The Inaugural Conservative Movement Awards

Beyond the Conservative Party are...

• think tanks who generate the policy ideas of tomorrow...
• campaigning organisations that take up causes that are too difficult for the Tory Party...
• thought-leaders who inspire young minds to become conservatives...
• bloggers who tease authority and fact-check the media...
• columnists who, without the need to be elected, uncompromisingly defend conservative ideas...
• local heroes who fight heavy-handed public sector bureaucracies...

Parts of the conservative movement may sometimes find themselves at odds with the Conservative Party but, for most of the time, the movement's long-term health is vital for the success of the Conservative Party.  The movement works in the world of ideas, activism and media - preparing the ground for the success of conservative causes like individual freedom, small government, religious liberty and the independence of the family.

ConservativeHome.com's Inaugural Awards will seek to recognise the heroes of the conservative movement and, by placing a particular emphasis on internet technologies, encourage a stronger and more dynamic movement.

The four stages of the Awards programme are described in the graphic on the right.  The programme will conclude in June at a ceremony in London where one of the awards will be presented by Iain Duncan Smith.

Stage one begins today with an invitation to readers of ConservativeHome to decide upon the awards categories.  Eight to ten categories appear a sensible number and some suggestions for categories are listed below:

• A campaigning organisation…
• A blogger…
• A parliamentarian…
• A columnist…
• An author….
• A think tank…
• A broadcast programme…
• A local hero...
• An international achiever...
• Wooden spoon of the year...

What do you think?

Comments

[Serf]

If I wanted to nominate Jonathan Sheppard for his Tory Radio, would that be a Blog? Or had Chad not left the party, his Coolservative idea could have been a winner.

Perhaps we need a category for inspired internet usage.

[Peter Franklin]

Please, no wooden spoon award. This should be a positive and celebratory occasion.

But how about an 'unlikely ally' award for someone not associated with the Conservative Movement who nevertheless does something to uphold our values? I had thought of calling this the strange bedfellow award but then thought we'd better not go there.

[Andrew Woodman]

I would certainly nominate Tory Radio in the broadcast catagory. Also Roger Helmer for Parliamentarian.

[Editor]

Serf and Andrew: opportunities to nominate ToryRadio and Roger Helmer etc will come. Can we stick to discussing categories today, please?

[Andrew Woodman]

Sorry Editor. I'm not sure about thank tank as there are not a massive amount to choose from and I can't really think of one I'd want to vote for. Also tend to agree about the wooden spoon. With some of the people on here, I think there is a risk Cameron might get it. Could have one for member of the Government most helpful to the Conservative party.

[Jonathan Sheppard]

A couple of ideas.....

1) A category for best "poster" so to speak. Not sure what you would call it - but it would be for those who regular post funny, intelligent thought provoking comments who dont necessarily have a blog of their own.

2) It may be part of the categories already mentioned - but something along the lines of most influential conservative grass roots initiative (perhaps someone can come up with a better title) - which would award a website, a person, an organisation which has actually made a policy change within the party.

[James Cleverly]

I think that the woodenspoon catagory could turn a little nasty, if it could be kept light hearted then OK but I am not confident that it will.

[Stephen B]

Are campaigning organisations and think tanks different in reality? Likewise columnist/author could be compressed down into 'writer'.

I know there is the blogger category but how about a general 'website' one.

I know that conservativehome.com can't really suggest this for fear of appearing to skew the odds but happy for this to be considered. I think a number of blogs seem to have grown beyond the category of blog (eg this one and Politicalbetting.com) and it might be good to seem them taking their chances alongside the MSM.

Ramblings as ever - hope it helps though.

[Serf]

Editor, sorry I was just trying to work out if categories existed for such projects.

[Chad]

Well I would give one big fat award to the TaxPayers' Alliance for its work.

However, for a category suggestion, how about the "Blue Skies Thinking Award" for conservatives who are thinking outside the box to forward the cause of conservatism?

That award could be a think tank, blog or just a single innovative idea posted on a blog for example.

[Mark Fulford]

Local associations seem to differ massively. I’d like to illuminate the “best local association" so that others may learn. If that’s too broad, “best use of the internet by a local association”.

[Henry Whitmarsh]

"However, for a category suggestion, how about the "Blue Skies Thinking Award" for conservatives who are thinking outside the box to forward the cause of conservatism?"

Imagine the possibilities, aye Chad? I don't think people should have to nominate themselves.

[Tim Aker]

Migrationwatch UK as think tank - taking up the cause the Conservatives should be doing.

Columnist - Simon Heffer, for not abandoning traditional conservative principles.

Parliamentarian - Roger Helmer, because he believes in the sovereignty and independence of parliament above all else.

Wooden Spoon - Francis Maude, for worst impression of a Conservative ever!

