ConservativeHome Awards ceremony, 6pm, 13th November

At 6pm until 7.30pm on Monday 13th November - in central London - ConservativeHome.com will host the first Conservative Movement Awards ceremony to recognise individuals and groups that are advancing small 'c' conservative ideas.

All of the shortlisted nominees are listed at the bottom of this post and winners were chosen by 'voters' in the ConservativeHome Members' Panel.

George Osborne MP, Shadow Chancellor, will address the ceremony and will speak about the value of groups beyond the Tory party campaigning for conservative ideas.

To reserve your place you need to make a £10 payment via the PayPal button below.  Alternatively please send a £10 cheque made payable to 'ConservativeHome.com' to ConservativeHome, 18 Doughty Street, London WC1N.

After the awards ceremony Tim Montgomerie and Sam Coates of the ConservativeHome team will be hosting a reception and will present a ten minute guide to ConservativeHome's next steps.

THE NOMINEES FOR THE AWARDS

BEST WRITING AWARD

• Mark Steyn (for mercilessly and accurately exposing liberal pretensions)   
• Matthew Parris (for humour and intelligence every Saturday)
• The editorial in Sunday's Business newspaper (as a weekly primer in conservatism)

OUTSTANDING PARLIAMENTARIAN AWARD

• Richard Bacon MP (for helping to uncover Labour's prisoner releases scandal)   
• Nick Bourne AM (for coordinating defeats of Welsh Labour in the Cardiff Assembly)   
• Roger Helmer MEP (for exposing corruption in Brussels)

‘ONE TO WATCH’ AWARD

• The Cornerstone Group (for representing the Tory Party's Eurosceptics and social conservatives)   
• The Direct Democracy group and its localisation agenda
• The Taxpayers Alliance (for putting the case for lower taxation on the national agenda)

UNLIKELY ALLY AWARD   

• Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris (for his opposition to extreme animal ‘rights’ campaigners)
• SNP MP Angus MacNeil (for bringing the loans-for-peerages scandal to the attention of Scotland Yard)
• Frank Field MP (for his work on pensions, welfare and immigration)

BEST CAMPAIGN

• The Taxpayers Alliance (for putting the case for lower taxation on the national agenda)
• MigrationWatch (for highlighting the problem of immigration)
• The David Cameron leadership campaign (for making an outsider candidate the Tory leader)

NEW TECHNOLOGY AWARD

• ToryRadio (for its regular interviews of leading Conservative politicians)   
• Grant Shapps MP (for getting 10,000 of his constituents on email)
• Canada's conservative bloggers (for exposing the corruption of the ruling Liberal Party)

TAXCUTTER AWARD

• George W Bush (for cutting US taxation and powering the world economy)
• Ivan Miklos, Slovakian Minister of Finance (for introducing an economy-boosting flat tax)
• Wandsworth Council (for producing Britain's lowest council tax for fourteen consecutive years)

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

• David Cameron (for putting environmentalism at the heart of the Conservative Party)
• Ruth Lea, Bjorn Lomborg and other climate change sceptics
• Prince Charles (for his support for organic farming and traditional architecture)

PATRIOT AWARD

• British troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq - for their courage and sense of duty
• Liam Fox (for first proposing that Tory MEPs leave the EPP)
• Philip Davies MP and the Tory backbenchers who want Britain to leave the EU

SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD

• John Bercow (for championing the human rights of people in Burma and Darfur)
• Frank Field (for championing welfare reform)
• Iain Duncan Smith (for establishing the Centre for Social Justice

Comments

[Jonathan Sheppard]

Sounds like a great night!

[Annabel Herriott]

Would have been great, but why London? Once again, either you cut the north out, or one is faced with a 200 odds mile journey, and expenses. Obviously, this also applies to he West. Is CH to be a nice litle London based clique?

[Stuart Raven]

Does it not occur to you, Annabel, that if the ceremony were held in your village (?) a vast number of other people would be faced with the same journey of which you complain?

Rather worse, actually, because wherever it is that you live the transport facilities are not going to match those of London.

I certainly approve of the vast majority of the awards (not the Cameron campaign!)

[Annabel Herriott]

Are you a troll Mr Raven? You certainly sound like one.
My point was that the centre of the country would be more user friendly. Like Birmingham.

