Tim Montgomerie is Editor of ConservativeHome.com - which marks its first birthday today.
Before starting ConservativeHome, Tim helped Iain Duncan Smith found the Centre for Social Justice. Before then he ran the Listening to Britain's Churches consultation process for William Hague and ran a civil society policy unit at CCO.
In January and February he was in Washington DC for Francis Maude - understanding how the Conservative Party might make best use of internet campaigning technologies.
As you can see from the photo, Tim is ready for your questions about ConservativeHome and its future... Please post them on the thread below.
PS Tim was recently interviewed by Jonathan Sheppard of ToryRadio. That interview can be heard by clicking here.
A question for Tim: what are the most important lessons for the Conservative Party to learn from the successes of the Republican Party in the United States and the Liberals in Australia?
Posted by: Donal Blaney | April 17, 2006 at 11:33
Tim
When the site was initally launched, it was deisgned by Politcos. It was very different then, only one blog. More like a website than a blog etc.
What was the reasoning behing switching to TypePad so soon after launching?
Posted by: mike walsh | April 17, 2006 at 11:56
Tim: Happy Birthday!!! Many congratulations on all you have achieved in your first year, including, it seems, replacing Scott McLellan! Can you tell us what your plans are for your 2nd year? Ben
Posted by: Ben Rogers | April 17, 2006 at 11:58
If you weren't doing ConservativeHome - what would you be doing?
Posted by: Jonathan Sheppard | April 17, 2006 at 12:53
Mr Montgomerie,
Are we going to dedicate a section of this site to young people's issues?
Posted by: Michael Ehioze-Ediae | April 17, 2006 at 14:27
Tim: Congratulations on achieving your first birthday!
Can we please continue with the basic format similar to the present? I feel if we have an oldies issues section and a youth issues section, that the latter will avoid the former like the plague and quite possibly vice versa!
I think the most interesting aspect of this website - among several - is that one can detect all ages discussing and arguing in the posts, which should help both sides of the age spectrum to learn something about the other - hopefully.
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | April 17, 2006 at 17:13
Again congratulations to Tim/Sam and everyone who has made ConservativeHome essential reading.
Tim - "What do you see as the potential biggest effect of blogging on the political process?"
Posted by: Frank Young | April 17, 2006 at 17:55
Tim: are you going to introduce a piece of software to automatically remove posts that include the expression 'are you a real Conservative?' or similar - I will knock out a PHP script for you if it helps!
Oh and happy birthday to you. Hopefully CH is the beginning of a real conservative movement encompassing all shades of tory opinion, even the moaning minnies!
Posted by: kingbongo | April 17, 2006 at 19:10
Happy birthday to Conservative Home.
A couple of questions:
As with all great products, how do you get the blog to the widest possible audience. I mean, have you any plans to increase the readership of ConservativeHome? Or has word of mouth served you well enough?
Also, as a floating voter, I've always wondered whether you see the site's audience as Conservative voters or the British public as a whole?
Posted by: Stephen Alley | April 18, 2006 at 13:50
Firstly happy birthday!!!
I'm a student at university studying Social Policy/Sciences. Most of our critic of conservatism stems from the notion that it lacks support on welfare. Could you aid me to be cognisant of conservative thinking on welfare and its post war contribution? A bit related to my study yes, but as right wing voter myself i would like to be better tooled when discussing these heated issues...particularly as i'm a minority 9at the moment!)
Thanks.
Posted by: lee stone | April 18, 2006 at 17:46
Are you planning to stand for Parliament?
Posted by: Goldie | April 18, 2006 at 19:45
Do you think it is "racist" to regard previous immigration to this country as a bad thing?
If so, what's the difference between that and opposing current levels of immigration?
Posted by: John Hustings | April 19, 2006 at 12:48
A Gold List question:
DID WE KNOW THAT YOU.....?
And a Community question:
WHO ARE YOUR POLITICAL HEROES?
Posted by: Simon C | April 20, 2006 at 10:13
Tim I am amazed at the work that you put into this site and would like to know how much time on average it takes out of your day? Do you also have a "day job", and if so how do you fit it all in?
Posted by: Derek | April 21, 2006 at 09:08
Tim - What have you found to be the most rewarding aspect of running Conservative Home, and the least rewarding?
Posted by: Voice from the South West | April 21, 2006 at 16:15
Tim, do you have any further information on the Conservative Home awards such at date venue and attendees.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | April 21, 2006 at 17:10
Tim - when will these questions be answered?
Posted by: Mike Walsh | April 22, 2006 at 14:30
On Wednesday, Mike.
No more questions, thank you.
Posted by: Editor | April 23, 2006 at 02:44
Next Wednesday?
Posted by: toryboy | April 27, 2006 at 15:08
Sorry toryboy. I'm a bit late answering them. I'll try and get to this over the weekend.
Posted by: Editor | April 27, 2006 at 17:12
Next weekend?
Posted by: Mike Walsh | May 02, 2006 at 17:12
Since this interview has obviously been postponed, I'd like to add two questions. I hope you don't mind and you don't find them too personal.
*****You have always been a strong proponent of marriage and family values, yet from what I know you're not married. Why is this?
*****I believe during the William Hague days, you were a very vocal evangelical christian.
There is no indication of your religious persuations or beliefs on this website. Have you changed your mind about anything you held to to be true say 6 or 7 years ago?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 03, 2006 at 14:25
Tim
I cannot see why my comments today were over written ( 10.57 - Osborne Yachtgate).
although I accept it is your privilege as editor.
Some people are far too sensitive and
narrow minded.
Some of us had family members who laid down their lives in WWII for our right to have free speech.
What I wrote was factual ref the 4 individuals mentioned, and hardly inflammatory.
If I said it was odd that everyone involved
were Old Catholics, no-one would mind, but it would still be odd.
Posted by: Peter | October 23, 2008 at 17:24