of the Week - Jonathan Aitken - Party Political Broadcasts - The "Today" programme - Candidate Selection - The Party Bulletin - Election for Party Leader - Elections in Iraq - More State Funding - Blame COPOV -   I Believe Feed Back - "I Believe" - Christmas Cards - Women Candidates - The Honours List again

September 26th

***Star of the Week*** - The audience of "Question Time".  They had more sense than all the panellists added together.

Parliamentary Take-over

Not long ago the Conservative Party Conference was controlled by the National Union (voluntary party), but in recent years the Parliamentary party has taken more and more control.   The end effect is that we have the worst conference of any of the political parties.   The process of take-over continues.   For the first time ever the Conference handbook contains no photograph of the Chairman or the President of the National Convention - both members of the voluntary party.   Indeed normally the President chairs the Conference but in the handbook no mention of this is made.

The parliamentary party will soon realise that without the volunteers there is no party.   Central Office believe that we do not need members, that we can be run the same way as the Republican Party in the United States.   Only one snag.   The United States Presidential election will cost $3 Billion.   Now where do they think we are going to get that kind of money?

We cannot negotiate with terrorists! 

Tell that to Tony Bliar, John Major and Margaret Thatcher who all negotiated with the IRA, and didn't Edward Heath negotiate with a female plane hi-jacker or does my memory fail me?

September 19th

***Star of the Week*** Dr. Liam Fox MP - for an excellent speech to the "Bow Group".   It was a shame that part was leaked to the press, but nothing was said that any sensible Conservative would disagree with.

Impeach Tony Blair?

Most commentators believe that the attempt to impeach the Prime Minister will fail."   Should that happen then Parliament could move an Act of Attainder against the Prime Minister. There is a precedent:

In 1641 the Earl of Strafford was charged with an Act of Impeachment.   After 17 days of debate the impeachment seemed likely to fail so an Act of Attainder was proposed, which simply decreed treason on the basis of a general presumption of guilt to which the King had to consent. Reluctantly the King did so, even after allowing his 11 year old son to plead for Strafford’s life in the House of Lords.

All to no avail Strafford was found guilty and beheaded. Cardinal Richelieu said of Strafford "The English Nation was so foolish that they would not let the wisest head among them stand on its own shoulders."

The Attainder was reversed in 1662 – a bit too late for Strafford. The minimum sentence for an Act of Attainder is loss of all civil rights – the maximum execution, although I am sure Tony Blair’s worst enemies would not wish the latter on him.

Party Conference

Have you got your pass for the Conservative Party Conference?   If not, don't bother.   It looks as if this will be the blandest conference ever.    Not a single motion for debate.   Maximum time for a contribution from the floor - two minutes.   All froth and no substance.   What happened to the promises to bring back the old style conference?

Tony's Personal Reasons

We have heard a lot this week about how Tony Bliar almost resigned during the summer for personal and family reasons.   Was it anything to do with his daughter and a trip to a London hospital?   Sadly the story will eventually all come out so why not pre empt the speculation and make a statement.   That will be the end of it.

By-Elections

In 1958 the marginal Conservative seat of Rochdale was lost in a by-election to Labour.   The Liberals came second with the Tories pushed into third place.    The Party Chairman at the time was Lord Hailsham.   He offered his resignation to Macmillan in a letter saying "There is something to be said for the rolling of heads when a knock like this comes, and I shall not complain if you select mine for the purpose."   Those were the days when words like "honour" did not come amiss when talking about politics.

Fox Hunting

The Prime Minister takes the United Kingdom into an illegal war and faces no consequences and no censure.

A group of protestors go onto the floor of the House of Commons to defend an oppressed minority knowing full well the consequences of their actions and prepared to accept those consequences.

Who commands the moral heights?

Interference?

The Falmouth and Camborne Constituency Association recently had a special meeting to consider the de-selection of their parliamentary candidate Ashley Crossley who is gay.   Quite rightly the Party Leader and the Party Chairman wrote to the constituency to state unequivocally that there should be no discrimination in the Conservative Party.   However the Party Chairman overstepped the mark when he said "I am writing .... to make clear that Ashley Crossley is an excellent candidate who commands the full confidence of Conservative Central Office".   Is he going to say the same about every candidate in every selection and if not why not.?    This is a dangerous precedent.

12th September

***Stars of the Week*** Ken Clarke MP for a brilliant speech at the European Ideas Network Summer University about the Trans Atlantic partnership and the war in Iraq.

James Elles MEP - for his superb organisation of the European Ideas Network Summer University and Ideas Fair.   With speakers including Carl Bildt, Jose Maria Aznar, Angela Merkel, Edouard Balladur,Ana Palacio and Francis Fukuyama, this has become a major annual event.

Rules for the election of the Leader.

Nobody is suggesting that there should be a Leadership election either now or after the General Election but there is always a possibility that one could be called at any time.   It is therefore important that the rules are in place for such an event.

At a meeting of COPOV held on 8^th May 2004 the rules for a Leadership election were discussed. The following changes were agreed by the meeting:

The rules for deciding the procedure by which the 1922 Committee select candidates for submission for election shall be as determined by the Board after consultation with the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee.

Candidates must be nominated by at least 15% of Conservative Members of Parliament.

If there are more than four candidates then there should be an open ballot of Members of Parliament and the four candidates with the highest number of votes should be put to the entire membership of the Party for election.

If there are four or less candidates then all candidates should be put to the membership for election. The membership should put the candidates in their order of preference. The candidate with the least number of first votes should drop out and their second votes redistributed to the other candidates. The process should be repeated until such time as one candidate has over 50% of the votes, at which time such candidates should be declared the winner.

To get rid of a Leader the following process would apply:

(a) 33% of Conservative MPs would notify the Chief Whip that they wished to have a leadership election (The 33% figure is very high but it reflects the anger members felt about the way Duncan Smith was dismissed).

Once the 33% had been obtained an electoral college consisting of Conservative MPs, Conservative members of the House of Lords, Conservative MEPs, and Constituency Chairman would be convened.

There should then be a postal ballot of the electoral college on the question "Should there be a leadership election?"

If the answer to the above question by a majority is "Yes" then a Leadership election should be called.

The existing Leader would be perfectly entitled to stand in such an election

An Alternative Approach to the Rules.

The following is an alternative approach to the rules on a Leadership election but are not the official views of COPOV:

In a recent Bow Group pamphlet "Who Really Governs Britain", Nirj Deva MEP stated that 55% of the legislation that affects Britain was initiated in the corridors of power in Brussels and Strasbourg. It is possible that at some point in the future the Party would want the Leader of the Party to be an MEP or a member of the House of Lords. This possibility should be catered for. A distinction can be made between the Leader of the Conservative Party and the Leader of the Parliamentary Party at Westminster. For a period in 1940 Neville Chamberlain was the Leader of the Party whilst Sir Winston Churchill was the Leader of the Parliamentary Party. For as long as the Party accepts Westminster as the most important political institution, the Leader of the Party and the Leader of the Parliamentary Party will be one and the same person.

What is clear is that MEPs should have a greater role in the nomination process than they have at present. The House of Lords as one of the national political institutions should also have a role to play in nominating candidates.

If a distinction is made and we have both a Leader of the Party and a Leader of the Parliamentary Party then the rules for electing or dismissing the Leader of the Parliamentary Party would be decided by Conservative MPs in the House of Commons.

The nominating process for Leader of the Party should be designed to produce a maximum short list of four candidates who would then be put to the whole Party on the basis of One Member One Vote.

Nomination of a candidates should be by 25 MPs, five MEPs and five members of the House of Lords. Should this nominating process produce more than four candidates then a ballot of the Conservative MPs, MEPs and members of the House of Lords should be held with the top four members in the ballot going forward for election by the Party membership. The members of the Party would then be asked to vote by placing the candidates in order of preference. The candidates with the lowest number of votes would be eliminated and his/her votes redistributed in accordance with the second preference and so on until the top candidate had over 50% of the votes.

There should be an Annual General Meeting of the Party and this would take place at the start of the Party Conference. The Leader of the Party would be elected at the Annual General Meeting after a postal ballot of all members of the Party.

Nominations for the Leader of the Party should be invited four weeks before the Annual General Meeting with nominations closing three weeks before the Annual General Meeting.