[Deputy Editor]

I sympathise with your point Annabel and would prefer it to be in the friendly half of the country, but it's simply not practical for a political awards event where the majority of candidates are London-based.

I'm sure we'll arrange to all go to a nearby bar afterwards by the way, it'd be good to put more faces to names!

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

So awards will be given for those advancing conservatism (note the small ‘c’). Most people attending will support the Cornerstone (aka as Tombstone) Group, the Tax Payers’ Alliance and the Conservative Christian Fellowship – or all three. It’s going to be a 'love-in' for people on the hard right. You’ll be talking to the converted, so that’s all right with me. But you have let the cat out of the bag: ConservativeHome is not an independent website – it’s a lobbying site for Cornerstone and their allies in the CCF and is definitely not representative of the silent majority in the Party.

[MH]

Speaking of the hard right? Is this the same Justin Hinchcliffe who called for tramps to fish in the Thames to feed themselves in the mid 90s? If so, sounds like he's been drinking from the John Bercow well of political amnesia.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Yes, it is. The difference is that I was 14 at the time. John Bercow espoused nonsense when he was still in his 20s and 30s. Let’s try to stick to the tread.

[MH]

Well, I was 14 once and never came out with that sort of garbage. Still, I think you and Bercow make as lovely, irrelevant couple.

[Howard Stevenson]

I agree with Annabel here. We struggle in the North for support and MPs. Yet even Con home has not organised one event for the North in some considerable time (if ever).

We talk about the need to gain support up North but are doing very little about it. I speak as a disgruntled tory supporting habitant of Leeds.

[Stuart Raven]

"Are you a troll Mr Raven? You certainly sound like one."

Care to explain that comment Annabel? Since I have refrained from abusing you I would be obliged if you would reciprocate.

Birmingham may be at the centre of ENGLAND (I note that you appear to be forgetting what I take to be your Scots roots) but it is not the hub of the rail network.

Nor are Birmingham catering facilities and hotels as good and competitive as those in London.

MH's comments on "Toryboy" Justin Hinchcliffe are spot-on. I was in the hall when he made his not-very-silent far-right intervention all those years ago and was compared by the press (unfavourably) with William Hague

The hypocrisy is deafening.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Care to explain that comment, Stuart? Since I have refrained from abusing you I would be obliged if you would reciprocate.

[TimberWolf]

Will Cameron get a special award for being labour with a small l ?

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

"...watched Farage yesterday on TV and he was excellent. A reasoned, intelligent commentary on immigration. He is such a contrast to that twerp Cameron, whose opinions on the Muslim veil issue probably cost him another 100,000 votes for the Party.

After being a Conservative member for 20 years, I have today decided to sign up for UKIP and the cheque went in the post this morning." - MH.

[Stuart Raven]

Yes I would Justin. You became infamous for promulgating a sewerfull of far-right drivel attacking the homeless etc, which did great damage to this party.

You did so in a childish and petulant manner which at the time subjected the party to considerable ridicule. That is the reason why you were compared universally to Harry Enfield's Toryboy character.

You naw have the nerve to tell us you have swing from far right to wet left and expect us to take you seriously as a useful member of the Party.

Go tell that to the Marines.

[Chris Palmer]

Oh look, it's in London. I might go if other people I know are going.

[David Allen]

Mr Raven _ calm down! It is you who are suffering from amnesia. As I recall, Justin Hinchcliffe NEVER spoke at Conservative conference _ so you couldn't have been in the hall to hear a sewerful of far-right drivel, because it never happened. He attended a Blackpool conference, paid-for by a newspaper to write up a conference diary, with much attendant publicity. But, as you might imagine, never got anywhere near the speaker's platform. It might be useful to revisit the actual comments he did make at the time, because these have been invented/ exaggerated over the years beyond absurdity. Re. the famous 'fishing' remark: this was in response to a much-heralded story in the media that week saying that for the first time in aeons, the Thames was now so clean that it was home to ?? different kinds of fish. Hinchcliffe suggested, as I recall, that the state give fishing rods to those homeless who could fish to make the most of this! Naiif maybe, or even silly, but hardly fascist! As the recent former chairman of a neighbouring constituency, I also know that, in the 12 years since that time, Justin has almost single-handedly been responsible for maintaining a Conservative presence in Tottenham, has maintained a permanent and constructive Conservative presence on the news and letters pages of the local media, attracted perhaps the most ethnically diverse range of members and activists of any association, fielded full slates of candidates in lcal elections, had regular fund-raising and social events etc. In short, I suspect he has done far more of the grassroots activist work than many who pontificate on these blogs then defect to UKIP!

