Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

This email has just gone out to all A-list and selected candidates.  Remind anyone of anything?

"TO ALL PRIORITY CANDIDATES AND SELECTED CANDIDATES.

This year's Party Conference will include three sessions devoted to giving selected and priority candidates the chance of a conference platform. Modelled on the BBC's Dragon's Den series, candidates will be invited to speak briefly to set out the one policy they are most passionate about and why they would like to see the Party adopt it.

They will present this on stage, and then be challenged and questioned by a guest panel. At the end of the session, conference will vote for the policy they would most like to see included in the Party's policy review and the winner will be entitled to make a submission to the policy review panel.

This is your chance not only to speak in front of conference but also to try to get your favourite policy adopted by the Party. It is the chance to show your speaking skills, but also your innovative thinking in front of people who will be selecting candidates in the coming weeks.

It's also a chance for the Party to show the quality of our candidates, the diversity of ideas being developed within the Party and that we are open to new thinking.

So please send in your ideas to [email protected] We need a very short précis of your policy idea - no more than 100 words by 9am on September 25th

Obviously there is a limited number of speaking slots and we will want to see a variety of policy areas being covered and a diversity of ideas, so we will not be able to accommodate everyone. We will let you know before conference if you have been successful.

This is the first time the Party has devoted sessions to candidates in this way so help us to make this a success and get thinking!!

Please include full contact details."

Comments

[Chris Palmer]

Can't quite think where I have seen something like this before...

[David Walker]

If Adam Rickitt/Rehman Christi gets one of the highly prized slots then the party should be not just ashamed but disgusted.

Who else is certain this will be used by Maude to showcase his special little guys?

[Cllr Graham Smith]

"Modelled on the BBC's Dragon's Den..."

I do hope I'm mistaken, but isn't that the programme where some nasty-looking blokes and a woman, whose company went bust with thousands of disappointed punters, sit in judgment on a bunch of largely no-hopers who don't really know what they're doing?

[DavidTBreaker]

Why only selected and A-list candidates? That's what I ask.

[Chad]

I do hope I'm mistaken, but isn't that the programme where some nasty-looking blokes and a woman, whose company went bust with thousands of disappointed punters, sit in judgment on a bunch of largely no-hopers who don't really know what they're doing?

..I...must....resist.... :-)

[Mark Wadsworth]

While public speaking is a valuable skill, it strikes me that in terms of thrashing out policies, a forum such as 100 Policies is more or less ideal.

It amazes me that the idea has not spread like wildfire!

[kingbongo]

But Chad, why resist - it sounds like an excellent description of the UKIP leadership contest :-)

[aristeides]

Great... I wonder who'll do legalise prostitution. Any takers? Anyone......?

[Chad]

:-)

All change tomorrow KB!

I'll be at the count tomorrow to watch our new leader being selected, so it's very exciting; a real small gov, low tax party emerging from a bit of a pig's ear.

[malcolm]

Can you sue CCO for pinching your idea Tim?

[Matt Davis]

"Can you sue CCO for pinching your idea Tim?"

If so then we are in grave danger of being sued by New Labour for pinching theirs. And for that matter we could in turn sue them for having pinched some of ours in the first place.Where would it end, other than in a great deal of hilarity?

[matt wright]

I do hope they will remember that the main elections next year are the regional ones!