[Jonathan Sheppard]

Doesnt the party already award associations? Or is that just based on how much money they raise based on their quota?

[Editor]

Tim: you'll have your opportunity for Maude/Cameron-bashing on another day. Today is about deciding on ideal categories.

I like Andrew Woodman's "member of the Government most helpful to the Conservative party" suggestion... probably should replace the "wooden spoon" idea.

[Chad]

Henry, if you read the other threads, you will note that True Blue has made an excellent suggestion concerning prisons that I noted fitted the category perfectly.

Please, cut the all this personal shit and try to contribute positively.

[James Cleverly]

How about Labour, Lib Dem MP we would most like to defect.

[Simon C]

What about a category to find the most effective and innovative Conservative Council of the year? Either aimed at the entire Council, or to identify a single local Council-driven initiative that has made a real change for the better?

I agree that the Wooden Spoon award would need to be carefully handled, and is perhaps better not done.

Peter's "strange bedfellow" could be "Non-Conservative conservative" of the year?

Not sure you need both Author & Columnist - what about "Writer" of the year?

[Stephen B]

Is there room for the equivalent of the 'best actor' award at the Oscars - something along the lines of simply 'Conservative Hero'as a focal point for the awards?

The rest of the areas seem to be sub-categories in a way (I'm not beliittling them when I say this!) and it could be good to have a star category.

[Selsdon Man]

My initial suggestions are

Campaigning web site (non-blog)
Journalist
Broadcaster
Academic

[Andrew Woodman]

I would agree with the idea of merging author and columnist into writer.

A Parliamentarian award would be like a best actor but perhaps an award for a grass roots campaigner in addition to that might be an idea.

[Editor]

Stephen B: I like your idea of best actor very much. The over politicisation of the conservative movement is a serious problem and I think room should be found for one or two cultural ideas. Best actor may be a bit narrow... we may want to award a movie, a book, a producer, a TV series...

[Richard Bailey]

This is going to sound very me, me, me, but I think there must be a category for Conservative Cllrs. There will be candidates out there this May who inspire big turnouts or win huge swings / majorities.

Despite losing, I won a local consitutency cup in 2004 for winning a swing of 21% and helping to inspire a turnout of 56% for a local election. But I wonder how many other constituencies recognise the efforts of their members.

It would be a real boost for candidates / Cllrs electoral achievements to be paraded more widely. It thanks them for their work and inspires others to get involved.

[Jonathan Sheppard]

I think you are right Andrew - I would like these awards to be for the little people so to speak, who are an important part of the Conserative movement. Yes I think there should be an award for Parliamentarian of the year - but lets remember MPs have awards for that kind of thing anyway.

I'd like quite a few categories to be for those people who wouldn't normally be recognised for what they do.

[Tom Greeves]

"But how about an 'unlikely ally' award for someone not associated with the Conservative Movement who nevertheless does something to uphold our values? I had thought of calling this the strange bedfellow award but then thought we'd better not go there."

Peter Tatchell for his consistent and principled objections to Mugabe's regime?

[Andrew Ian Dodge]

I would nominate the Adam Smith Institute that is for sure. And, of course, the might Mark Steyn.

[Stephen B]

Editor -the idea about the Conservative Hero 'best actor' was more that at the oscars is forms a focal point in an evening of many awards but is recognised as a special category and likewise we could implicitly say that X was deserving of special recognition (beyond their categories) at these awards

I think Andrew is right when he says this is probably by default Best Parliamentarian but would like to think that it could be anyone - from David Cameron to George Bush (depending on taste!)- and not just from the Parliamentary Party so that it could include grass roots, MSPs, AMs, councillors, activitists etc etc

[Hmmmmm]

There should definitely be an award for council of the year, and councillor of the year. They get a lot more done than MPs frankly.

[Jules]

The awards will place, "a particular emphasis on internet technologies, encourage a stronger and more dynamic movement" - so do we need more categories that recognise the use of new technology in advancing the Conservative movement?

[Nadim]

thought-leaders who inspire young minds to become conservatives...

The most important in some ways, since the party needs a future, but where is this in your list of categories?

How about, 'Most inspirational thinker (or communicator?) to engage young minds'?

Open to wording improvement.

Please, though, no award for 'cross cultural progress' or 'best ethnic diversity advisor'. Chisty doesn't deserve anything.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

Conversion of the Year?

No, not a rugby-related award, but a nod towards those who have genuinely been won round by Cameron's Conservatives™, whether it be defectors like Rehman Chishti, Adrian Graves or Alison Halford, or those of us within the party who were previously sceptical/opposed to the leadership of David Cameron.

John Hustings, James Hellyer and Simon Heffer need not apply.

[dizzy]

chad: how about the "Blue Skies Thinking Award"
==========================================

what about "Vertical Enabler and Syngery Award" instead?

