One year of ConservativeHome.com

ConservativeHome launched on Easter Monday 2005.  That actually makes us a little older than one because Easter fell at the end of March last year but Easter Monday seems the most memorable anniversary to mark.  The launch of the site was covered in The Times of 28th March 2005.  Looking back on that article I hope that the site has begun to fulfil some of what The Times (accurately) promised for it...

• "It will invite people to bypass the media and put forward their own views on how the party should evolve..." ...ConservativeHome certainly did that during the leadership election and still does it today - day in, day out.  I'm particularly proud of the ConservativeHome Members' Panel and the way it is ensuring that the party leadership cannot hide from grassroots (or should I say netroots) sentiment.  On last night's Radio 4 Westminster Hour I reported on grassroots support for a greater emphasis on tax relief.
• "It is independent of the Tory party, though supportive of it.." ...I hope that is true: we are not afraid to question Tory strategy (and take on the leadership as we did with last year's attempt to rob grassroots members of their say in the leadership election) but the site wants the party to prosper and still has faith in Project Cameron for the ten reasons given last Monday.
• "It will favour tax relief, oppose British membership of the euro, support the strengthening of marriage and back pre-emptive action in the War on Terror. It will also advocate a broader form of conservatism, opposing the sale of arms to repressive regimes and suggesting that a “bias to the poor” should be its defining mission." ...Noone can accuse ConservativeHome of failing to contend for this politics of and!

Alongside an enthusiastic belief in the ways in which new technologies empower grassroots activism it is the 'politics of and' - a belief in a balanced, holistic conservatism - that explains why this site finds both the Howard and Cameron leaderships unsatisfactory.

A year ago the site was launched with the graphic on the right.  Drawn by Krieg Barrie (also responsible for the shields in the masthead) it captured my frustration with the Conservative Party at the time.  We were an imbalanced party - focused narrowly on tax, Europe, crime and immigration.  There was little wrong with those beliefs but they were an unnecessarily narrow rendition of conservatism (and they were communicated without David Cameron's culturally-sensitive moderation). Today the party hardly talks about those core issues at all.   It's all civil liberties, environmentalism and concern for the poor.  One form of imbalance has been swapped for another.

There'll be three ten point briefings this week to mark twelve months of ConservativeHome:

1. One will make a fuller case for the 'and theory of conservatism' and it will launch a search for a less clunky way of describing it...
2. Another will examine the 'conservative movement' and how it relates to the Conservative Party...
3. Another will examine the growing role of blogs.

On Friday I'll answer any questions you have about ConservativeHome.  Please click here to pose questions.

Comments

[Serf]

Congratulations, the site has come very far in just a year. Lets hope it can keep up the momentum.

[Esbonio]

I second that.

[buxtehude]

A terrific achievement, Editor.

You have maintained the single most important balance, between support and criticism of Cameron. The two things we really do not need are

1) a place for cheerleading: Conservatives can do this where it's appropriate, when interacting with the wider public

2) a place for undermining the leader: Conservatives do this so well without needing a special platform for it.

What we do need, and what you have provided, is a place where the actions of the leader receive a proper critique from conservatives.

[Ellee Seymour]

Congratulations, a great achievement and compulsive reading.

I have written about Margaret Thatcher and her vision about climate change today, her very proactive stand on environmental issues.

[Adrian Owens]

Congratulations Tim,

A great site - making waves, and occasionally the political weather.

[Andrew Woodman]

Congratulations Tim. The Website is now the first thing I check when I switch on the computer.

I would also like to thank you on behalf of Reinstate Roger for goving us the chance to start the ball rolling with the campiagn.

[Annabel Herriott]

Congratulations CH! I also turn to CH first, since I came across it. I read everything, but only post if it is a subject on which I feel reasonabley able to comment. Otherwise, I shut it! Would it be that others follow my philosophy, as it has to be said, there can be an element of talking out of the back of the head by some posters, but entertaining neverthless. I DO wonder what some of the lads do to earn a crust however, unless they have their own laptops hidden under their desks, and post away when the boss is not looking?? Or are students of politics and economics, and posting in between lectures???

[Morten Fjeldberg]

Congratulations editor. I am a political junkie from Norway, and i follow specially UK and US politics, this site is one of the best in the business, and gives inside info about the state of the Tory Party. Keep up the good work.