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

To be fair to Justin, I have teased him on occasions on this site about his previous views, but it's clear that he is now one of the more balanced, reasonable and moderate folks within our ranks.

It's the people that insist on screeching stridently obnoxious views throughout their adulthood and into their advanced years that we ought to be concerned about.

Back to the subject of the thread, it does make sense to host the event in London as it is seemingly the centre of the political universe as we know it, although it doesn't really help to challenge perceptions of politics as being confined to the insular, closetted (is that a word?) Westminster village.

I won't be going because it falls on a Monday evening and my train wouldn't get back to Exeter before Friday, but I hope that everybody who does go has a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

[Our Lady of Sorrows]

Justin Hinchcliffe:

"Most people attending will support the Cornerstone (aka as Tombstone) Group, the Tax Payers’ Alliance and the Conservative Christian Fellowship – or all three. It’s going to be a 'love-in' for people on the hard right."

CCF -- hard right? Having rejected the temptations of bigotted ignorance, you will no doubt have based your comments on a careful reading of recent CCF publications.

So could you tell us what it was in the CCF's latest magazine that led you to your conclusions?

Was it the article arguing that tax cuts are ineffective way to help the poor?

Or may be the feature on democracy in Kyrgyzstan?

Or perhaps the laceratingly favourable review of Jeffrey Sach's book on international development?

Do tell. Or pray tell, I should say.

[Gavin French]

David beat me to it in pointing out that Justin never actually spoke at the conference! As an Area Officer in London, I can certainly vouch for Justin's efforts, as also described by David, which have been quite remarkable in a consituency such as Tottenham in terms of both campaigning and fundraising.

I have to say that some of the nominations for these awards have certainly made me look at ConservativeHome in a different light. Cornerstone? Roger Helmer? They hardly represent the Party that David Cameron is trying to sell to the British public so that we can actually get elected. To me they represent some of the very worst things about the party. I'm rather surprsied George Osbourne had agreed to even attend!

[Annabel Herriott]

Troll
. Supernatural being, giant,or (later), friendly but mischievious dwarf, in Scandinavion mythology. Or Chambers 1974. Troll.to trundle. to spin. to circulate,pass about the table, to move numbly, to wag(the tongue) to utter fluently,set rolling of the tongue.......
There is probably a modern computer friendly definition that I have not come across. Feel free to enlighten me. So far, I have seen it applied to vexatious individuals posting on various blogs.

[anon]

Editor / Deputy Ed. just a suggestion but has any thought been given to setting up a web feed of the awards (via a live webcam) for those who are unable to make the journey into London but would like to take part?

[Annabel Herriott]

and that should be "nimbly" not numbly, though perhaps both may apply equally.

[Editor]

"So awards will be given for those advancing conservatism (note the small ‘c’). Most people attending will support the Cornerstone (aka as Tombstone) Group, the Tax Payers’ Alliance and the Conservative Christian Fellowship – or all three. It’s going to be a 'love-in' for people on the hard right. You’ll be talking to the converted, so that’s all right with me.'

I'll think you'll be surprised, Justin. The award winners were decided by the ConservativeHome Members' Panel which is representative of the party. The Panel predicted the Cameron Davis leadership election result almost perfectly if you remember.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

But you were in charge of the questions/options and you're hardly neutral, are you?

According to your last poll, 73% of members were satisfied with DA but the majority of people who actually post on here are from the hard Right/UKIP. Your Conservative readers - the silent majority - are not.

[Editor]

I have never made claims that the people who post here are representative, Justin, but have defended the representative nature of the Panel here.

[John Hustings]

Gosh, imagine that Justin, "right-wing" people posting on a "Conservative" website. What are they thinking of?

