Today's Telegraph reports that Francis Maude is considering drawing up an 'A-list' of Tory candidates for the party's most winnable seats. The 'A-list' - an idea originally proposed in 2001 by Andrew Lansley and Theresa May (both in David Cameron's new shadow cabinet) - will be half men and half women.
ConservativeHome.com is concerned that this idea could represent a significant transfer of power from members to CCHQ. ConservativeHome helped to lead the campaign against Michael Howard's unsuccessful attempt to disenfranchise party members in the recent leadership election and we will fight to ensure that members do not lose freedoms to choose excellent local candidates, for example, with the imposition of any 'A' or 'Gold' list of Tory candidates.
This GoldList blog was due to be launched next Monday but I've brought it forward because of today's Francis Maude statement.
It will have two main features:
GUEST OPINIONS
Guest articles by anyone with an opinion on candidate selection issues and on campaigning. The first article is by the new Shadow Leader of the House and former Tory Party Chairman, Theresa May.
This guest slot will explore issues of local candidates, the encouragement of a greater number of women on to the Tories' candidates list and how we can best win the party's top target seats.
NOMINATIONS FOR A MEMBERS' GOLDLIST
The second regular feature will be a search for the best members for any GoldList. If, as now seems very likely, there is to be a GoldList, should CCHQ decide its membership or should we help suggest some ideal members? I launch a search for the best goldlist candidates with the suggestion of Zac Goldsmith. He seems a very pertinent person to be nominated today. He has just become a member of the party's general candidates' list and David Cameron is today announcing that Mr Goldsmith will be a member of the Party's new Policy Group on quality of life and environmental issues.
Mr Goldsmith is obviously a very high profile first nomination. This blog will be hoping to nominate much less well known people in the near future - including hard-working local candidates who have been committed to their own communities over many years.
YOUR VIEWS
On Sunday or Monday we will be revealing what YOU think of what the party is proposing on candidates. The ConservativeHome Members' Panel (which accurately predicted the leadership election result) is currently asking whether members support:
- A ‘Gold List’ of candidates for the party’s top target seats - that would include more women, more people from minorities and more people from non-traditional Tory backgrounds;
- Financial help for people on low or average incomes to become Tory candidates;
- More local candidates for fighting the most marginal seats.
You can join the Panel by clicking HERE.