The qualifying date for members to be eligible to vote in the ballot ought to be the date nominations are requested

We ought to make it easier for members to vote by developing the possibility of voting on the Internet and telephone voting with each member having their own unique pin number.

Finally the rules for election of the Leader of the Party should be in the Party’s Constitution and not left in the hands of the 1922 Executive Committee.

The Electoral College system for changing the Party’s constitution should be scrapped with changes determined at the Annual General Meeting. If 1,000 members of the Party requested a change through the Party’s secure web site then the change should be put to the Annual General Meeting

Note: If we accept the above suggestion we ought also to have the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Treasurer of the Party elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman would be responsible for the Party organisation. They should not serve more than five years.

The Leader of the Party should be strongly discouraged from resigning during the course of his year even if we have lost a General Election.

September 5th

***Star of the Week***Andrew Lansley MP for his cool human approach on the "Today" programme.

Alan Duncan MP  - for his excellent contribution and courage in promoting Conservatives for Kerry on "Talking Politics".   Why is this programme being taken off air until just before Christmas?

Digby Jones for speaking a lot of common sense on "Hardtalk"

BBC24 - This has become the best BBC channel.   Its discussion with Nick Gowing on Global terrorism was a great contribution to understanding.

"Newsnight" with Eddie Mair.   What a refreshing change from Kirstie Wark.   Sad how "Broadcasting House has deteriorated since Eddie Mair's departure.

All in all quite a good week for politics.

Conservative Party Constitution.

We show below the kind of changes required to the Conservative Party Constitution if it wants to get back into power.    These changes will be discussed at our meeting on 25th September (see Notice Board).    We will show the changes required to the Leadership rules next week.

The Party Reforms, which William Hague introduced in 1998, did not meet up to the vision, which he set out on becoming Leader in 1997. There have been some successes, but there have also been some spectacular failures

The Party is still undemocratic.

We are still not “One Party”.

Participation by ordinary members of the Party in Party policy development is virtually zero.

Communication to ordinary members is non-existent.

Motivation of Party workers has almost ceased.

We need to rebuild the Party from the “grass roots” upwards. This will require changes to the Party Constitution. The time to do this is immediately after the next General Election. We set out below some of the changes we think are necessary but welcome your views on these or any other ideas you may have. These are draft proposals.

The political role of the Party Chairman should be undertaken by the Leader’s appointed Deputy Leader, leaving the Party Chairman responsible for Party Organisation.

The Party Chairman and Treasurer should be elected by and thus accountable to the entire membership of the Party.

The Party Chairman should present an Annual Report on the party organisation to the National Convention.

The Treasurer should be responsible for the income and expenditure of the Party with a remit to balance the books.

The Treasurer should present the accounts of the Party to the National Convention for their adoption.

Fundraisers should be appointed by and accountable to the Treasurer.

The political institutions of Westminster and Local Government are represented on the Board – Europe is not.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be represented on the Board by their elected Chairmen.

The Leader of the Conservative MEPs should be a member of the Board.

The Vice Chairmen of the Party are at present appointed by the Leader. They should be elected by the members, and on the Party Board.

There should be three Party Vice Chairmen elected by the National Convention. They should report to the Convention.

They should be responsible for Membership, Candidates and Party Conferences.

Membership matters should be dealt with by the Membership Committee and not by the Party Board.

Individual membership matters should be dealt with by an independent Party Ombudsman whose decision shall be final.

The Ethics and Integrity committee should be abolished.

Provision should be made in Parliamentary selections for local candidates to apply for selection.

The National Convention

The National Convention consists of approximately 1,000 people. It is too big to be an executive body and too small to be representative. It does not comply with the concept of “One Party”.

The National Convention should consist of all members of the Party.

The Party Constitution may be changed by 66% of those voting at the Convention.

National Executive

There should be a National Executive which would meet twice a year. Its function would be to take action in conjunction with the Party Board to maintain an effective organisation throughout the country. It would consist of

The Party Board

Members of the Executive of the 1922 Committee

1 MEP per Region

Regional Co-ordinators

Regional Treasurers

Officers of the Conservative Councillors Association

Leaders and Deputy Leaders of Conservative Groups of the Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Ireland Assemblies.

10 co-options

Regions

The role of the Regions is to co-ordinate, communicate and motivate.

Regional Chairmen should be elected by all the members in their Region.

Twice a year meetings should be held in each Region to which all members of the Region are invited.

Regional Treasurers should be elected by all the members of their Region.

As part of the formal structure of the Party the Areas should be scrapped, although some Regions may wish to keep the Areas and can so do.

The Chairman of the Policy Forum will be the Deputy Leader of the Party.

The Party Leader will determine the priorities of policies..

Two thirds of the Council of the Conservative Policy Forum should be elected by the National Executive.

Each Departmental Shadow Cabinet Minister should set up a Policy Group which would produce “Green” papers on policy for discussion through the CPF discussion groups.

After discussion and consultation the Policy Groups would produce a “White” paper which would then be put to a National Forum.

The National Forum would be open to any member of the Party.

After approval by the National Forum the “White” paper would go to the Party Conference for approval.

The “Recognised Organisations” should be part of the Policy Forum.

The Three year rule for Officers should be changed to Four years.

Each Constituency should have an elected Treasurer.

The Deputy Chairmen should not have their roles designated by the Constitution.

Every candidate in a Constituency election shall have access to the Association membership list.

Any member may attend the Party Conference.

Any member may propose a motion for the Party Conference - such motion to be put on the Party’s internet site.

By adopting the above proposals we would create a democratic Conservative Party, with increased participation by ordinary members, improved communication and greater motivation. A political Party for the 21^st Century.

August 29th

***Star of the Week*** Michael Howard MP for standing up to George Bush.    The Tory Party can only benefit when it pursues the truth.

Party Membership

Getting accurate figures out of the Tory party on membership is more difficult than getting blood out of a stone, but perhaps the realities have been staring us in the face since the Party had to submit its accounts to the Electoral Commission.   For the first time in the Accounts of the Party to 31st December 2002 income was broken down showing "Membership Levy" and "Party Membership"

The Membership Levy up to 31st December 2003 was one pound per member.   We can assume that Party Membership is those subscriptions collected by Central Office.   At best the Party Membership would have a subscription of £15 (the minimum)   Working on this basis we get the following breakdown:

We know that at the time of the Leadership election in September 2001 the total membership was 327,000 so in just over two years membership declined by 73,000.

We hear that the National Membership Committee is no longer given membership figures.   No wonder.   After the General Election the Party has to change.   Without change it will die.    Next week we will show the kind of changes required. 

August 22

Wally of the Week, - David Miliband MP.   Is this man as stupid as he appears?   "A" levels have become totally useless.   The whole purpose of exams is to compare the results of one person against another, to find out who is best.   The way to do this is to restrict the pass level.    Until the 1980s the top 70% passed.   The rest failed.    It is time we went back to this method.   Otherwise after 20 years of continuous increase we will soon have 100% pass.   What the use is that?

Party Conference

At the Spring Convention the Party Chairman said that we were going to revert to the traditional style of Party conference.    We assumed this meant we were going to have motions for debate.    The "grass roots" are still waiting for the invitation to submit motions.   Mind you a lot of "grass roots" members find that the cost of attending conference is beyond them.   Not as expensive as attending the annual get together of the Regional and Area officers in Newport Pagnall.   They are being asked for £140.   Lord Woolton will be turning over in his grave.    We are going back to the Pre War Tory Party when money bought position.    Sad really. 

One of the items on the Newport Pagnall agenda is the Party's Constitution.   This is a last chance to get it right.    We either create a genuinely democratic Party or the Tories will kiss goodbye to holding office for a generation.

August 15th

*** Star of the Week*** The Conservative Party - for a brief moment this week the party came alive first of all with David Davis and then Michael Howard speaking about Law and Order and Bureaucracy.   Sadly it was only a brief spark in what has become a dull month for politics.   Nothing now until the end of the month.

The Suns Harmful Rays

This country is drowning in a sea of bureaucracy.   More and more people are being employed by the government and will have a vested interest in keeping it that way as the nation sinks down the plug hole.    We show below a letter from one of our major building contractors to a subcontractor. 

    "As part of our, and your, responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety at Work we must ensure those who are exposed to the suns harmful rays during work are sufficiently protected.

