Party board election: Priority list

Cllr Derek Tipp's fourth question refers to the controversial Priority List for Conservative candidates.   Only 37% of Tory members belonging to ConservativeHome's monthly survey of party opinion agree with this central initiative of David Cameron - designed to radically increase the number of women MPs.

Do you agree with the current policy of creating a “Priority List” of candidates consisting of 50% male and 50% female candidates for selection to target seats?

JOHN FLACK: David Cameron was elected by a sizable majority and one of his key pledges was to deliver more women and ethnic candidates and M.P’s. A priority list is his first attempt to achieve this.  As a loyal Party member I will support this as the currently agreed policy. Should the matter be debated again by the board I will express my opinion that all candidates should be chosen regardless of age or sex or colour or creed or where in the Country they come from, but solely on their ability to do the job, when assessed against the sort of criteria I set out in 2. above.

JEREMY MIDDLETON: Yes I agree with the Leader’s objectives increasing the number of female MPs and am prepared to endorse the current Leader’s approach to the priority list.  There are significant problems with the priority list and I am only happy to go along with it because the Leader has made it a central plank of his attempts to reposition the Party.  It is also important how it is executed.  In particular I think it is vital that:

• We continue to allow local candidates to apply;
• The list remains open;
• Associations continue to be able to select whoever they want from applicants from that list;
• Standards remain the same for women as men on the list.

SIMON MORT: The Priority List (PL) is the Leader's policy and he was elected on it.   As there is a numerical shortage of women on the List, I favour a shorter PL rather than accepting second-rate women.

TOBY VINTCENT: Yes, broadly:

• Do I want better candidates?  Yes.
• Do I want more women MPs?  Yes.
• Do I want a broader representation of the UK’s social mix?  Yes.
• Do I want candidates in target seats well bedded-in by the time of the next General Election?  Yes (although I am amazed that professionals are so ready to damage their careers by a distraction of this kind)
• Do Associations select along the lines above when left to their own devices?  No.
• Is an arbitrary 50/50 Male/Female split the answer?  No one knows yet, but if it moves us in the right direction I am game to give it a try subject to a thorough review after the next General Election.

EMMA PIDDING: David Cameron has set out the clear policy of creating a ‘Priority List’ of candidates of 50% male and 50% female candidates for selection in target seats. However, with a larger proportion of men on the Parliamentary list this may be difficult to achieve. This challenge though must be tackled. We must change the face of the party in the public’s perception if we are to win general elections. It is vital that we host a diverse list of candidates but also ensuring that at all times quality is maintained.

Comments

[Sean Fear]

Hmm. I can't say I find any of those replies satisfactory.

[Richard]

"Do Associations select along the lines above when left to their own devices? No."

It would be useful if we knew why they didn't select along those lines. Perhaps because there are not enough women or ethnic minorities who put themselves forward? Maybe those that do just don't perform as well as they should?

Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree but it seems as if there's a view amongst the party leadership that constituency associations are packed with reactionaries who will not tolerate anybody who's not white, male and middle class. If they believe this they should state so openly and provide proof.

[Annabel Herriott]

i agree with Toby and Emma, so pointless writing it all out again. However, my perception is that some constituences tend to gravitate towards a male candidate unless given a shove. I t would also be more acceptable if the candidate has or had - ie born there but now moved away due to career etc.. local links. I have heard folk muttering about "clever sod barrister from London... who does he think he is... pin striped twit..." and all the rest of it. So if we have to go down the 50/50 road, so be it. Not beyond the wit of man, as long as we dont end up with the equivilant of Blairs Babes. We have one of those on Colne Valley already.. we would dearly love to make that in the past tense.

[Selsdon Man]

Emma Pidding's boyfriend, Tim Butcher, is awaiting the result of his Priority List interview. Jeremy Middleton and John Flack have probably applied for the Priority List. Toby Vintcent may also have applied if he was on the Approved List. Simon Mort was Chairman of the Candidates Committee that introduced the Priority List. Their replies should be viewed in the context of their personal interests.

[Andrew Woodman]

If you actually look through the list of candidates in the last election, it was quite diverse. The problem is, we have a lot of what could be termed a 'bedblocking' MPs so the seats aren't there to make the Parliamentry Party look that diverse. What we most do, is pick the best candidates on merit and likelihood to win a particular seat. In many seats, the candidate has time to make up while these lists have been tweaked. Time which is vital in many marginal seats where the incumbant MP is getting a free ride.

[wasp]

Simon Mort lost his position on the board because he did not agree with the priority list.

[Editor]

Wasp means the board of parliamentary candidates - rather than the party board.

[Selsdon Man]

"Simon Mort lost his position on the board because he did not agree with the priority list."

That is inconsistent with his comment above, Wasp. Source or proof for your assertion please.

[James Maskell]

All of the above answers arent good enough. The excuse of being a loyal member is complete bs. You can be both loyal as well as not agree with them.

[Ted]

Selsdon
If you look at a very short reply - The Priority List (PL) is the Leader's policy and he was elected on it. - that doesn't ring true as an endorsement of policy and the next sentence makes it clear he isn't pro.

[Andy Peterkin]

Did Cameron actually say during the leadership election that he intended to enshrine positive discrimination as the centrepiece of the Party's candidate selection process?

[Andrew Woodman]

He also said we would withdraw from the EPP during the election contest. Let's hope he keeps the promise that it appears is the more desired by members.

[Andy Peterkin]

I was asking because I don't remember him doing so.

[Selsdon Man]

Ted, Mort says that he favours shorter Priority List, i.e. supports it in principle.

[Sean Fear]

If any of the five do disagree with it, it was open for them to say so, but add that if the Board have voted in favour of it, then they will accept that decision.

Trying to work out whether or not they are "really" opposed to it is a form of Kremlinology that I'm not interested in.