[paul Newman]

On the subject if Justin Hinchcliffe and his distant past , I am sorry to see him attacked in such an entirely cheap mean spirited and petty way . One difference between Justin and any of the contributors here is that he is , like myself , is obliged to speak to that constituency the onanistic here will know as “everyone else on the country “.
I do not believe that MH was ever 14 I think far more likely he was grown in a vat into which equal parts of arrogance, insincerity and political Weimar’s were thrown The whole lot would be cohered with a slime gathered from the walls of a sixth from debating society which I would guess is not far off the truth . If you never had a life MH perhaps today would be the day to start acquiring one.

In Islington we admire Justin`s efforts next door no end , and those of you who do not habitually abide in that dark warm receptacle found beneath the trouser seat will detect that there is a constant note in Mr. Hinchcliffe`s progression He is an independent and fearless debater . I `ve no doubt he regrets giving the simians a bone to beat the ground with but what I notice is that he is a Cameron supporter who is happy to come here and thrash it out . He obviously always had a good dollop of fighting spirit and we who try to keep the Conservative Flag flying in ou Boroughs need plenty of that .

If there is going to be any interest in this place at all it absolutely has to allow all Conservatives to offer their opinions without being shouted down by screeching yahoohs who have never in their life moved one vote and never will.
None of this in any way means that I personally happen to agree with much of the Cameron agenda but to see a North London Legend sneered at in these terms infuriates me .You should be ashamed of yourselves and your hero Norman Tebbit would be ashamed of you as well.

[David Allen]

Alright already! So now we know: the good guys love Justin. But let's suspend the lovefest now before his head gets too big.

[James Orpin]

As a member of the Tottenham Association, Justin does a fantastic job locally as our Chairman. He's also popular with the public - having the biggest personal vote (160) of all the 57 Haringey Conservative candidates at the recent elections. Good luck with the awards.

[Andrew Woodman]

Any chance of getting this thread back to the topic and not the plus and minus points of Mr Hinchcliffe and his teenage activities.

[Stuart Raven]

Since Master Hinchcliffe and his admirers are so dimissive of CH maybe they'd like to set up their own Metropolitan Liberal site in competition.

It will be interesting to see how well supported it is.

Justin Hinchcliffe may well be a legend in his own lunchtime but the rest of us - who never espoused extremist either of the left or far right - need take no lessons either from him or his fawning London-based courtiers.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Oooh, get her!

[paul Newman]

"extremist either of the left or far right"
What world do you live in ? St. Mary Meade ? You should meet some extremists. Perhaps it is about time someone jumped on this little tea party where the jam half a inch to the left has you squeaking for nursey.

[RobD]

I am really looking forward to this event, some of the nominee choices may be representative of a certain wing of the party, but generally I find the editorial content of this site gets the balance just about right. It is wrong to think that this event will be full of far right headbangers just because the comments on this site have somewhat been taken over by some of the more eccentric members.

[Editor]

Thanks RobD. I should repeat what I wrote in yesterday's homepage thread. I have attempted to clean up the threads by banning certain people who diverted every thread to their own preoccupations... Christina Speight, Monday Clubber, Wallenstein, John G etc

[hf]

Editor
How about a series of articles from Wandsworth councillors on how they keep their tax so low?

[TimberWolf]

How about a series of articles from Barnet councillors on how they have pushed up Council Tax by 36% since 2002?

[Sally Roberts]

Don't worry Annabel! I've booked a ticket so I'll keep you posted!!!

By the way, delighted to see Richard Bacon up for an award - he was Chairman of the old Hammersmith Association - before we became Hammersmith & Fulham - a one time and was a tireless and enthusiastic campaigner even back then.

[Sally Roberts]

Annabel - @13.44 - Trolls - also little plastic hideous-looking dolls with long hair coming in various different colours! I used to have a large collection of them as a child and I believe they've come back into fashion!

[James Maskell]

Id love to be there, but with Christmas coming up... Alas I cannot appear.

A couple of wishes though, that Cameron does not win the environmental award (cf. housing policy) and that the British troops win the Patriot award. Each British soldier and worker is a true patriot and just gets on with the job without complaining. They deserve more than an award.

[Sally Roberts]

Yes, James I'd like the British troops to win the Patriot award. I also have my own fairly strong view on who I do NOT want to get one of the awards but I will hold my fire on that, lest I start a storm....!!