[Geoff]

I like your idea DV-A, and of course "Conversion of the Year" could be won by someone whose opinion has changed in the other direction as well.

It would also be open to Shadow Cabinet members responsible for some of the recent spectacularly abrupt policy U-turns.

[Peter Franklin]

Chad's suggestion is an excellent one -- good ideas need to be promoted. Remember that the 'right to buy' didn't come from the centre and was in fact actively resisted by the party establishment.

[dizzy]

it's the Birtspeak name, not the idea that irks me.

[Geoff]

Maybe a "Lifetime Achievement/Contribution" type award would be a reasonable idea?

I'm sure we would have plenty of nominations from across the whole party spectrum.

[Chad]

Nice definition here:
"Blue-skies thinking" is a term often used for strategic thinking which starts from first principles, takes an independent approach, and results in new ideas.

And it has a nice extra relevance with the use of the word 'blue' being the conservative colour.

Sorry to irk you but I hope that definition helps.

[dizzy]

Nope the defintion doesn't help me at all. In fact it irks me even more. It's littered with management consultant speak. A bit like saying "going forwards" instead of "in the future".

[William Norton]

We should design this in terms of likely turnout. The Gold List votes achieved about 200 responders, whereas the Members Survey seems to get in the 1,500 mark. If the turnout is in the 200 level then it wouldn't be fair to include councils and councillors because the vast majority of the country won't be covered by a voter.

The difference (? correct me if I'm wrong) is that Our Editor sends out an email reminding people to vote in the survey. I assume that is what he would be doing. We'll also need Gold List style background detail on 3 finalists, perhaps 1 vote per day, and on that basis you're down to at most 7 categories.

I wouldn't have Tory Of The Year - it will just become a vehicle for pro- and anti-Cameron back-biting.

On that basis I suggest therefore that nominations are by responses to Tory Diary item (like this one), Editor's Choice out of nominations is final with 3 finalists for each of these categories:

1. Tory Councillor of the Year
the councillor who has done most to spearhead the local recovery of the Party
NB councillor, not council - so hold it after May 4th to see who is still there

2. Speech Of The Year
the speech which has done the most to further or enunciate the conservative cause
CH should be doing its bit to revive oratory, and this is where we can inlcude our parliamentarians

3. Blog of the Year
the blog which has done the most to further the success of the Conservative Party by its activities or innovations
CH would have to be excluded from this

4. Campaign of the Year
the non-CCHQ group which have done the most to further the success of conservative values

5. Writer of the Year
the commentator (in any format) who has rendered the greatest service in the expression of conservative values

6. The Boomerang Award
the most brilliant tactical move with the most unintended consequences (i.e. gimmicks which back-fire)
This is where you get your wooden spoon contest, and framing it this way picks up on James Cleverly's point about keeping it non-nasty

7. Defining moment of the Year
keep this nice and wide-open

[dizzy]

Here's a defintion stripped of management speak:

"original thought"

[Edward Lennox]

I second the proposal that the TaxPayers' Alliance deserve an award; also completely deserving recognition is the Campaign Against Political Correctness.

[John Hustings]

I wonder whether we can make clear that there is a distinction between Conservativism and the Conservative Party. We often comment that, in America, the Conservative Movement is strongly than the GOP. So I think any awards should be given completely independent of party affiliation.

[John Hustings]

I'm refering to awards such as "Tory Councillor of the Year" etc. It's party specific and gives the impression that service to Conservativism means supporting the Tory Party.

[Editor]

I agree with you John H. The Tory Party can present Tory awards, ie councillors. This is about the conservative movement. Tory councillors should be able to win, for example, a 'local hero' award but the awards should point to a broader conservative movement.

[Alex]

Agree that this should be a positive exercise. If you start putting negative catagories, you can bet that DC will win and that is all the beeb will report.

Other than that the Taxpayers' Alliance deserves to win.

[Jules]

Deserves to win what Alex? I thought this thread was about categories - not nominations.

[William Norton]

Tory councillors should be able to win, for example, a 'local hero' award but the awards should point to a broader conservative movement.

One only ever disagrees with Our Editor in a spirit of fear and trembling, but he surely recognises that in large areas of the country the Conservative Movement is a theoretical concept kept going solely by the poor bloody infantry of the Conservative Party who get zero thanks for what they do. An award like this for someone who is able to get elected as a lone voice in the wilderness might go some way to redress the balance.

You can have as many Movements as you like but they're worth sod all unless someone gets elected.

[Jules]

William, Surely its the party who should be urged to thank the infantry - as opposed to the role of this site??

[Chris Palmer]

Young conservative of the year award?

Though what would be defined as "young" ?

[Henry Whitmarsh]

You're activists, not infantry and these are local/general elections not Dunkirk. Cheer up guys!