    It has come to our attention people currently working on the roof and balcony areas are being exposed and making no attempt to prevent ill health.   For your information the following rules must be adhered to :

        1.    Operatives must wear at least, a t-shirt under hi-vis jackets.

        2.    Sunprotection creams to be used where necessary.

        3.     Consideration should be given to people having to work for long                   periods outside i.e. dehydration/heat exhaustion."

So now we know.   Can I be present when the employer asks his hairy ***** building worker "Have you got your sun cream with You?   Next thing we know they will be spelling out what factor level it should be .   Has the World gone mad?   In the mean time the Chinese and Indian economies  are steaming ahead of Europe.   Is it any wonder?

Lord Butler's Report

Nobody put their hand out,
Nobody took a bribe,
Nobody was compromised
By acts you could describe.
Nobody got away with it,
Nobody thought they could,
And all of them were honest men,
And all of them were good.
Nobody bought a cabinet,
Whatever you may hear,
And all of them were honest men,
And all were in the clear.
Nobody did a secret deal,
Nobody was for sale,
Nobody bent the rules at all,
And nobody went to jail,
And all of them were honest men,
As white as driven snow,
And all lived on a higher plane,
And shat on those below. 

With thanks to the late Roger Woddis

August 8th

*** Star of the Week*** - BBC News 24 for putting "Hardtalk" on at 9.30pm on Saturday night.   This excellent programme deserves to be shown at a sensible time.

Party Democracy?

We have heard a disturbing report about the Party hierarchy interfering in a internal Party election.   Words like "loyalty" "Leader" "finished" have been bandied about but perhaps more important "ignore the rules".   Above constituency level democracy in the Conservative Party has always been threadbare but we hoped that the Hague reforms were the start of a new approach.   It seems not.

Party Board of Conservative Central Office

Last week we pointed out the change of name of the Party Board to the above.   Throughout its history Central Office was the office of the Leader of the Party.   As such it was recognised by the Inland Revenue.   The Conservative Party did not exist.   There was the National Union and there was the Parliamentary Party and there was Central Office.    The only time they came together was at the Party Meeting which took place when there was a new Leader, but as nobody knew who called this meeting or who was entitled to attend, it was deemed by the Courts in the early 1980s that the Conservative Party did not exist.   It was not even an Unincorporated Association.

William Hague introduced the Party reforms in 1998 to change all that.   A Party Constitution was created incorporating all parts of the Party.   We were told that now we were "One Party".    There was one snag.   Central Office had accumulated tax losses.    If it was incorporated into the new body it might lose these losses.    Another difficulty was that the building at 32 Smith Square was owned by one of the "River" companies and controlled by The 1949 Conservative & Unionist Trust and if this was all brought into the Party tax might be payable.     So, it was agreed with the Inland Revenue that in spite of the apparent change, all would continue as before.

The culture of secrecy continues.    Until the Conservative Party realises that in this democratic age transparency is part of modern democracy the Party will continue to struggle in the polls.    Make the Party transparent, cut out these complicated tax obfuscation, make it democratic.   These are the ingredients for future electoral success.    After the next General Election the Party will have its last chance to reform.   It must take it. 

Directly Elected Prime Minister - More letters in "The Times".

We show below more letters in "The Times" on this important subject together with a response from the Chairman of COPOV:

Response from the Chairman of COPOV

In arguing against the proposal to directly elect the British Prime Minister your correspondents raise points which need to be answered. Mr James Macdonald states that "Direct election would give rise to a wide spectrum of applicants, not all estimable" (letter 29 July). Democracy is about choice and it is up to the people to decide who is or is not estimable. He then complains that "a fixed term brings governmental paralysis in the last quarter while campaigning goes ahead for the next." Isn’t that exactly what is happening in the UK at the moment at a time when a general election may be a year or more away? His final point is a general acceptance of the party machines grinding out leaders. As our two main political parties are essentially oligarchies – Labour run by the Trade Unions and Conservatives by wealthy individuals – is it really acceptable in a modern democracy that the British Prime Minister should be selected by these small groups of people?

Mr Sydney Perera states that the Prime Minister is accountable to the nation through parliament (letter, 29 July). That, of course, is the theory. In practice what does it mean? The House of Lords is mainly an appointed body and any attempt to control the executive can be over ridden by adding further appointees or implementing the Parliament Act. It is a toothless talking shop even if at times its words contain great wisdom.

The House of Commons could and should hold the Prime Minister accountable but continuously fails to do so, perhaps because the Prime Minister exercises such huge powers of patronage – over 100 MPs owe their appointment and salary as Ministers to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister appoints the government whips who in turn choose the chairmen and members of select committees. Promotion, position, overseas trips, appointment to outside bodies like the European Commission – all rest in the hands of the Prime Minister.

When the political party in power also has a large majority in the House of Commons, the power of the Prime Minister is almost unlimited.

If Parliament refuses to hold the Prime Minister accountable then the people must – that is why we should have a directly elected Prime Minister.

JOHN E. STRAFFORD

August 1st

Terminal Decline?

    In 1994 the Chairman of COPOV presented a paper to John Major saying that if the Conservative Party did not change it faced terminal decline.   In the ten years since membership has halved, we are still flat lining in the opinion polls and our financial situation is worsening.   We could stop this but we haven't.    William Hague tried to but failed.   It is too late to do anything before a General Election but we should be ready to take action immediately the Election is over.

    This month the Party published it's Annual Report and Financial Statements.   There are some subtle but important changes.   "The Board of the Conservative Party" has now become "The Board of Conservative Central Office".   Why?    No explanation has been offered.   Has the Party Constitution been changed?   This is a set back from the whole concept of "One Party".

    The financial position of the Party does not look very healthy.   We have a deficit of £2.415 million for the year to 31st December 2003.   This is after we have received State funding of £4.144 million.   The net assets of the Party amounted to £1.284 million and we see from the Accounts that in the year to 31st December 2004 no less than £11.411 million of creditors is due to be repaid - an amount higher that the total income of the Party in 2003.   When high level delegations go off to Hong Kong you know the Party is short of cash.   Since 1998 the Conservative Party has received over £20 million in State Funding, a bit ironic for a Party which says it opposes State Funding.   Without it the Party would by now have a deficit in Net Assets of nearly £19 million.   We set out below the Total Income of the Party excluding State Funding.

                                                            £ Millions

        Year to 31st March 2001                 27.659

        Year to 31st March 2002                 19.756

        Year to 31st December 2002           11.958

        Year to 31st December 2003             9.475

    The Party is hoping to break even this year, but does this take account of the increased costs of moving out of Central Office where the Party only paid a peppercorn rent?   Will the Party have sufficient funds to fight a General Election?

     Oh! for the days when the Party was so wealthy that it could finance Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook) to buy the Daily Express.   Not only this but at the same time it financed the purchase of "The Observer" in order to get friendly coverage.

    For the Conservative Party to survive it has to embrace democracy within it's own ranks.   It needs to rebuild the Party from the "grass roots" upwards.   It is approaching the edge of the precipice.   In the next two years it needs to act.    It is no consolation that the Labour Party is headed in the same direction and when it loses power it will face the same problem for the same reasons.    Both Parties are run by oligarchies.   Today the people believe in democracy.

"The Times" Readers Reply

25th July

***Star of the Week*** Lord Tom King for his statesmanlike contribution to the discussion on the Butler Report on "Newsnight"   Mathew Parris for an excellent article in "The Times" about Tony Bliar.
"The Week in Westminster"programme on BBC Radio 4 at 11am on Saturday morning.   This was a superb programme with professional commentators.  

Directly Elected Prime Minister

The Following letter was published in "The Times  on July 22nd:

The Editor, 18^th July 2004

The Times,

 Sir,

You state (leading article, July 16), "This is not a debate about whether the British Prime Minister is now more "Presidential", but whether he is accountable." Tony Blair is accountable to the people of his constituency of Sedgefield who elected him as their Member of Parliament, and he is accountable to the members of the Labour Party that made him their Leader.

The British Prime Minister is the political voice of the nation but he is not accountable to the nation.

It is time for the Prime Minister to be directly elected by the people for a fixed term. Our democracy would be enhanced by doing so.