[RobD]

Thanks editor, I missed your post yesterday as I was a little preoccupied with my daughters christening! It is good to hear you are doing something about the quality of comments, I know I for one have been put off posting and occasionally even reading the comments due to the relentless uncooperative bias of some of the posters you mention. At the end of the day we should expect the 'wronged' minority to be more vocal than the silent majority, but in recent months that minority has begun to change peoples perception of the whole site which could be destructive in the long term.

[Titus Pepper]

Justin Hinchcliffe,

Any reply for Our Lady of Sorrows, at 13.33?

I'd be eager for the benefit of your erudition.

[Simon Chapman]

Are we allowed to predict results? My guesses as to the results (no idea if this reflects how I voted, as I cannot now remember for every category):

BEST WRITING AWARD - Mark Steyn
OUTSTANDING PARLIAMENTARIAN AWARD - Roger Helmer MEP
‘ONE TO WATCH’ AWARD - Taxpayers Alliance
UNLIKELY ALLY AWARD - Angus MacNeil
BEST CAMPAIGN The David Cameron leadership campaign
NEW TECHNOLOGY AWARD ToryRadio
TAXCUTTER AWARD Wandsworth Council
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD David Cameron
PATRIOT AWARD British troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq
SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD - IDS

[Simon Chapman]

Our Lady of Sorrows & 1333 & Titus @ 1654:

Thank you (Our Lady in particular) for your attempts to set Justin straight about the Conservative Christian Fellowship. The CCF has been working for a long time to promote the social justice agenda within the Party.

The CCF doesn't express a corporate view about policy issues. It builds relationships across the party, and between the party and the Churches & voluntary sector. Its membership includes people from almost every spectrum of party opinion, including Alistair Burt and Caroline Spellman as well as Edward Leigh. It held some excellent & well-attended events at the Conference, & next Spring David Cameron & The Bishop of Liverpool will be appearing together to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

New members are very welcome:http://www.ccfwebsite.com/

Simon Chapman
CCF Trustee

[Richard]

Justin, you describe the CCF and Cornerstone as hard right yet many would consider your views on abortion (which I happen to agree with) as "hard right". Come to think of it you once posted on here a few months ago likening social conservatives to Nazis. Yet I suspect the majority of those social conservatives (unlike the Nazis) are very anti-abortion.

[Og]

I'm not sure that "patriotism" is the right way to describe what our superb army is doing on so many fronts, nor even what Fox, Davies and others who seek to leave the EPP or the EU are motivated by.

Our troops remain well-trained and well-led in the field, though clearly under-equipped and ill-served by the government. Their patriotism is unquestioned, however, and I'm sure they give it no thought and seek no awards for it.

On the EU question, common sense and democratic instinct make me believe that we should get out of the EU; patriotism has very little to do with it.

I wouldn't call Frank Field an "unlikely ally". He has demonstrated that he is a friend to common sense and good governance ever since Blair came to power. Pity that he should have had so little to show for it these last 10 years.

[Stuart Raven]

Why would anybody in their right mind describe the CCF as "hard right". They're a Christian organisation.

Anybody who thinks Alistair Burt and Caroline Spellman are right wing must be totally off his trolley.

Mind you, although I am not opposed to CCF, I personally don't like to mix my religion with politics.

[Stuart Raven]

"David Cameron & The Bishop of Liverpool will be appearing together to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery."

You mean the abolition of the British Slave Trade. Slavery in the Empire was not abolished until 1833.

[MH]

In response to Paul Newman's barely literate posting. My resume is that I was a Conservative Party member for 20 years. I was Chairman and then President of a safe Conservative seat from 2002-2006, where we were a Premier League association and had 1,300 members. We never lost an election in my time as Chairman, returned our MP with 13k majority and 53% of the vote in 2005 and gave £15k to other local marginal seats. To boot, I am also a serving councillor who took his seat from the LibDems after it had not been Conservative for 30 years.

Yes, I have resigned and joined UKIP because, like many people I know (and yes, some like me who work in the City and are in their 30s), despair of what Cameron is doing and refuse to participate in him turning the Conservative Party into a social democratic farce.

[TaxCutter]

The comments of bias towards the right of the party are unfounded. The Cameron leadership campaign was hardly a low-tax, free-market team. Personally I regard Migration Watch as a socialist organisation wishing to impose unnecessary controls.

