Mark Clarke: Opportunities to study America's conservative movement

Mark Clarke is Chairman of Conservative Future.  He was recently selected for Tooting.

Conservative Future and the Young Britons Foundation are today announcing an exciting collaboration to give CF members access to the political opportunities available in the US. Whilst the US conservative movement has its own issues which differ from those in the UK, the level of political sophistication, whether in campaigning techniques, training, internet understanding or communications ability is far more advanced than here in the UK. We want to give CF members an opportunity to learn these techniques and experience American political life. We also hope that this will strengthen the links between our two Conservative movements and between our two great nations.

We have together developed relationships with a wide range of organisations who are willing to take UK CF members for internships for varying lengths of time. Some of these may be paid, some will pay flights, some will offer accommodation. All will offer an exceptional and life changing experience.

The Young Briton's Foundation have kindly offered to manage this process.  Together, CF and YBF will make the initial selection and recommendations to our friends across the Atlantic. Detailed application details can be found on the YBF site. In order for us to place people with organisations with which they will be a strong cultural fit we also include a questionnaire to understand people's current politics. This is not pie in the sky. We already have sent over informally CF members to the US as we have pulled together the details of this plan for general consumption.

CF is grateful to YBF for its help here. YBF has for many years trained Conservative activists in advanced political techniques. I myself hugely benefited from this training, as have 100s of other CF members. More recently, YBF has provided personal coaching to me in my current role and organised a trip for me to the US at which we jointly created this programme.

This is also a sign that CF is embracing the full conservative movement - as partners not rivals.