Yours faithfully,

JOHN E. STRAFFORD

Central Office move

This weekend Central Office are moving into their new premises in Victoria Street.   The open plan space in their new premises is very tight compared to rabbit warren Smith Square.   Money has been spent on giving each person flat screens for their computers (more on this next week), but the biggest mistake is that each employee has only been allocated one drawer in a filing cabinet for all their files.   Much historical record and experience is about to be chucked out.

Trouble at the Top

We hear rumours that Richard Stephenson (President of the National Convention) was banned from the last two meetings of the Party Board and there was even consideration given as to whether he should be allowed to chair the Party Conference.   Is it true?   I think we should be told!    Stephenson was elected by the members of the National Convention.    Only the Convention has the authority to rescind that election so on whose authority was he banned?

Memoirs of Michael Ashcroft

We see in the "Evening Standard" that Lord Ashcroft is writing a book about his battle with "The Times"   Perhaps he will justify why the Treasurer of the Party is appointed and not elected and thus accountable to Party members. See Archive 99

18th July

Wally of the Week - Sadly - Michael Howard MP qualifies this week for saying he would not have supported the motion on the Iraq war but nevertheless he supported the war.   By taking this position he has upset those in favour of the war and those who were against it.   By supporting regime change he has lined himself up with the American neo-cons.   The Party is beginning to drift.   Time for a wake up call.

How history might have been changed if?

Much is made about how Tony Bliar fought his first election campaign in by-election in Beaconsfield in 1982.    Beaconsfield had 286 candidates for selection as the Conservative candidate.    They eventually chose Tim Smith.   Included in the list of 286 were the following:

John Major
Michael Howard
Ann Widdecombe
Michael Portillo
Alan Clark
Steve Norris
Neil Hamilton

How history might have been changed if?    Still, it is an encouragement to all candidates to keep at it even if you are turned down by a constituency.

MEPs for an Area

There is currently an argument going on in the Southern Region about whether the region should be divided up with a Conservative MEP being allocated a particular area.   The number of Conservative MEPs was reduced to four in the recent election.   We think it is essential that each MEP looks after a particular area.   The idea that all four should look after Southern Region as a whole is ludicrous.  It stretches from Kent to Milton Keynes to the New Forest.

The EPP

Daniel Hannan MEP has written to all Constituency Chairmen asking their views on whether the Conservative Party should be linked with the European People's Party which is a Federalist organisation.    What has not been pointed out is that the Conservative Party is linked with the European Democrats which is affiliated to the EPP.   The European Democrats are not Federalists.

The MEPs included in their manifesto that they would link up with the European Democrats.   We should not break a manifesto commitment lightly.  

What is going on? Follow up(2)

Sir David Omand is personal adviser to Tony Bliar on intelligence matters. (see below).

11th July

***Stars of the Week*** Oliver Letwin MP - for a measured contribution on "Newsnight"

Dominic Grieve MP for and excellent contribution about freedom of speech on the "Today" programme.

BBC News 24 Hardtalk Programme - Tim Sebastian and Dame Pauline Neville-Jones on the Butler report.   This was an excellent programme- two professionals at work.    Why is this programme so late at night?   Tim Sebastian is becoming the best political interviewer on television.

Today COPOV, Tomorrow "The Times"

On 13th June we published the following:

When asked by Jim Naughtie on the "Today" programme "Do you intend to lead the Labour Party into the next election Tony Bliar responded "It is up to the British people to elect the Government".    Does he not know that the British people only elect Members of Parliament.   Does he not know that it is Labour Party members that elect the Leader of the Labour Party.  

On 4th July we published the following:

Tony Blair, who cast his vote on behalf of the British people was elected by the voters in his constituency of Sedgefield to represent them in the House of Commons.   He was elected by the Labour Party to be their Leader.    If he is going to act in a Presidential manner representing the British people should not the entire British electorate have a say?   It is now time that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was elected by the people of the United Kingdom.   The days of oligarchy and Royal prerogatives are over.

In "The Times" on 7th July

Alice Miles quoted an interview Tony Bliar gave to the Daily Mirror: "And whether I am Prime Minister after the next election is ultimately a decision for the British people.

Even this isn't true.   It is ultimately a decision not for the British people, but for the Labour Party.   Voters choose MPs, MPs and party members choose party leaders.   When Blair stands for Parliament at the next election, the voters of Sedgefield will be electing him to serve as their MP for five years.   In a parliamentary democracy, which Britain still is, just, the choice of prime minister is an entirely different question and not one in the voter's gift.    We do not elect a prime minister."

Great Alice.   Why didn't you go on to say that the British Prime Minister should be elected by all the people?   Grasp the nettle Alice.   Stand up for democracy.

4 July

European President

This week the President of the European Commission was selected by unanimous vote of the Heads of Government of the European Council meeting behind closed doors.   We have learnt that we cannot have a British President because we are not a member of the Euro zone.   This condition was made by Jaques Chirac.    He also stated that the President had to speak good French.

All this might not matter if the European Commission was like the British Civil Service and their actions were accountable to elected politicians, but it isn't.   The Commission exercises power.   It is the sole body in the European Union that can bring forward legislation.   In other words it sets, and in effect controls the Agenda.   The President decides what jobs the other unelected Commissioners do.   This all powerful body is an oligarchy unaccountable to the people.   What should be done?

Ideally, its powers should be taken away, but as this is unlikely to happen then it should be democratic.   The Europhiles will argue that it is because it is elected politicians that take the decision.   Putting aside for one moment the case that in representative politics transparency is essential how democratic is it?   Democracy is the process by which you determine the will of the majority.   Tony Blair, who cast his vote on behalf of the British people was elected by the voters in his constituency of Sedgefield to represent them in the House of Commons.   He was elected by the Labour Party to be their Leader.    If he is going to act in a Presidential manner representing the British people should not the entire British electorate have a say?   It is now time that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was elected by the people of the United Kingdom.   The days of oligarchy and Royal prerogatives are over.

Another alternative would be to have the President of the Commission and the Commissioners elected by the peoples of Europe.   They would have to issue manifestos saying what they would do if elected.   They would be accountable to the people.   Perhaps we might get a very different European Union if we did this.   We might even get more people voting in elections.    What is for sure is that we would have democracy instead of oligarchy.    That can't be bad so lets just do it!

Defining Democracy

How many times do you hear politicians talking about democracy.   Next time ask them what they mean.  They will either answer with meaningless concepts or "rule by the people."   We show below our definition of democracy.   Judge politicians and our Institutions accordingly.

Democracy is a system of government in which the people exercise power directly, or indirectly through their representatives, by a process in which the will of the majority is determined. In determining the will of the majority, all people, regardless of sex, race or creed, are able to participate - each person having a vote of equal value and their vote is by way of a secret ballot without the fear of intimidation or violence.

June 27th

***Star*** of the Week - Andrew Lansley MP for putting up a brave performance on "Newsnight" defending the stupid error by Michael Howard in not checking his facts in the letter he received about the Health Service.

Wally of the Week - The BBC for cancelling the "This Week" programme due to the England match over running.   Why did they not cancel the ridiculous American film instead?

What is Going On?   The Follow Up.

I have now had confirmed all aspects of the story below, except that the House of Commons was evacuated on 14th June.   A correction has been made.   Was there a terrorist threat to the House of Commons?    We should be told.   Information is power and those in power love to keep information secret, but in an open democratic society it has no place.

Election Points

• In the election for Mayor of London Ken Livingston received 685,541 first preference votes and 142,839 second preference votes.    There were 385,952 rejected votes.   Either the electorate were stupid (we don't think so) or the ballot paper confusing or a large number of people did not want to vote for any of the candidates.   Was there an outcry?    No.

• In the European Election a vote in Luxembourg was valued at ten times the value of a vote in the United Kingdom.   Luxembourg has one MEP for every 75,000 population.   The United Kingdom has one MEP for every 750,000 population.

• In the local elections Labour received 26% of the vote.   The Liberal Democrats received 29%.   If this was repeated in a General Election Labour would get 242 seats in Parliament.   The Liberal Democrats would get 76.

I thought we lived in a democracy.    How long are the British people going to put up with this charade?

June 20th

Star of the Week - Michael Portillo MP - For pointing out that the United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland on the "This Week" programme, something commentators often forget.

Wallies of the Week - Neil Kinnock for lying on the "Today " programme about Europe.   He stated that we would lose 3 million jobs if we pulled out.  It is liars like Kinnock that give politics a bad name.

