Friday, February 19, 2010

Stratford Tories Pick Nadhim Zahawi

The last six safe Conservative seats have picked the following candidates...

Bromsgrove - Sajid Javid
West Suffolk - Matthew Hancock
Spelthorne - Kwasi Kwarteng
Suffolk Coastal - Therese Coffey
East Surrey - Sam Gyimah
Stratford upon Avon - Nadhim Zahawi

Yup, these local Conservative Associations really are full of small minded, sexist racists, aren't they? Each selection meeting was attended by hundreds of local people. They weren't directed. They listened to six candidates and then voted. Each one, selected on merit. No all women shortlists. No all black shortlists. Each one contained at least one white male to vote for, but the selectors opted not to, except in West Suffolk.

So if you're a Tory activist and hear anyone accusing your party of being anything but open, tolerant and inclusive, you can tell them where to go. And mean it.

20 comments:

Curmudgeon said...

Are these ethnic folk really people of genuine Conservative sentiment, though? Do they believe, for example, in getting rid of speed cameras?

Iain Dale said...

I know them all and they are all real Conservatives.

Incidentally, it was a white Tory, Paul Channon, who brought in speed cameras.

Conand said...

All we need now is someone from a political, farming, publishing and blogging background and we'll have the full set. Did I miss something off? Oh that old label over the Pigeon Hole, its worn off.
Congrats to all these great candidates who have excellent ideas about how to help this Country get better.

Curmudgeon said...

And may he rot in hell for it. Although all of them have been greatly amplified under Labour, it was the Tories who brought in both speed cameras and speed humps and who, wrongly, devolved the responsibility for setting speed limits to local authorities.

I am far from convinced that the Tories in government will do anything much to reverse Labour's anti-motorist crusade.

Frugal Dougal said...

As they say, let battle commence! I wonder how Mt Harriet Harman will do in the all-woman shortlist in the seat he's being parachuted into...

Imran Khan said...

Many of us ethnic folk, Curmudgeon, are bona fide Tories. That's the great thing about Conservativism, it's the only genuinely meritocratic party.

Norton Folgate said...

It's almost as if they were over compensating trying to improve party diversity quotas.

Lots of boxes ticked there, it's enough to make even Harriet moist.

fred barboo said...

@Curmudgeon what a bizzare comment. I think you're somewhat missing the point...

Benny said...

I love it when you're fiesty Iain x

JuliaM said...

It's still all up to the voters in the end, though, isn't it?

And if the CAs are such wonders of 'progressive' thought as you belive, why the need to use subterfuge at all?

Jabba the Cat said...

Perhaps Call Me Dave should stand aside and let some multicultural third world person take over the leadership of the Tory party?

Certainly heading in the wrong direction for getting the middle England vote.

Brian said...

"Perhaps Call Me Dave should stand aside and let some multicultural third world person take over the leadership of the Tory party"

Still haven't got over Disraeli?

SimonSmethMac said...

Nadhim was a fantastic candidate on the night and I think many association members (at least 51% anyway, but I suspect many more) will say that he was head and shoulders above the rest.

The challenge now is in convincing the electorate that as an outsider he can understand them and their issues. But based on his performance last nigh I really don't think that's going to be a problem

Unknown said...

Yup, these local Conservative Associations really are full of small minded, sexist racists, aren't they?

You tell me. You were, after all, the one ranting on about the small-minded bigots of the "Turnip Taliban" back when one local Conservation Association decided they didn't like your pet candidate.

Paddy Briggs said...

"open, tolerant and inclusive."

The only party that declared that it wasn't these things was the BNP - and even they now admit anybody!

Soundbite country I'm afraid Iain - slogans without meaning. Actions not words - and the fact that the Tories have a sprinkling of minority candidates is a very good thing and I applaud it. But the core supporters in the country are overwhemingly white and middle class aren't they? How many "ethnics" do you see at meetings of the Tunbridge Wells Conservatives? Only asking...!

Weygand said...

If, as I would prefer to believe, the racial background/gender of these people had nothing to do with them being chosen, why do you have to make a point of bringing it into the debate?

What would you feel about someone saying "and some of my close friends are gay"? Would you not feel that it sounds like belittling tokenism?

Nor does your argument seem to be persuasive to your opponents. You may have noticed Heffer writing in the Telegraph [whom I quote although he is a man for whom I have no time at all] about your own attempt to be selected "We hear of constituency activists' anger that safe seats are given shortlists comprising ethnic minorities, women and homosexual men, as happened in a Surrey constituency last weekend"

Positive discrimination is already a burden that minority candidates have to bear [statistical probability and party policy suggest that the appearance on the shortlist of some prospective candidates is influenced by their 'minority'; if not necessarily in the crude way Heffer implies] - trumpeting their minority status when they become candidates can only make it heavier.

Bird said...

I agree, Iain, that Labour and their stooges and useful idiots in the press are trying to encourage a Dave versus Dinosaurs narrative.
The idea, obviously, is to build up resentment among long-serving activists.
Typical example yesterday with that slimy creep Andrew Pierce doing a whole page of mischief in the Daily Mail.

Spartacus Mills said...

The old stereotype of Tories being bigots is being put to bed well and truly. Delighted to see it.

Man in a Shed said...

One of the great missed opportunities of the Conservative party in the past has been a failure to link to some of the most conservative communities and groups in the country.

David Cameron looks like he's put that right.

Just leave the freedom denying all token short lists out Dave!

Jimmy said...

You might want to tell Johann Hari the news

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-ignore-the-propaganda-and-spin-ndash-the-tory-party-hasnt-changed-1903987.html