It seems that reports of the imminent demise of the Cornerstone Group have been rather exaggerated, not least by yours truly (see my post on 31 January). My spies in Portcullis House tell me that the inaugural meeting of "Junior Cornerstone" was held this lunchtime. A truly terrifying thought. For the uninitiated Cornerstone is a group of hard right Conservative MPs led by John Hayes (pictured right) and Edward Leigh whose priorities are family, flag and faith. Although the majority supported David Cameron in the leadership election they remain deeply suspicious of modernisation and have hardly a liberal bone in their bodies. Junior Cornerstone is made up predominantly of the MP members' researchers apparently. They were overheard discussing such urgent priorities as abolising the Department of Culture Media & Sport. Cornerstone itself has about 25 MP members and even has its own whip in Robert Goodwill MP - something that has gone down in the Tory Whips Office like a cup of cold sick. They hear echoes of the Militant Tendency 'party within a party'. But I'm told that as a first task the Juniors have been instructed by John Hayes to chase up miscreant MP members for non payment of their £40 subscription Cornerstone fee. It seems the Group has plans to employ its own researcher, although I'm not sure that 25x£40 will go very far. The group broke up in very good heart but contrary to popular rumour failed to conclude their meeting with a rendition of the Horst Wessel Song. An MP friend of mine has already dubbed them the "Eckstein Jugend". How naughty.PS Message to the Group's organiser: Don't hold the next meeting in the Debate Restaurant in Portcullis House. You never know who might be listening!
PPS Eckstein is German for Cornerstone. Jugend is German for Youth. Need one say more.
Surely it's 25x£40?
ReplyDeleteWhat counts as youth to this bunch? Under 75 perhaps?
ReplyDeleteIs wrong as a member of CF not to want to totally dismiss the idea out of hand? ;)
ReplyDeleteCertainly I’ll take cornerstone before the “No Turning Back” Group; the Cornerstone lot can produce some inventive and credible policy proposals for tackling relevant issues in society which I have to say is more than NTB seem to be able to pull off…
Overall Cornerstone should probably IMHO be view as a positive force within the party just as a corresponding socially liberal/ libertarian grouping might be. A conservative movement to supplement the political party was mooted at by Tim Montgomerie over a CH.com, and should such a movement develop it has to embrace a “broad church” attitude just as the GOP does in the states, bringing together all strands of thought and enabling those ideas to be discussed at a time when the left has been barren of intellectual originality for well over a decade some from the right should be welcome and perhaps the development of Cornerstone is the first sight of this… hopefully other groups within the party and outside of the party will continue to grow and develop into the “movement” which Tim Montgomeire has suggest could emerge?
My god, what an ugly f****r he is. Put him with Edward Leigh and Nicholas Soames and you see what a difficult job it is to sell the Tory party to the electorate. Please, Dave, promote women, gays, blacks, browns and handicapped if you have to, but no more of these upper class bullies. They give us a bad name
ReplyDeleteIs it wrong as a CF member not to want to totally dismiss the idea of "Junior Cornerstone" totally out of hand? ;)
ReplyDeleteCertainly I’ll take cornerstone before the “No Turning Back” Group; the Cornerstone lot can produce some inventive and credible policy proposals for tackling relevant issues in society which I have to say is more than NTB seem to be able to pull off…
Overall Cornerstone should probably IMHO be view as a positive force within the party just as a corresponding socially liberal/ libertarian grouping might be.
A conservative "movement" to supplement the political party was mooted at by Tim Montgomerie over a CH.com a while back, and should such a movement develop it has to embrace a “broad church” attitude just as the GOP does in the states. Bringing together all strands of thought and enabling those ideas to be discussed, at a time when the left has been barren of intellectual originality for well over a decade some from the right should be welcome and perhaps the development of Cornerstone is the first sight of this… hopefully other groups within the party and outside of the party will continue to grow and develop into the “movement” which Tim Montgomeire has suggest could emerge?
If we could marry the talent within the conservative party with an original and compelling political “narrative” then we’d be 2/3rds of the way to winning the next election, promoting a conservative “movement” could well be an important part of that… and perhaps add some clarity to policy when there is a danger of seeming listless.
Ugh, the thought of a bunch of pimply boy researchers doing the Hitler youth thing. Because of course they all are boys - Cornerstone types think women are typists or breeders. Most have been to 2nd division universities and flaunt their pimply arrogance with insouciance. I'm no supporter of positive discrimination by any means but the thought of these throw backs en masse is just too sick making. Bad enough the Atrium looks like a student union as it is, these little fools probably had their meeting in public on purpose - oh, I can picture it all, shiny foreheads nodding in fervent agreement, wildly gesticulating and booming so that they can be heard. Gag me with a spoon.
ReplyDeleteWoo! Go cornerstone - at last some real conservatives! They're so rare these days.
ReplyDelete