Another Wally - Mark Mardell - Once again he played the buffoon on the "This Week" programme.    His credibility as a serious political commentator diminishes with each clownish performance.

What is going on?

On 7th June the Chairman of COPOV received the following e mail:

Dear John,

This evening , I saw an interesting post on an Internet discussion group.   A person posted a message claiming to have heard from a friend at the BBC.   Supposedly, this friend told him that the BBC was in uproar.   A lot of stress and rushing around.  Hush, hush and all that.    Apparently, they were working on a story with National Security implications.

The top brass aren't talking but the friend went to the top floor and by speaking to the secretaries came away with three names.    The names were Wilkinson, Grieve and Ormond.   Those names didn't mean anything to him, however.

I spent some time poking around the Net and happened on your site - which, as it happens, is one of the few sites on the Net that has a page that contains all three names.   That would be John Wilkinson, Dominic Grieve and Jocelyn Ormond.

I realise this may come to absolutely nothing bit I was curious as to whether you might have an idea of what the BBC was up to.?

Regards

I received a similar e mail a short while later adding to the above and stating that a D notice (the suppression of a news story in the UK which may be damaging to National Security) had been issued,

I ignored the e mails, but then I heard that a person I know that works on politics at the BBC during the week had been put on standby for the following weekend (12/13th June) for a break in a major news story.   I began to get curious.   Nothing happened.

On the 14th June John Wilkinson MP, Dominic Grieve MP and Lady Herman MP all spoke in a House of Commons debate.   The same day,   I am told the House of Commons for the first time ever was evacuated.   Did you see it on television, hear about it on the radio, see it in the newspapers?   No.   Neither did I.    What is going on?   If anybody can throw further light on these matters let me know.

Surrey Heath Candidate Selection

I hear that the selection of a parliamentary candidate for Surrey Heath is not going too smoothly.   Having deselected their Member of Parliament Central Office decided that they would take charge of the selection process, upsetting the Conservative Association in the process.

On top of this local candidates have discovered that there is no longer a process whereby they can apply for the seat by sending their CV to the Chairman of the Selection Committee.   This provision was deleted by the unelected Committee on Candidates in December 1999.   The effect of it is that every candidate has to be on the Approved List of Candidates even if they are only interested in their own Constituency.

Probably 95% of Conservative Party members still think that the local provisions still apply, but this kind of thing can happen when you have appointed committees that do not report back directly to the National Convention.    Time for more democracy in the Conservative Party.

Conservatives Direct

On Tuesday Michael Howard will launch Conservatives Direct.   We wish the initiative well.  

What is it?   It is "an on-line toolbox for getting-out-the-vote (GOTV) in elections.   The system works on a loyalty card system whereby "Players" get points for spreading the word and increasing Conservatives direct "membership".

Team players build up points to become Team Leaders.   Points can be redeemed at any time for gifts or saved up for larger gifts."

In fact it is just like "Nectar" points or "Green Shield" stamps - remember those.   Like all these kind of gimmicks there will be  flurry of activity and then it will slowly die and be forgotten.   What ever happened to Conservative Network?   Peta Buscombe got a peerage out of it but what else?

When will the Party understand that people that are interested in politics want to be genuinely involved in decision making and the development of policy.   That means making the Party more democratic.    Until that happens we will get  a gimmick a Parliament until of course the Party ceases to exist.

13th June

***Star of the Week*** Michael Howard MP for a good result in the local elections and for saying "It is nice to be in Strafford, oops, Trafford" when congratulating the Trafford Tories on their victory in the elections.   A Freudian slip?

Wally of the Week - Pretty Boy Douglas Alexander MP for his ridiculous defence of Tony Bliar over Iraq and its impact on the local election results.

Another Wally - Baroness Shirley Williams.    Why did "Newsnight" choose this old sourpuss to comment on Ronald Reagan's death.   He had not even been buried when she made her sour comments.   Doesn't she know that at times like this if you haven't something nice to say then say nothing.

The Story the Media Missed.

On the "Today " programme on Friday 11th June the chairman of the Conservative Party, Liam Fox was asked what would happen if Michael Howard went to Europe to renegotiate the position on the Common Fisheries policy amongst others and could not get agreement.    Liam responded that the Conservatives would introduce legislation in the House of Commons to change the position.    When asked if this was new He responded by saying No, Michael Howard had said so the previous day.   The "Today" programme perhaps did not realise the significance of what The Chairman was saying (They seem to have lost the fire in their belly recently.)

What would be the effect of introducing legislation in Parliament?   First of all it would mean that we would be in breach of the European Treaties, but secondly it would mean that we were re-establishing the sovereignty of the British people through Parliament.   Fascinating stuff, of huge significance.

But if this is the case why was this not made clear at the beginning of the European Election campaign?   It would have cut the ground from under UKIP's feet.   The lack of a follow through if renegotiations failed was the Achilles heel of the Conservative campaign.

This needs following up.   Shame that all our experts in the media seemed to miss it.

The Campaign

Once the Conservative Party starts on a course of action it is almost impossible to change.   They had decided to run a very low key campaign for the European elections, hardly any canvassing only calling on known Conservatives, no public meetings etc.   Within a week of the campaign starting it was clear that UKIP were making a big effort.   Did the Conservatives respond?   No!   In an election where every vote counts they were knocking up Conservatives without checking beforehand that they were not going to vote UKIP.   This is the first National campaign that I can remember that I never saw a single Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrat sticker.   Lots of big UKIP ones, but none of the others.   This is the first time when in Gerrards Cross, which used to be the strongest Conservative branch in the Country there were no tellers at the Polling Station and no Committee room on election day.

If the Conservative Party is serious about trying to win the next General Election it had better get its organisation sorted out pronto.   the trouble is that the grass roots are now totally left out of the picture.   Beaconsfield used to help in Slough where there were elections.    Not this time.   Sad really.   We need to create a democratic Party in order to bring together and motivate our workers once again.    We are totally reliant on our Councillors for all the hard work.    Time for a new Party Constitution>

Weasel Words

When asked by Jim Naughtie on the "Today" programme "Do you intend to lead the Labour Party into the next election Tony Bliar responded "It is up to the British people to elect the Government".    Does he not know that the British people only elect Members of Parliament.   Does he not know that it is Labour Party members that elect the Leader of the Labour Party.   Of course he does but obfuscation has become his trade mark.

June 6th

- David Hockney for his brilliant defence of liberty and freedom on "Newsnight" defending the rights of a minority to smoke in public.   This was superb television.   Congratulations to "Newsnight".

The Ballot paper

Many people have complained about the complexity, length and size of the ballot paper for the elections on June 10th.    Expect a lot of spoilt papers.   Part of the reason for this is that in the European elections all the names of the candidates are being shown.    They are totally irrelevant, because under these undemocratic elections we cant vote for the individuals but only for their Party.

For example in Southern Region there are ten places to be obtained for a seat in the European Parliament so do we have ten votes?    No.   We only have one.   We are denied voting for the individuals so why are the names of the individuals shown?   To try and give the impression that you are voting for them.   Other countries in the European Union operate proportional representation with an open list where you can vote for the individuals.   Why are the British people denied this choice?   If you dislike the top people on the Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrat lists there is nothing you can do to get rid of them.   It is a disgrace but do any of our major parties want to change this system?   Not really, because the system strengthens the Party as opposed to the individual and we wonder why people do not vote.    They are not stupid.   They realise they are being conned.

European Election

Why is it that whilst we are having a election to the European Parliament we see hardly anything of the candidate MEPs?    "Question Time" had a programme specifically on Europe, but out of the five guests only one was an MEP.   This issue gets to the heart of what is wrong.   The campaign is run by National politicians on National issues in spite of the fact that we are choosing representatives in the European Parliament.    The end result is power wielded in Europe by National politicians in the Council of Ministers for which they are not accountable to the electorate, and representatives in the European Parliament who have very little power, but in theory should be accountable.(see above)   What an almighty mess.

Why have the Conservatives not campaigned foe a democratic Europe and thus struck a chord with the British people?   Their current stance has no credibility.   The idea that you can go to Europe and tell them that you want various things repatriated back to the Nation States without threatening withdrawal is living in Alice in Wonderland.   There is not a single case of any item being repatriated to the Nation States once Brussels have got their sticky fingers on it.

