ConservativeHome's ToryDiary: Dan Hannan to address Spring Forum

He may not be a very good chairman, he may not be veryy good at answering questions on second homes, but he does listen!

Let us hope that David Cameron attends the session and introduces Dan Hannan! and endorses his views on the EU.

Posted by: drakes drum | April 02, 2009 at 18:20

Well that should shut some of the people who criticised our leadership for 'silencing' Dan Hannan up. Funnily enough I doubt it will.

Posted by: Malcolm Dunn | April 02, 2009 at 18:23

Great news - Dan is surely the man.

Posted by: Robert Eve | April 02, 2009 at 18:28

This is very good news.

Posted by: Sally Roberts | April 02, 2009 at 18:29

A rising star.

Gary

Posted by: Gary | April 02, 2009 at 18:43

I hope they get Ken Clarke to introduce him!

Posted by: Conspiracy | April 02, 2009 at 18:46

Having heard Dan speak many times I'm sure he will not disppoint the Spring Forum. If only I could change my schedule and be there. . . . . .

Posted by: John Broughton | April 02, 2009 at 19:01

How refreshing to have such a prompt and open response from the Chairman.

Posted by: Richard Calhoun | April 02, 2009 at 19:03

I like this and I like Dan... but I hope he doesn't become another Flavour of the Month (through no fault of his own). All too often, sites such as ConHome (through no fault of their own) build up their hero of the month just to knock them down again.

For an illustration, see comments of Eric Pickles pre and post QT. Not his crowning moment, but hardly reason to justify some of the damning comments of that night.

Posted by: StevenAdams | April 02, 2009 at 20:25

Great to hear - Does this mean that authoritarian conservative Tim Montgomerie is warming to the libertarian values espoused by Danny boy? If so most welcome.

Posted by: Bill Brinsmead | April 02, 2009 at 20:27

Glad I got my pass now. Nearly didn't go.

Posted by: Andrew Woodman | April 02, 2009 at 20:51

This is good news. I'm pleased that Eric Pickles has responded so swiftly to your initiative Tim. Its good to know the party sees your run of the mill Conservative as more than a safe 'X' in the ballot box.

Moreover, Hannan has earned this. Not simply for slamming the spending of the current government but for speaking out against the EU's attempts to undermine the common law of this country and the theory of negative liberty that underpins it. I hope he uses his platform to reaffirm our traditional values against big government idealoges both in Westminster and Brussels.

Posted by: Myles Bailey | April 02, 2009 at 20:57

In case you missed it:
How do you solve a problem like Daniel, Roger and Stuart?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzldaK_psPM

Posted by: ukipwebmaster | April 02, 2009 at 20:59

StevenAdams

I'm so far behind with my viewing that only now is Eric on QT running.

Poor chap he drew the short straw, whatever he said he was on a hiding to nothing. He did not do badly but the audience was not listening.

On a slightly different point, when addressing the Welsh conference last weekend, Eric kept on referring to our Welsh MEP as Bill; I happen to know Jonathan Evans quite well and it may be that his middle name is Bill - but I think not.

Posted by: John Broughton | April 02, 2009 at 21:01

Dan Hannan is an embarrassment. His appearance on Glen Beck last night was utterly toe-curling. Why on earth is a supposedly serious politician consorting with such a lunatic?

Hannan is a geeky Tory Boy who'll get the same treatment as Hague circa '97.

Posted by: Viscount Crouchback | April 02, 2009 at 21:04

@Eric

Well done Eric!

Hannan is obviously a rising star! I think that this is very good news!

Posted by: Freddy | April 02, 2009 at 21:07

Why don't they get him to take over from 'Call me Dave'.

At least he seems to be a Conservative and he might even support the principle of sound money.

Posted by: Beowulff | April 02, 2009 at 21:43

Dear God, please can the future go as follows...?

Tories lose next election. Final and disastrous Labour government wins and is then voted out on motion of no confidence.

Having lost the election, DC is out, to be replaced by DH.

Then we get some sanity after some one and a half decades of annoying pseudo-leftism.

Posted by: Sam Armstrong | April 02, 2009 at 22:15

@Sam Armstrong

If you're a Tory do you really want Labour to win?

Why do you assume that if Brown, who many think is the worst PM this country has ever had, wins that DH would do any better?

My hunch is that he would get thrashed by Brown at the election called as a result of the successful motion of no confidence. The reason why this would be the likely result is quite simple.

Brown would be able to paint our party as the party of the rich, tax cuts for the rich, withdrawal from the EU, weird economics, scrapping the NHS etc.

Let me assure you that if DC were to lose, perish the thought, and step down, I would not be voting for any candidate that you are likely to endorse. Nor I suspect would the overwhelming majority of members of the Conservative party.

Most of us have learnt that the sort of policies you are advocating do not win elections.

Posted by: Freddy | April 02, 2009 at 22:40

Freddy:-

I want us to win the next election with Cameron as leader.

But if Sam Armstrong's scenario came to pass, I would not hesitate to support and vote for Dan Hannan. In a second. In an instant.

As for "the sort of policies you are advocating do not win elections". I think these sort of comments are directed at a lost time in our history.

There is a time and a place for different messages. In my opinion a much more heavily Euro-sceptic message would sell just fine to a British audience right now.

