Swindon campaign

Message from Matthew Richardson, CF Exec member for Student Affairs

Want to actually get to know CF's young professionals and students outside the frantic five-minute networking of a London drinks party?

Want to consolidate your campaigning skills and get training and advice from one of the party's leading young candidate?

Want to defend a marginal ward represented by three Conservative Future councillors and play a key role in helping us win a parliamentary seat at the next general election?

These are just three reasons to sign up to CF's action day in Swindon North on Saturday 11 November. Just 45 minutes by train from London Paddington, we'll be able to fit in a full day's campaigning, with optional canvassing training from newly reselected parliamentary candidate Justin Tomlinson, before enjoying some well-deserved drinks.

We'll be leafleting to help Cllrs Debbie Baylies, Phil Sharp and David Sammels defend their majority of just 23 in St Philips Ward, before heading to the town centre to promote the Tory-held council's flagship late night bus service. We'll unwind in a local pub before heading home.

Justin is a former chairman and committed member of CF. He turns 30 next week, after which he is looking forward to supporting from the sidelines.

A councillor since 2000, he achieved an incredible 6.7 percent swing at the last election to cut the Labour majority from 8,100 to 2,500. He was one of the first candidates in the country to be reselected for the next election, with both North & South Swindon seats being key target seats for the next General Election.

All three of the councillors for St Philip ward are young Conservatives.

Cllr Debbie Baylies, elected in 2003.  Debbie is also the former CF Wiltshire & Dorset Area Chairman, and probably the most photographed Councillor in Swindon!  Debbie was the first Councillor to win in St Philips for 27 years.

Cllr Phil Sharp, elected in 2004.  Phil is a local lad, who graduated from Leicester University before returning to Swindon.

Cllr David Sammels, elected in 2006.  David is also the former CF National Deputy Chairman, having graduated from the active York University Conservative branch.

With 42 councillors, the Conservatives control Swindon Borough Council. Swindon Council after 25 years Labour control was the joint worst in the UK, in just 18 months of Conservative control, we are now one of the fastest improving Councils in the UK - and in the last two years, four Labour councillors and one Lib Dem have defected to the Tory group.

Key achievements include:

• Fair & affordable Council Tax (Labour hiked it 42% in just 3 years)
• Launching the 50 Promises Document, helping drive up standards across our services
• Delivering the new  10m central library, ending the 40 year wait
• Two star rated Council (Under Labour it was 0 star)
• Improved Education standards and facilities
• Improved Social Services standards and facilities
• Free graffiti removal service and cleaner streets
• Extended recycling facilities

London members will be leaving together from Paddington station at around 11:00am. Oxford members will be travelling down together too. Members from Reading, Milton Keynes, Bristol and Worcestershire are also especially warmly invited and we will work to co-ordinate your transport.  All of us are to meet at Swindon railway station at 12:00pm.

Email Matthew to RSVP