The Conservatives will do well in the elections because Labour is so awful and they have allowed UKIP to steal their ground, but they could have done brilliantly.   Sad, it could have been so different.

"Question Time"

What a mix on "Question Time"    Zac Goldsmith was brilliant.   He will go far.   Liam Fox was cool and convincing.   Shirley Williams is clearly a has been..    Nick Brown looked as miserable as sin and as for Polly Toynbee - what planet does she live on?

May 30th

- Bernard Jenkin MP on "Newsnight" for a sterling attack on the shambles of postal voting.

Wally of the Week - Christopher Leslie MP - who put this schoolboy in charge of constitutional affairs?   His weak approach to postal voting on "Newsnight" made him look as though he was sitting there with his fingers crossed as he said all was well.    What a W!

Lying Libs

The Lib-Dems have some distinctive policies so why do they have to lie?   In their manifesto for the South East they say "If you want MEPs who don't turn up to crucial votes, and support the doubling of the Council Tax then vote Conservative on Thursday 10th June.   No wonder they have the reputation for being the most vicious liars in politics.   It will do them no good.

Unforeseen Consequences

All the three main Parties concentrated their efforts in the elections on the four areas with postal voting believing that the voters would have their ballot papers.   We now know they were wrong, but this has left the field open to UKIP.   It is no wonder that UKIP are doing well.    They are the only Party with a clear message and they are getting it over to the electorate.   The Labour Party faces wipe-out.   The Lib-Dems are concentrating on the Iraq war which will win them some votes.   The Conservatives are putting over a confused message by saying they want to be in Europe but are opposed in principle to a Constitution.   Who wants to be a member of a club with no rules?   Possibly the oligarchy that run the Party and yearn for the days when it had no rules.   They forget that in the fifty years after the war, when the Conservative Party did not have a Constitution it suffered continuous decline in its membership.   People like to know where they stand.

May 23rd

***Star of the Week*** - Nicholas Soames MP for flattening the weasel Mandelson on "Newsnight".   Incidentally "Newsnight" has got better now it has an Acting Editor.

Honours

John Major was refreshingly candid when he spoke to the select committee looking at the honours system.   I wonder if they asked him about private one to one meetings with wealthy potential donors?   It would be interesting to know how many of the big donors to our political parties have had a private one to one meeting with the Prime Minister or Leader of a Party prior to them making a donation?   Perhaps the question should be asked.

Euro Election

The Labour Party faces wipe out at the Euro Election, but the Tories should not assume a walk over.   Conservative strategy for the election seems to be softly,softly for fear of waking up Labour supporters, so public meetings are out.   There is some danger in this.   U.K.I.P is holding a series of public meetings and getting large numbers in attendance.    As we know the Lib Dems are pushing for the anti war vote.   After all a million people that went on the march want to register their protest.    This is fertile ground for the Lib Dems.  

    The end result of all this is that the Conservatives do better but U.K.I.P and the Lib Dems surprise everybody.    I hope Central Office realise what is going on and are preparing their counter attack.

How not to win friends

At a "Bow Group" meeting at 7.30pm last Wednesday Caroline Spellman MP was scheduled to address the Group about Local Government.

    She started her address by admonishing and berating those present for not being out canvassing.  She added that she was horrified that Battersea Conservatives were holding a reception on the terrace of the House of Commons when they should have been out canvassing also.   She went on about how busy she was because she had just been given an 85 page document on postal voting which she had to read because she was going to talk about it on the "Today" programme at 7am the next day.   In addition to which she was only there because her organising secretary had told her that she must come because she had previously let the Group down.

    Now, she had a valid point about canvassing but why is it that some professional politicians fail to understand that whereas they are getting very well remunerated for doing their job the activists are volunteers and need to be motivated.   She could have made her point in a positive way instead of adopting her Headmistress approach.   Incidentally her speech was pretty lightweight and having heard it I am sure the time spent listening to her would have been more fruitfully spent canvassing.

P.S I did not hear her on the "Today" programme, so maybe the time she spent reading the 85 page document could also have been spent more fruitfully canvassing.

The Today Programme.

As usual I listen each day to the "Today" programme, but one day this week I heard nothing.   It was only as it reached its end did I realise that I had not listened.   It was the day they had two women presenters, Sarah Montague and Carolyn Quinn.   Both are experienced but somehow do not carry "gravitas".  I was half waiting for a male voice which would tell me that a serious interview was about to be conducted.    Does this make me a male chauvinist pig?   Alternatively are we about to see a further drop in ratings for the programme.

May 16th

Michael Howard MP for a sterling performance at Prime Minister's Question Time.   Tony Bliar is on the run.   He sloped off with his tail between his legs.

European Election Campaign

Is anything happening?     We know that the Labour Party faces wipe-out, but with Labour not voting there is a danger that UKIP and the BNP will pick up a higher % of votes.    This would be a catastrophe for democracy.   Incidentally do not put any faith in UKIP defending democracy when Robert Kilroy Silk can be selected as one of their candidates without going through any kind of elected process.

Conservatives After the War Campaign

Exactly a year ago we published the following on the COPOV web site.   What a shame the Government did not act on our suggestions then.
A majority of the people were against the war with Iraq, although naturally they completely supported our troops and continue to do so.   What should be done now?   We suggest the following:

• All troops in Iraq should be placed under the command of the United Nations and they should be authorised to take whatever action is necessary if attacked.

• Sanctions should be lifted immediately.

• A programme should be formulated for holding free and fair elections in Iraq.

• The United Nations should be reformed and a programme for reformation developed giving a higher standing to democratic nations.

• A nation's representatives to the United Nations should be elected by the people of that nation.

• The reconstruction of Iraq should be under the control of the United Nations.

May 9th

***Star of the Week*** Nicholas Soames MP for the dignified way he is handling the abuse of prisoners in Iraq.   He is a natural Minister of Defence.

Wally of the Week - Michael Portillo MP for sticking to support of the Iraq war on the "This Week" programme.   He said that there were 70,000 people working on the weapons of mass destruction programmes.   Michael, come back from fairyland.

Incidentally the "This Week" programme is now consistently one of the best political programmes on television, together with Guto Hari's "Straight Talk", "Head to Head", "Hard Talk".    These excellent programmes should be put on at 10.30pm on BBC2 instead of "Newsnight" which has become stale and boring.   Is George Entwhistle still editing it?

Abuse of prisoners of War at Abu Ghraib   prison

This abuse is the child of Guantanamo Bay, The Neocons, The Patriot Act, David Blunkett, The Anti Terrorism Act.   Every time we diminish Human Rights we move closer to the abuse of Human Rights and the destruction of freedom.   It is time for Conservatives everywhere to stand up and fight for liberty.

Heartlands

All Conservative members will have received a copy of the Conservative Party's magazine Heartlands published by the "Spectator" magazine.   It is professionally produced, a mini "Spectator" and better than its predecessors but what it is not is an internal Party magazine.   Virtually no communication with members in it.    Nothing about what is happening inside the Party.   It could be any old political magazine.   An opportunity wasted.   We look for better in the next issue.

European Election

A good launch - 24 hours of publicity - then nothing.   Has the Conservative Party gone to sleep?   Are there any meetings?   what is happening?   We have not even seen a copy of the manifesto.

May 2nd

***Stars of the Week*** The Conservative Party for a brilliant European Elections manifesto; sadly it did not get very much publicity.   Perhaps this was because the previous day Michael Howard made an important speech in a warehouse (Excel exhibition centre) apparently to nobody but himself in front of garish posters about Labour. When Saatchi & Saatchi are good they are very, very good but when they are bad they are bloody awful.   Whose crackpot idea was it to have the media follow Michael Howard around to make the same speech three times?

Liam Fox MP for asking the grass roots their views on what they would like to see at the Party Conference and also for giving e mail updates directly to the grass roots on what the Party is doing.(See COPOV's views below)

Mark Mardell - For listening to COPOV and giving a serious but witty presentation on the "This Week" programme.

"Wallies" of the week. Dame Pauline Neville Jones for her abysmal performance on "This Week".   Anyone would have thought she was advertising beefburgers and chips.   When will political programme editors get rid of the arty-farty types that ruin sensible political programmes?   Guto Hari presents an excellent programme on "News 24" with four people sitting around a table.    You can then concentrate on what is being said.   Neville-Jones would have been given a star for her performance in the studio after her presentation.    She is very bright.
Iain Duncan Smith - Why does he not just admit that he got it wrong on Iraq.   Iain you are flogging a dead horse.