It didn't in the past, but that was before Europe grew into the true behemoth it is now, before the gates of our country were flung wide and before the thrice-damned Lisbon Treaty was rammed down our throats without so much as a by-your-leave.

And that was also back when people really thought NuLabour had something to offer (present 'bounce' that's about to happen notwithstanding.)

Posted by: Steve Tierney | April 03, 2009 at 02:52

Malc,
Good news. Period. Well done Piggy Pickles.

A cynic would say that this will enable the party to get out a more eu-sceptic message ahead of the Euros that is likely to appeal to voters whilst importantly not being party policy.

However, an optimist like myself would say that a following a great speech by Dan at conference, it will vital just before the Euros and after Dan's speech to corner Cameron and ask if he will drop his frontbench BOO ban.

Cameron himself will thereby be able to either leverage Dan's views or be cast down by them! :-)

Posted by: ToryBlog.com - Time for bankers to fight back against the green-eyed losers in this country | April 03, 2009 at 07:06

I can't wait. Thank you Eric.

Posted by: Rupert Matthews | April 03, 2009 at 07:15

@Steve Tierney

But Sam wants the Tories to LOSE!

I think that Cameron will win. If he didn't, perish the thought, Hannan would lose any leadership election - he is too right wing - and most party members aren't!
Remember David Davis?

Posted by: Freddy | April 03, 2009 at 08:17

Only Conservative bloggers would be staring at their navels, contemplating the next leadership crisis and swinging hard right in a bid to the 'gool old days' at just the moment the most socialist government in a generation looks like hitting the dust. Astonishing.

Posted by: Adam Cowen | April 03, 2009 at 09:36

I wonder if Dan's appeal is simply confined to the right wing. When I read through sites like this, I am often surprised by the popularity of David Davis, John Redwood and Dan Hannan. Yet in conversations with ordinary members of the public these names do not figure at all. Even those who claim to be Conservative voters, do not single these people out in the way that this site does. Just an observation but what does it mean?

Posted by: The Bishop Swine | April 03, 2009 at 15:27

This Forum is something Im very much looking forward to, though looking at the blurb on the official site it seems this forum is more about internal organisaiton for the coming elections rather than talking to the public about policy. Its a worrying development. The internal work can be done outside of the Forum. Its key that the Party speaks to the people using the occasion to the maximum.

As for Daniel Hannan, Ive found him pretty off putting. Its the constant foaming at the mouth anti-Europeanism that rubs me up the wrong way. Im not pro-European in the way that Ken Clarke is but I can recognise that membership of the EU is going to stay and the best thing for us is to work with the other members to get the best out of it. Having a fit everytime the EU is mentioned just seems rather counter-productive. If you wish to leave the EU then the best thing to do first is to resign from the European Parliament.

Posted by: James Maskell | April 03, 2009 at 15:55

mr hannan says he wants to privatise the NHS on fox television.
bang goes his career in british politics.

Posted by: jackspot | April 04, 2009 at 00:46

Hannon is popular because he rebutted Brown's lies on the world stage where his audience might not realise how despised and distrusted he is back home for his lies and spin. Bad enough we have to put up with him at home, it's too much that he gets to represent us away from home. Thank you Dan.

Hannon's other popular speeches are against the Lisbon treaty. People want democracy, but not just in Europe. He should drop the pretentious Latin suffix to his speeches if he doesn't want to look elitist to a wider audience. I like it but I'm an intellectual snob. Nobody likes a smart arse.

The platinum opportunity for revived Conservatives is to reform our main democracy. Written constitution, STV for the commons election within fair constituency boundaries, Use the STV vote as PR for partial representation in the HoL. Reform public institutions to serve the people and hold government to account. Transparent, honest government.

Give people a government of the people, by the people for the people and you might just recreate trust and belief in politics. You will need clever and articulate people. Cameron and Hague are top draw. Hannon has potential. Get it wrong you'll create a government for the next 5 years probably. Get it right and you'll create a political powerhouse for the next hundred years.

Posted by: Alistair Thomas | April 04, 2009 at 03:55

Extremely sorry to have seen Dan's interview with Hannity of Fox News over on Playpolitical just now in which he says that the NHS was a mistake, that it was set up with "the best of intentions" but has "just made people iller"!
David Cameron is a staunch supporter of the NHS which has given the utmost care and assistance to him and his family during a time of great need.
In one careless sentence Dan has given succour to the opposition - you need only go over to Labourhome to see today's lead story.
I have now changed my mind and certainly do not think Dan Hannan should be addressing our Spring Forum until he has learned a little tact.

Posted by: Sally Roberts | April 05, 2009 at 16:54

Sally,
That was another excellent performance by Hannan.

He's got foreign journalists openly stating that they would like him to become PM.

Cameron is part of the disease, Hannan is part of the medicine.

Posted by: ToryBlog.com - Cameron wants to nationalise the political parties | April 05, 2009 at 17:27

Tory.Blog, I see you have ditched your "health warning"!

Posted by: Sally Roberts | April 05, 2009 at 17:35

There you go! :-)

Posted by: ToryBlog.com - Pro-Tories like Hannan, Carswell. Anti-Roon | April 05, 2009 at 17:40

Well done, Tory.Blog - one should always know where we stand on these things.

Posted by: Sally Roberts - David Cameron Conservative (and he's the Leader of our Party) | April 05, 2009 at 17:48