Recently on ConservativeHome we invited you to submit questions to John Maples MP, Deputy Conservative Chairman - with responsibility for candidates. He answers your questions below.
(1) Chris Philp, PPC, Hampstead & Kilburn: “The party has rightly focussed on getting more women and ethnic minorities accepted, and progress has been made in both areas. However, the party is still very socially unrepresentative. Before the last election, 59% of Conservative MPs were privately educated compared to just 7% of the general population. Does that concern him, and if so, what does he plan to do about it?”
I have not done the maths, but I would be very surprised if this % of privately educated MPs does not fall after the next election.
(2) Anonymous: “Why on earth a non A List candidate who has on several separate occasions applied for a seat and been told to go to Hell on a rickshaw by Candidates should be expected to stump up for the 2006 subs. After all, by definition they simply have not been allowed to be Candidates. Basic principles of the Trades Description Act apply. Isn't this (i) a Candidates Tax (ii) a botch up that aggravates non A Listers, that CCHQ should have the good grace and good sense to quietly drop? What is he going to do when people pay for 2007 but not 2006?”
We don’t do rickshaws, but if “anonymous” is offering this eco friendly method of transport, we will try to work it into our programme! Seriously, under the most recent selection method, all candidates can apply for seats. It costs money to run the candidates department and good Conservative housekeeping dictates that we recover as much of our costs as we can. I don’t think £80 is a lot for being on the List and getting the communications and service we provide to candidates.
(3) Thatcherite: “What is the Candidates Department's policy on Parliamentary candidates signing up to support The Freedom Association's "Better Off Out" campaign? Are Parliamentary candidates allowed to publicly advocate withdrawal from the European Union?”
This campaign is contrary to party policy and we will take a dim view of any candidate who signs up to it. We expect candidates, before and after selection to support party policy (and I hope to continue to do so after they have been elected as well!)
(4) Andrew Bradley: “Is it not time as a modernising party, we put an upper age limit on sitting MP's standing again for parliament. Seventy would seem a reasonable limit to me although this is still 5/10 years past most peoples retirement ages?”
I don’t think there should be an upper or lower age limit. Very young candidates can bring youth and enthusiasm while older ones bring worldliness and experience; we need both. There cannot be more than 5 or 6 MPs who will be over 70 at the next election; if we win, there will be 150 new Conservative MPs, the largest intake in living memory.
(5) Anthony Broderick: “Can you give us an update on any progress with helping candidates with low incomes? Particularly in what David Cameron was saying in response to CH's Webcameron question.”
We can help on an individual basis. Anyone who needs this kind of help should get in touch with me or Gareth Fox.
(6) Pisaboy: “I know a female candidate who was on the original A-list and has yet to apply to any seat. Unlike many male candidates, she has had no warning for this. Can you reassure me that this isn't another example of sexism?”
We have chased both men and women candidates who have not applied for seats and will continue to do so.
(7) Jennifer Wells: “After May's Holyrood elections will the Scottish Party be using an A-list for General Election candidates?”
My writ ceases to run at the border and the Scottish Party will set up its own selection procedure; however, we have regular discussions with them and they are interested in our procedures. The Party’s objective of seeing more women and ethnic minority candidates applies in Scotland as well.
(8) Performance Counts: “If performance and results matter to you, have you asked for the following information from the 2005 General Election?
1. The candidates with the top ten highest swings from Lib Dem to Conservative?
2. The candidates with the top twenty highest swings from Labour to Conservative?
3. The financial and manpower resources afford to each of the above candidates?
4. Where all of the above are now?
Are they selected and do they remain on the (i) Candidates list and (ii) A-List
Even if you have not done the above, I think that ConservativeHome may find the information useful? I am surprised that noone has done this but hoping that CCHQ have done so behind the scenes.”
We do have lists of performance at the 2005 election and candidates who did well usually point this out when they apply for seats; however, we do not allocate financial or manpower resources to individual candidates.
