GoldList candidate: Daniel Finkelstein

NAME... Daniel Finkelstein, Comment Editor of The Times.

WELL KNOWN FOR... His Times newspaper Fink Tank column about trends in football.  See the latest column of this Chelsea fan and footballing statto here.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY HISTORY... Daniel Finkelstein was a leading light in David Owen's SDP before joining the Conservative Party.  He quickly moved to senior positions in the party.  He became an adviser to John Major in Downing Street and was head of policy for William Hague.  While working for William Hague he became a close friend of George Osborne.  George was adopted as Tory candidate for Tatton and we all know what has happened since.  Daniel was Conservative candidate for the Labour seat of Harrow West at the same 2001 election but the seat swung against him.

SPECIALIST AREAS... Daniel's big brain can specialise in almost any area but he has particular knowledge of the public services, foreign policy and... football.

DID YOU KNOW...?  He is teetotal.

MAIN STRENGTHS... Understanding of the Conservative Party and his 'big brain'.  He is also very well connected with the think tank and journalistic worlds.

IDEAL CONSTITUENCY... A south-east England marginal.

MORE INFORMATION...

• Times 'homepage'
• This interview with a Jewish website.
• In his Times column of today this enthusiast for the Cameron leadership defends the 'Built To Last' statement.
• Daniel has occasionally commented on this blog - he's a regular reader - and here is a 'Finkelstein Versus Montgomerie' clash on tax.

WOULD DANIEL BE ON YOUR GOLDLIST?

Please read any comments before voting in the minipoll.  In order to protect the reputation of candidates from scurrilous attacks we have instituted moderation on comments for this ConservativeHome blog only.  Any comment will only be posted after it has been approved by one of the site's editors.

VOTING IN THIS SURVEY HAS NOW CLOSED.  186 VOTES WERE RECEIVED. 59% WERE IN FAVOUR OF DANIEL FINKELSTEIN JOINING THE GOLDLIST. 36% WERE AGAINST. 5% DIDN'T KNOW.

Comments

[David S]

That result in Harrow West would make Chad's head spin.

[Peter Franklin]

Looks like the Conservative Party has a monopoly on super-bright journalists called Danny. Another worthy addition to the goldlist.

[Annabel Herriott]

I've watched Danny on the box, so yes, we could use another "two brains" or should that be "three brains". Seriously, we do need thinkers on their feet in the house, so yes.

[Cllr Iain Lindley]

That sort of swing happened in a lot of seats in 2001, unfortunately, including to a number of candidates who were subsequently reselected and are now in Parliament.

[Jeremy Brier]

Danny would be excellent; it's a real shame that Harrow West, my constituency, didn't see sense. They will next time...

[Donal Blaney]

A friend of mine was Danny's association chairman when he stood in Harrow West. He said Danny was an excellent candidate - he worked hard, was well liked in the association and more than pulled his weight. Therefore not only is he an asset to the Party because of his intelligence and grasp of policy, he is the kind of person who (for what it's worth) would be a good constituency member too.

[Matthew Oxley]

Yes, he'd be on my goldlist, he seems very intelligent yet also human.

[Serf]

As about the only columnist to spot the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill he has a lot going for him.

[Edward]

True. He's a top guy. I'd be happier with him setting the pace from CCHQ but he'd be a good addition to the team in the Commons.

[Chris Palmer]

"Daniel Finkelstein was a leading light in David Owen's SDP before joining the Conservative Party."

Don't know.

[Richard]

I suppose I shall forgive his previous misdemeanours (the SDP) and give him the thumbs up. Good to have another intellect in Parliament.

[Old Hack]

I slightly concerned at the number of women being mooted for this Gold List.
Could we look at more possibilities amongst the fairer sex?
Also, what about fewer people in the media and from London? There are many worthy people who do not live there...

[Tory T]

Danny Finkelstein is very sharp and a thoroughly decent bloke. He served William Hague with great loyalty and I'm sure he'd be a great Conservative MP.

[Richard Bailey]

Where did he stand in 2005?
Being clever is only one half of the story. Our politicians must be electable aswell. Intellectuals have to work harder to win popular aclaim.
I worked with him in 2001 and liked him very much. I suspect that he would do well with a good long run in.

[DavidB]

I have seen him speak and it didn't stick in my mind, although I was at the back and eating a packet of crisps at the time so he could be partly excused. If I remember he was giving a speech "Where now for the Tories?" and I was less than enthusiastic about his ideas, but I was mostly kicking myself for not having filmed Lembit Opik declare his support for drugs earlier in the day so again some excuse.