European Constitution
Michael Howard needs to drop his opposition to the very "idea" of a European Constitution.   He said again this week that "Nations have Constitutions" as though this was a bar to the European Union having a Constitution, but Michael so do golf clubs, so does the Conservative Party, so does the Women's Institute.   You sound silly when you say this.    Your Shadow Attorney General - Dominic Grieve MP when asked the same question replied that he could write a Constitution for Europe on the back of an envelope.    You should allow him to do so.   The people could then decide whether they want a democratic Union with power resting in the Nation States or a centralised Union controlled by an oligarchy.   Long term, democracy is the winning formula.

Peerages

How sad that Iain Duncan Smith reverted back to the bad old days by giving peerages to the fat cat donors.   We thought this had ended.   It was made worse this time by not giving a peerage to John Taylor.    This is the first time that a Chairman of the National Convention (formerly the National Union Executive) has not received a peerage.   Disgraceful.    We congratulate Trish Morris on her elevation, but have to say that in terms of hard work on behalf of the Conservative Party John Taylor had a higher priority over all of those selected for a peerage.

Proposals for the Party Conference

Chairman,
With reference to your e mail of 22 April may I make the following comments
about the Party Conference:
1) Bring back the morning sessions and close the afternoon sessions at
5.30pm.
2) Bearing in mind that this may be the last Conference before a General
Election, hold genuine debates with motions on areas where Party policy has
still to be developed e.g. The United Nations be more democratic.
Globalisation, GM foods etc.  Have top speakers For and Against.
3) We do not want guest speakers that are not members of the Party.
4) There should be a debate on Foreign Affairs.   There wasn't one at either
the last Conference or the Spring Forum.
5) Cut out the Question and Answer sessions.   All they do is produce froth.
6) Cut down the number of standing ovations.   They should not be organised,
but should be a response to an excellent speech.
 7) The Policy and Ideas discussions at the last Conference were excellent
but nobody knew about them.   If they are to be repeated they should be well
publicised.
8) The Leader's reception for all attendees at last years Conference was
excellent.
9) Shadow Minister's should be given at least 20 minutes for their speeches.
Anything less means froth.
10) Invite members to submit motions for debate to the Party's internet site
(This is what the Liberal Democrats do.)   It provides more involvement of
the members.

25th April

***Stars of the Week*** - This week has seen a galaxy of stars.   Here they are: Michael Howard MP for a superb performance at Prime Minister's Question Time.    David Owen and Malcolm Rifkind for putting a sensible case about the European Referendum on "Newsnight".    Similarly Richard Spring MP was equally convincing on "Radio 5 Live"   Dominic Grieve MP and Frederick Forsyth made brilliant speeches to the Beaconsfield Conservatives.   At this rate the Conservative Party is beginning to look at the probability of winning the next General Election.   What a turnaround in fortunes!   The Bow Group for its excellent book on "GoZones"   This is about the areas that all our politicians have forgotten.   It should be essential reading for all of them.   It will be launched this week at 7pm 27th April at the City Inn Hotel, 30 John Islip Street, SW1P 4DD(close to Millbaank Tower).  

Wallies of the Week - Tony Bliar MP At Prime Ministers Questions he had that silly little embarrassed grin that says "Sorry teacher, I got the wrong answer.   Lord Heseltine On "Newsnight" he behaved like a petulant little boy that had lost his toy.    Grow up Michael, embrace democracy don't fight it.   As a member of John Major's government you agreed to a referendum on the single currency.   I do not recall you resigning over the issue, or was being Deputy Prime Minister more important?    Mark Mardell - One of the most enjoyable programmes on television is Andrew Neill's "This Week" except for the ridiculous way in which Mark Mardell dresses up in a comic costume to give his commentary on the week.   Mark, if you want to be a clown, join the Circus.   As Greg Dyke said "Either be serious or funny but don't try both at the same time."   House of Commons for agreeing to the ludicrous security screen at the cost of £1.3 million.   There are so many occasions on which MPs gather together it would be impossible to erect a security screen for all of them.    State Occasions in Westminster Abbey, Party Conferences - the list is endless. So why don't MPs concentrate on security at the entrance to the House of Commons and save the taxpayers a great deal of money?

European Referendum

This was great week for COPOV. In August 2002 we were the first body to call for a referendum on the European Constitution.    (See letter below).   In November 2002 we wrote to Michael Ancram to persuade him to make it Tory policy.(See letter below)   He listened and made it Party policy in January 2003.   The rest is history!

18th April

***Star of the Week*** - Andrew Lansley MP for sensible, mature contributions on "Question Time".   He is a credit to the Tory Party.

An Evening with William Hague MP

This week the Chairman of COPOV went to a packed meeting of the William Hague road show in High Wycombe.   It was a good meeting but the first three quarters of an hour were spent by William Hague doing amusing anecdotes.   One began to feel that he was a stand up comic rather than a serious politician.   When he at last got on to serious politics he was very good.   One of the few politicians with vision.   15 minutes of anecdotes at the beginning would get the audience relaxed.

    Take a leaf out of Tony Benn's road show.   He is serious but throws in the odd anecdote.    The end result is that Tony Benn ends up with a standing ovation and William Hague did not.   That is the difference that experience makes.

P.S William you are needed on the Tory front bench.   With Europe raising its head Shadow Foreign Secretary would be the ideal job for you.   Take it!

April 11th

***Stars of the Week*** - The sky is dark.   No stars are shining.   Where have they gone?

Wally of the Week - This has to be Geoff Hoon for his abysmal performance on the "Today" programme on 10th April.   Where did they dredge this man from?

Referendum on the European Constitution?

Last week Richard Spring MP wrote to "The Guardian" and demanded a referendum on the European Constitution (Letters, April 5) but there is a question mark against his statement "No constitution can be agreed without the unanimous approval of the EU member states".

Included in the Constitution is the following clause: "If, two years after the signature of the Treaty establishing the Constitution, four fifths of the Member States have ratified it and one or more Member States have encountered difficulties in proceeding with ratification, the matter will be referred to the European Council".

Does this mean that the Constitution may be implemented regardless of whether there is unanimous approval of the Member States, and if not what is the point of referring it to the European Council?

It is said that at the time John Major was having difficulty with getting the Maastricht Treaty through parliament he threatened to use the Royal prerogative to sign the Treaty.   A perfectly legal use of the prerogative, but also an example as to why the Royal prerogatives should be abolished.   Is Tony Bliar thinking along the same lines?

April 4th

***Stars of the Week*** - David Davis MP for a brilliant attack on the Labour Party highlighting their hypocrisy.

Michael Howard MP - for a great performance at Question Time.

Wallies of the Week - Tony Bliar MP - didn't he look uncomfortable at Question Time and even worse at his press conference.   He is losing it.

Ann Widdecombe MP - This is becoming a weekly event.   This week it was her injudicious remarks about the Tory Gay Summit.   Why cannot she belt up?

European Constitution

In his "Berlin" speech Michael Howard opposed the very idea of a European Constitution.   He is in danger of being hooked into an untenable position.   How can you call for a referendum on the proposed European Constitution if you oppose the principle of a Constitution in any event?.   How can you negotiate on something to which you are opposed in principle?   There is no need to oppose a democratic European Constitution in principle.   Michael should get off this hook sooner rather than later.    This issue needs to be thought through.

A Fair Electoral System?

The number of voters in Labour held seats is far lower than that in Conservative held seats.   This means that the Conservative Party needs a 11.5% lead in the popular vote in order to get the same number of seats as the Labour Party.   Our electoral system is beginning to stink!

Anti Terrorism Acts

548 people have been arrested under the Anti Terrorism Acts.   15 have been convicted.   It is time this anti-libertarian measure was repealed.

Civic Partnership Act 

We welcome the Civic Partnership Act for giving rights to gay couples, but why are the same rights not extended to heterosexual couples?    This is blatant discrimination which the Conservative Party should pledge to put right. 

