Why I am standing for Worcestershire & Warwickshire: Anne-Marie Bray

Although it would be much easier, simpler and quicker to win an Area Chairman election uncontested, I still feel quite pleasantly surprise that I am now facing an election for the Worcestershire & Warwickshire; not least because I forked out £8 for a web domain and spent several hours designing a campaign website.

Someone remarked to me the other day how boring politics would be without a good socialist to fight against during elections (the comments did not extend to the Liberal Democrats who, like yellow spots, are just irritating). With the CF elections, though we’re all on the same team here, I feel privileged to have a good clean election battle coming up and I am thoroughly looking forward to my campaign. 

While this year’s Area Chairman elections (both of them) are going to be very interesting and hopefully fun for everyone involved, it is sad to see so many uncontested positions, and it will be even more of a shame if like last year, there are some vacant positions that CF is simply unable to fill. It is very sad that there isn’t a single person under 30 in some areas, comprised of two or more entire counties, who want to put themselves forward for the position of Area Chairman. Perhaps it would be a good idea to extend CF to people over 70, as there seems to be an abundance of enthusiastic pensioners within most Conservative Associations! Perhaps not, but I do believe something needs to be done to address the real problem there seems to be about the profile of CF across the country.

The irony is that there are huge numbers of young people across the country who would be interested in CF; if only they knew about it or realised what we did. The old image of fat, spectacled and spotty Tory Boy has tripped down a public school staircase and is well and truly on the way out. We just need a new image and a new vision to replace him. Alan B’Stard has defected to Labour, millionaire poverty campaigner Bob Geldof is a consultant to one of our policy groups, and David Cameron’s idea of a new, modern, compassionate Conservative Party is bringing young people across the country under the fold. The time is now to emerge from our dark blue cocoon and emerge as a beautiful light blue butterfly.

I hope that all of the upcoming CF elections, unlike a Tyson fight, will be fought in a well-spirited manner which draws us together. These elections are a chance to show that we are not bickering Tory Boys, we are not elitist, careerist ponces. They are a chance to get some well-needed publicity for a wonderful group of people who are interested in politics, and have the interests of their constituencies and their country at heart. 

So it is with high hopes that I go into the CF Area Chairman elections; not with high hopes of winning, but high hopes of a good friendly campaign. This is our chance to show the country that we are a brilliant group of young people and that we are open to everyone, regardless of class, colour or gender.

It is wonderful to see other young women like myself putting themselves forward for positions of responsibility. This should be encouraged as I feel that the more young women get involved in CF, we will be making real progress to resolving the problem of under representation of women in the Parliamentary Party.   

I wish my worthy opponent and all the other Area Candidates the best of luck; I offer my condolences to those of you unlucky enough not to have an election. Maybe next May you’ll be as lucky as I am!

And on a final note, it is a chance to show other areas that Conservative Future is alive and kicking in the often forgotten West Midlands!

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