[Rob Largan]

It doesnt seem very long ago at all, I wandered onto this site, but it since then it has quickly become the most important site I vist.

Congratulations on...well everything.

[Rob Largan]

"Or are students of politics and economics, and posting in between lectures???"

Usually it is the case of not bothering with lectures at all. CH provides a perfect excuse for not attending.

[Annabel Herriott]

I see, Rob! But then I read that you poor souls are only getting 6 hours of lectures per week for your top up fees! Perhaps that could be another thread on another day. How the Tories could put some pressure on the Universities to provide value for money, and a bit of structure. Is TB trying to send too many people to Uni, when the reintroduction of apprenticeships would bring more satisfaction to more people, and lead to more prospects of earning decent money!!

[David Surtees]

Congratulations on a great achievement Tim. We all get a tremendous amount from the articles and from the blogs that follow. There is always plenty to be talking about!

[Rob G]

Editor: congratulations on a very informative site. But is it true that Today the party hardly talks about those core issues at all. It's all civil liberties, environmentalism and concern for the poor. One form of imbalance has been swapped for another?
Looking at the latest press releases on the Conservative Party website they are about unemployment, council strikes, NHS (3), asylum seekers, tax, prison and the police. Seems to me that it is the media--old and new--who aren't reporting what the Party is saying about the core issues.

[Editor]

Thanks for the kind words Rob G. Much appreciated.

I do not believe that CCHQ press releases are a good guide to what the party is communicating. What the leader talks about in his big speeches, what the party puts in its party election broadcasts and what issues the party will put up a spokesman to address on the Today programme are a better guide imho.

[Rob G]

Editor: I don't listen to Today, so can't comment on the issues discussed there. But David Cameron's first big speech of 2006 was about the NHS and he has spoken about police reform. In any event, the leader's job is to lead--to seek to change public opinion. This far ahead of a likely election date, I am happy for him to concentrate on the areas where the Party needs to break new ground and communicate new ideas. But, as I have commented before, I do wish that the other members of the Shadow Cabinet were speaking up rather more loudly on the more established issues.

[Editor]

I, too, am happy for DC to "break new ground and communicate new ideas", Rob G, but I'd prefer him to keep promoting the core products of the brand, too.

[Frank Young]

Not only a superb site but an important one. I can think of no better compliment than to say ConservativeHome will become integral to Conservative party membership.

[Mark O'Brien]

It's astonishing what this site has done in just one year. It must give any Conservative a warm, fuzzy feeling inside to imagine just what it can do in the years ahead!

[Geoff]

Conservatives from my part of the world can't just get on the train to a meeting or briefing in London. I use this site to feel the heartbeat of Party debate.

Long may CHome continue, and Tim shouldn't be shy of asking more often for financial support.

I'm not sure what CHome policy is about overseas donations, but I'm happy to contribute if he isn't going to have his collar felt by the Peelers. If I do, any chance of a peerage? Earl of Gibraltar has a nice ring to it...

[Frank Young]

Indeed Geoff, are you listening Tim!!!

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

Well done Editor.

Having stumbled upon the blog by accident (from the BBC of all places) quite early on in last year's leadership race, I'm not too sure what I'd do without it most days now (apart from get more work done!).

You got me hooked on blogging and revived my interest in Conservative (note: big C) politics almost single-handedly so thanks and kudos to you for that.

Right... sycophancy over.

[Nelson, Norfolk]

Well done Tim for managing to keep this site up and running. It is a great achievement and you do deserve all the praise that you are receiving on the above posts.

As regards DC. I think that he has done a very good job to date. Perhaps he should look to what Stephen Harpers Can Cons for inspiration. What do you think Tim?

[Suggestion]

Editor,

Congratulations are due on your blog!

[johnC]

Congratulations Tim. I first heard of you through the Conservative Christian Fellowship. I particularly appreciate your evident desire to uphold strong ethical and moral standards in Conservative politics - the party now has the opportunity under David Cameron to seize the moral high ground and should take it. Best of luck for your second year.

[True Blue]

Conservative Home is a superbly organised, widely quoted and influential organ. There is no real left-wing equivalent (you can be sure they would be tearing strips off each other worse than we do if there were).

Congratulations.