Natalie Elphicke: The Conservative Policy Forum - re-launched today - will enable the grassroots to help to define a Conservative vision for our country

Natalie Elphicke is Director of the Conservative Policy Forum

Today, in Birmingham, nearly 200 Conservative party volunteers are being joined by Party Co-Chairman, Sayeeda Warsi, and Cabinet Office minister, Oliver Letwin MP, to re-launch the CPF (Conservative Policy Forum), the successor to the well-respected CPC.

In their remarks, both Sayeeda and Oliver will be re-affirming the national party’s commitment to grassroots participation to help to develop the Conservative policies for the period leading to the next Conservative Party manifesto.

This has also been re-iterated by the senior party volunteers, Jeremy Middleton, Chairman of the Conservative National Convention and Fiona Hodgson, a Vice-President of the Conservative National Convention and Vice-Chairman of the new CPF.

There is a vigorous structure with more than 600 CPF contacts in place and we are building on that impressive base.  We are working within the existing party structure, including association, area and regional representation along with a central CPF Council, chaired by Oliver Letwin, who has been involved for more than 30 years in the development of policy.

We have also been joined today by Robert Halfon, the MP Representative on the CPF Council: we have enjoyed huge support from our MPs, including Graham Brady, the Chairman of the 1922 Committee. 

A vibrant discussion programme is already up and running.  Our first two papers have been on the Alternative Vote and on Big Society and we have been delighted that the two relevant Conservative ministers covering these areas, Mark Harper MP and Nick Hurd MP, have agreed to participate with the responses we receive.

This is our opportunity to contribute, to influence policy discussion in our communities and all the way to Number 10 - to help to define a Conservative vision for our country.

You can contact the CPF via [email protected].