I don't know; SDP background, swing against him in Harrow West, advisor to John Major, head of policy for William Hague, football, less than enthusiastic for tax cuts... No.

[kingbongo]

Having read his piece in today's Times I voted yes for this one

Times 1 March 2006

I think we need to be thinking about having well over 300 MPs so a mixture of brilliant constituency MPs and brilliant thinkers is important. I would like to see a wider range of candidates on the Goldlist and look forward to the week of entrepreneurs, the week of educators, the week of medical staff etc etc

[David Walker]

I e-mailed Tim with a suggestion, a candidate who is neither from London or a media performer. Tim has assured me he will be showing my choice so I think we should all trust our Editor to do his best!!
Finklestein is a good man, but not someone who is going to swing a marginal. I hate to say it but the best bet for him is a safe seat....in lieu of this it was a 'No' from me.

[Matt Taylor]

You have got to be kidding. First of all, he has almost no interpersonal skills. One wonders how many Harrow West residents and party activists got the infamous silently staring into the distance treatment while trying to conduct a conversation with him for which he was famous at Central Office and elsewhere. The A-list is supposed to be about A-list candidates, of which he is definitely not one. Not only did the voters of Harrow West not want him, increasing Labour's majority against the national trend in a general election, there is the matter of poor judgement.
A dedicated follower of every political fashion, from the SDP, through John Major's "classless conservatism", William Hague's initial modernising, Hague's later emphasis on family values, Portillo's incredibly badly run leadership campaign, followed now by suck-up pieces in 'The Times' which would be better entitled "Please, please, please 'Dave' give me a place on the A-list." He had a good laugh at David Davis's tax pledges in the leadership campaign-an easy target because it was a strategic error from a disastrous campaign-but did he ever listen to those who criticised the many disasters with which he was so heavily involved? "Yes It Hurt. Yes It Worked," "New Labour, New Danger," "The Common Sense Revolution," and now as a columnist the most ridiculous, tortured, defeatist nonsense defending Edward Heath and the National Health Service. No thanks!!!

[Tom Greeves]

Another "YES!" from me.

Folks, we don't have the luxury of being wise to turn down people this able. And we need to ensure that the Goldlist doesn't become a charter for a succession of halfwits to get given safe seats.

Danny is thoroughly decent, another talented wordsmith, and super bright. Put him on, for goodness sake!

[H J L Smith]

Does anyone have any information on what the Harrow West association decided to do after the 5.5% swing against the Conservatives--in contrast to the swing in their favour nationally? Did Danny want or try to stand again? Did they decide not to choose him?

[Scott C]

I was at CCO around the same time Danny was policy chief. He is bright and likeable.

But please don't put him in the same pot as Danny Kruger. Danny F is streets ahead of his namesake.

Some bright people are best kept as policy thinkers, but Danny F has the practical skills too.

Let's get him on!

[tory activist]

I think there is some confusion about what the A-list is supposed to be for here.

It is supposed to be for exceptional candidates. Danny is exceptional in many ways but let's face it people skills and personal electioneering are not among them.

It's time to refocus on what the A-list is supposed to be, offering our best candidates to the voters. There are, of course, plenty of MPs who lack basic candidate skills either they don't have them or they just can't be bothered but such people are not what is needed on a list that is supposed to take us from just under 200 seats to well over 300.

Wake up everyone!

[David S]

I detest the way that the A List is turning into the media driven, London based, politico-glitterati. We need more hard working, good, regional activists who'll be the backbone of the party.

[Derek]

It is difficult to see how we could have an opinion about someone unless we have at least seen them speak on TV. This guy has had plenty of exposure, but what about some good candidate who has had no public exposure?

[tory activist]

Is it says a lot about the state of the party currently that people would consider someone with few people and campaigning skills to be worthy of a place on an A-list of candidates.

[Ismail]

David Finklestein is a part of the Notting Hill toff elite who along with his fellow toff, David Cameron are trying to destroy the Conservatove Party by making it left wing. The A-List is full of rich toffs, who are all politically correct . The so-called "A-list" should have Norman Tebbitt type candidates who believe in traditional Conservative values and come from working and middle class background, not from privieged elite backgrounds who have been given everything handed to them in a silver plate, and have never had to struggle for anything. David toff Cameron doesn't come into mind!!!

[James Hellyer]

While I've often enjoyed Danny Finkelstein's columns, I'm afraid I've never been impressed with his turns on programmes like "News Night". He's not a particularly good interview subject or talking head.

[Peter Golds]

Danny will be great MP. He was a first rate candidate and an all round good guy.