March 28th

***Stars of the Week*** The Big Beasts - Lord Heseltine, Lord Tebbit, Michael Howard MP.   All have made a valuable contribution to the debate on the European Constitution.   Lord Heseltine spoke to the Conservative Group for Europe about Globalisation and the changing World Order.   His view was that Europe was the best vehicle to create the new World Order.   Lord Tebbit spoke about the Nation State and how that was the best vehicle.   Michael Howard gave a reasoned response to the European Constitution on the "Today" programme.   We now have a real debate about the future of the United Kingdom, a debate without rancour and it is the Conservative Party which is conducting that debate.   Well done.

Wallies of the Week - Jack Straw MP    Didn't he get ratty when interviewed about Libya on the "Today" programme?   He is beginning to lose it.

Ann Widdecombe MP talking about the woman imprisoned for not ensuring her child was at school.   Sometimes Ann, it is best to keep your mouth shut.

A European Constitution?

Should the Conservative Party oppose a European Constitution in principle?   This is the big question for the Party.    In his Berlin speech on 12th February Michael Howard stated that "British Conservatives oppose the proposed constitution.   We disagree with many of its contents, of course, but we also oppose the idea of having an EU constitution."   This clearly means that he is opposed to a European Constitution in principle.   If this is the case then he should propose that a future Conservative Government would put the question to the people if Tony Blair refuses to have a referendum.

There is a great deal of logic in supporting a democratic European Constitution.   There is an equal amount of logic in supporting the United Kingdom as a Nation State, not part of the European Union, but the European Union as is and as proposed in the draft Constitution is wholly undemocratic and we doubt whether the British people will put up with this situation indefinitely.    Decision time is approaching.

We understand that Michael Howard is having second thoughts on the question of opposition in principle to the proposed constitution.    Indeed on the "Today" programme he went out of his way to say that the Conservative Party opposed "This Constitution."   He also said that if Blair pushes it through parliament a future Conservative Government would want to renegotiate it.   This does not sound like someone who opposes the Constitution in principle.

If a decision has been taken by the Conservative Party to oppose a European Constitution in principle why is the Party currently consulting its members in the Conservative Policy Forum on the question "Do you agree that the Conservative Party is right to oppose the European Constitution in principle?   Either this is a cynical exercise about a decision which has already been taken or the Party is open to argument.   The closing date for replying to the question is 26th April.

A referendum on the proposed Constitution is one of the most important issues of our time and the Conservative Party can take credit for demanding it.   We would humbly point out that it was COPOV in a letter to "The Times" in August 2002 which first demanded a referendum on the Constitution.   We then campaigned for the Party to adopt it as its policy.    It did.   That shows the value of listening to the grassroots.    Good. 

21st March

***Star*** of the Week - Sir Peter Tapsell MP - For his wonderful speech at the Conservative History Group.   Nobody has a better collection of stories and anecdotes, well worth listening to.

Wally of the Week - Gisela Stuart MP - At a meeting of Policy Exchange (One of the best think tanks) this stupid woman tried to put forward the case that the European Union is democratic in spite of the fact that her own pamphlet published by the Fabian Society clearly shows how undemocratic it really is.   She wrote "Not once in the sixteen months I spent on the Convention (on the future of Europe) did representatives question whether deeper integration is what the people of Europe want, whether it serves their best interests or whether it provides the best basis for a sustainable structure for an expanding Union."   Like many MPs and academics she does not know the meaning of the word "democratic."

Target Constituencies

Lord Ashcroft has given the Conservative Party over £2,000,000 for target constituencies.   They have to apply to Central Office for assistance and put their case for financing.   Central Office decide and then get Lord Ashcroft's approval.   We hear that some constituencies are having difficulty getting their case heard, having had to make at least three submissions.    What is going on?   One of the problems that arises when gifts have conditions attached to them is that the lines of accountability become blurred.

March 14th

***Stars*** of the Week - North Down Conservative Supper Club.   The Chairman of COPOV had the privilege of addressing the North Down Conservatives this weekend.    The Conservatives in Northern Ireland are the most generous, hospitable Conservatives that you will find anywhere in the United Kingdom.   Ever since the Conservatives were formed in Northern Ireland 15 years ago they have managed under difficult circumstances to keep the Conservative flag flying.   For their first three years they received no help from Central Office.   They did not know that at the time John Major was secretly negotiating with the IRA.   Since 1992 the Conservative Party has been in the doldrums.   Now things are looking up for the first time in their existence

The Ulster Unionists are going down the plughole.   The Labour Party has been forced to accept members from Northern Ireland.   There is a golden opportunity to create non sectarian politics in this troubled part of the United Kingdom, which incidentally has the second lowest crime rate excluding the paramilitary beatings. of any part of the United Kingdom.

How sad then, that David Liddington MP - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has not seen fit to meet the Northern Ireland Conservatives.   Instead of just taking the advice of Jonathan Cane whose advice about cosying up to the Ulster Unionists has proved to be disastrously wrong he should get on the next plane to Northern Ireland and start a continuing dialogue with the Conservatives there.   One issue that needs resolving urgently is whether they put up a candidate for the European elections.

David it is time to pull your finger out and get going.

***Stars*** - Dominic Grieve and Helen Kennedy - for their constructive comments about Guantanamo Bay on "Newsnight"   Well done

Wally of the Week Beverly Hughes MP  What an arrogant grinning nincompoop this woman is.   Her performance on "Question Time" had to be seen to be believed.   She condemned the released prisoners from Guantanamo Bay because the were in Afghanistan without waiting for any explanation as to why they were there..

   Why did she not check that they were there on a humanitarian mission.   This Labour Government deserves to fall for the disgraceful way they have connived at the inhumanitarian treatment dished out to the prisoners in Guantanamo.   It makes one ashamed to be BRITISH.    Whatever happened to fairness and justice of which we were once so proud.

Luton Airport

This Airport reminds one of the motorway service stations of twenty years ago.    Dark scruffy left over meals not cleared away.   Smokers relegated to the furthest point in the Airport.   What a contrast to Belfast International Airport - clean sparkling and with special areas for smokers.

March 7th

***Stars*** of the Week - The Conservative Party.   The Spring Forum showed that it is back in business.   Six months ago the Party was so deep in the ditch that all you could see were the bubbles popping through the surface.   Now the Party is climbing out of the ditch.   Congratulations to all involved.

***Liam Fox MP - Party Chairman***    He deserved his two standing ovations not least for promising to give the Party conference "back to the members" and for scrapping the ridiculous "bucket" collection on the Sunday morning.    He also told the best joke of the conference, which I will not repeat here.

***The Bow Group*** for their fringe meeting on the "Inner Cities"   This was a brilliant analysis of the problems of the "Inner Cities" with some radical proposals for dealing with them.   They are publishing a paper on this in the coming month.  Watch out for it.   It is bound to have a great impact.    All political parties have ignored the "Inner Cities".    Now is the time for the Conservative Party to adopt some of these radical proposals.

The National Convention/Spring Forum

• The National Convention was as dull as dishwater.   Thanks to Raymond Monbiot the Convention was opened up to all party members to attend, but even so the hall was only half full.   Why not make the Convention the Annual General Meeting of the party with every member invited and allowed to vote?

• Sadly because of the dumbing down of the Spring Forum and the Party Conference we no longer see any passionate or "fire in the belly" speeches.   This must change and we are looking to Liam Fox to change it.

• It was a mistake to have Michael Ancram give a speech on Foreign Affairs and the European Elections prior to Michael Howard's speech.    We expect the Leader to cover these important matters in his own speech.

• We heard that the Conservative Party now has more women Councillors than any other Party.   Great - so much for political correctness.

• Seen working the room - Who went round visiting every table at the Conference dinner?   Why, Lord Ashcroft.    This is usually done only by those that have just been elected or want to stay elected or want to be elected.   Lord Ashcroft is not elected so what is he campaigning for?.   Could it be that he will soon be throwing his weight behind proposals for elections in the Conservative Party?   We will keep you posted.

• Congratulations to those that designed the "Cirque de Soleil" set at the Spring Forum.   What a pleasant change from some of the rubbish of the past

• Best Meeting at the Forum was the debate on "Regionalisation" organised by the "Yorkshire Post"   A real debate with contributions from the floor.   What a pity we could not have had this in the Forum.

Primary Elections

COPOV has strongly objected to members of other political Parties participating in the process of selecting a Conservative Party candidate.   We therefore read the following with great interest and c