ConHome Poll Proves Its Independence

Today's Independent front page illustrates the dilemmas sites like ConservativeHome (and this one) are going to have to wrestle with between now and the next election. The headline is

CAMERON FACES REVOLT OVER EUROPE

The story is based on a poll of 2,200 Conservative activists by ConservativeHome on the issue of Europe. It reveals 8 out of 10 want a Lisbon referendum come what may and four out on ten would like to withdraw from the EU. I'm not sure why those results are especially surprising, but by releasing the poll on the eve of the Tory conference, it does little to help the party. Indeed, one could reasonably assert that it causes quite a bit of damage, in that it allows the media to focus on a subject which has caused bitter divisions in the past.

The counter argument is that ConservativeHome can do what it likes. It is not an official party organ. It styles itself as the voice of the grassroots, and in part exists to put pressure on the party leadership to head in a certain direction. Fine. I am not suggesting the ConHome - or indeed this blog - should become uncritical lapdogs of the party, but there is a time and a place for everything. I would submit that now is neither the time nor the place for releasing a poll question like this.

This is a very important party conference for David Cameron and the Conservative Party. Unity is everything. We know what happens when parties appear disunited. Support seeps away. To highlight an issue which has in the past been extremely divisive on the eve of a party conference could be seen at best as ill judged, and at worst divisive.

There are of course, very helpful aspects to the poll. 92% express their full support for David Cameron and 99% expect him to form the next government, for example. But it was clear that the media would only pick on that part of the poll which could be controversial.

Still, it rather pokes in the eye those who thought that Lord Ashcroft's purchase of ConservativeHome would castrate it, doesn't it?

UPDATE 10.30am: Tim Montgomerie has left a comment...

Fair comment Iain but I think on the day Lisbon takes a giant step towards ratification it was a legitimate decision to publish. Lisbon represents a massive transfer of power and grassroots Tories are right to be worried.

Party members have little power in modern politics and the ConHome poll gives them a little more. I'm proud to do that.

I agree that it's an important Party Conference but it's not an eve-of-poll election. We'd behave differently (and will) if it was.

ConservativeHome Strikes Gold

I have been in Norwich all day so let me catch up now by congratulating Jonathan Isaby on his new job as co-editor of ConservativeHome. I can think of few people in political journalism who know the Tory Party and have better contacts than Jonathan and I am sure he will bring a huge amount of knowledge not to mention a lot of humour to the site.

I had thought Tim would find it almost impossible to replace Sam Coates, but in Jonathan he has found a truly outstanding individual. While I am at it, I wish Sam all the best in his new job as part of David Cameron's speechwriting team.

I wonder if I would get 164 applications (like Tim did) if I advertised for an assistant to run this blog... Shame I can't afford one, and I am a bloody nightmare to work for anyway, as dozens can testify to!

A Day in the Life of David Cameron

Join Sam Coates HERE during today for his feature on A Day in the Life of David Cameron.

Proof That the Battle for Party Democracy is Never Won

I've just been reading Tim Montgomerie's account of the Conservative MEP selection process HERE. When Tim originally asked on ConservativeHome for people to send him information on this I have to admit I was none too impressed. I was wrong. Completely wrong. If only half of what Tim writes were true it would be horrifying enough. I am astonished that the Electoral Reform Society lent their name to this selection process.

It is odd to say the Electoral Reform Society oversaw an election where candidates were not allowed to campaign, their election addresses were censored, scrutineers were not allowed at the count, the number of votes cast for each candidate was not made public, the turnout was not announced, and the number of spoilt ballot papers was kept secret. The Conservative Party often sends people abroad to teach third world political parties how to run elections. I wonder if anyone has been to North Korea recently.

Tim started ConservativeHome as a campaign to stop Michael Howard denying the party membership a vote in the 2005 leadership election. Many thought that having achieved that, there was no going back in the war for party democracy. Sadly those people have been proved wrong. The battle for democracy in European selections may have been lost this time, but the war has to continue.

Andrew Rawnsley to front 18DS Successor

A few more details about the successor to the late lamented 18 Doughty Street have emerged. ConservativeHome revealed yesterday that The Observer's Andrew Rawnsley is to be the editor in chief of PoliticsHomeIndex.com. This is certainly quite a coup for them. When Rawnsley's Sunday political programme was axed I approached him to become involved in 18DS, so I am pleased it has come to fruition.

I understand that former BBC political journalist Nick Assinder, who left the corporation last year, has also joined the company. Apart from ConservativeHome's Tim Montgomerie, Martin Bright, political editor of the New Statesman is also involved the initiative, which is intended to be politically balanced. The project is being run by Freddie Sayers, who is an occasional contributor to The Spectator and a close friend of the Clintons. I understand PHI is being billed as a 'Bloomberg for politics' and will aggregate all the latest political news stories in one place. It's very much a news based site and unlike 18DS will have no original programming content. A major part of its appeal is based on a daily opinion poll (called the PHI - The PoliticsHome Index) of 100 Westminster insiders.

I'm not sure exactly when it is launching fully but I really wish it well and hope that it will fill a niche in political life on the internet.

More on ConservativeHome and Puffbox.

PS. Just to be clear, I left 18 Doughty Street at the end of November. I have no involvement in the new project and am not part of the PHI poll of Westminster insiders - in case you were wondering!

Ribbons or Rosettes?

ConservativeHome readers have reacted rather positively to the idea of replacing blue rosettes with a blue ribbon. I do too. I have always found rosettes vaguely embarrassing to wear. A ribbon, however, is, well, more of the age. To my astonishment, my estimable ex-colleague on the DD campaign Derek Conway MP also agrees...

"I always feel a bit of prat when I'm wearing one. The only time I wore one
at the last election was at the count and I was worried it gives an aiming point
to the disgruntled. I think most politicians look faintly ridiculous when they
wear a rosette and the average voter groans when they see a candidate wearing
one approaching them in the street.

Careful Derek. We might think you've become a moderniser! To see what the good burghers of Bloomsbury make of the ribbons click HERE.