Looks like a well-balanced selection to me.

[Sean Fear]

I can't understand why anyone would object to conservative (small c) organisations being nominated for a Conservative Home Awards ceremony.

The average Conservative voter has a great deal in common with organisations like the Cornerstone Group, Migration Watch, and the Taxpayers' Alliance, so I'm hardly surprised they've been nominated.

I certainly wouldn't expect to see organisations like The Fawcett Society, or Stonewall, or Searchlight, or any other left wing group being nominated.

[Og]

Editor, it is to your blog's credit that it provides a ring in which Conservatives-who-have-had-enough (like MH) and Whig opportunists (like Hinchcliffe) can throw a punch or two.

Now there's a thought - for my £10 I would like to see MH and Hinchcliffe go a few rounds with no gloves on Nov 13. Can you arrange it?

[Sally Roberts]

Og that should provide for an entertaining evening!! Editor - do see what you can do!

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

I am happy to ‘take on’ UKIP defectors – any day, anywhere.

Responding to a previous post, one does not have to Christian or indeed religious to be pro-Life. The iT woman who used to work, voluntarily, for Right to Life was an anarchist and an atheist!

Sean, I have a lot of respect for you but you should bare in mind that many Conservative members are supporters of trade unions, gay rights organisations, human right and civil liberties promoters and so on.

It’s highly dangerous to ‘box’ people. In fact it’s very Socialist!

[tory tax cutter]

Perhaps someone would like to ask the guest speaker why he decided to misrepresent what Mrs. Thatcher promised on tax in 1979?

[Stuart Raven]

Sean, I have a lot of respect for you but you should bare in mind that many Conservative members are supporters of trade unions, gay rights organisations, human right and civil liberties promoters and so on.

Yes but you know very well that's not what most Tories are "about".

As it happens, I was once a (white collar) TU activist, but I understand that the once strong CTU organisation is now reduced to virtual nothingness.

I'd do something about CTU before you cuddle up to left-wing organisations like Stonewall, which are light years away from the lives and opinions of most Tories.

This type of charade is not new. Back in the 1970s the YCs became affiliated to NCCL (Now Liberty) which in those days was much more obviously left-wing than it is now.

It's a sham, because although there are obviously some members of the party who support these groups they are a tiny minority.

I know a number of Tory homosexuals and I doubt that they'd want to be seen dead associating with Stonewall.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Such as?

[MH]

I am very sorry to disappoint those who would like to see Justin swing his handbag at me on the 13th, but I shall be in the USA on business. At least in that country, there still a truly conservative party left.

I too think this site is excellent. Believe me, I didn't quit the Party lightly. Indeed, I was 3 votes from being a parliamentary candidate in a seat the Conservatives held very comfortably in 2005. One day, I would love to return, but the way Dave is going, I doubt there'll be much left to which I can return.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Here's hoping you buy a one-way ticket!

[Bill (Scotland)]

"I certainly wouldn't expect to see organisations like The Fawcett Society, or Stonewall, or Searchlight, or any other left wing group being nominated."

The fact that the organisations named in this paragraph are desscribed as 'left wing' and it is alleged that "... the average Conservative voter has a great deal in common with organisations like the Cornerstone Group, Migration Watch, and the Taxpayers' Alliance ..." might tell one a great deal if one were to assume that the majority of the commenters in this website are entirely representative of the membership of the Conservative Party. Which might be fine were one to assume that the Party continues to strive for the political cul-de-sac it has occupied for at least the past fifteen or so years - luckily the current leadership, and those members with wisdom enough to understand and support what is being attempted in their names, have wider ambitions and a growing credibility amongst former Conservative Party members (such as me) and others who have not [recently] voted Conservative for them to stand a fighting chance of actually winning a general election, a most unlikely eventuality (in my opinion) were people who support the policies of groups such as "... the Cornerstone Group, Migration Watch, and the Taxpayers' Alliance ..." to [re-]gain ascendancy within the Party. I think that a party such as UKIP has about as much chance of having a significant impact on British parliamentary politics as some other non-mainstream organisations such as the Socialist Workers Party - fortunately very little!

[MH]

Sorry Justin, for those of us forced to work rather than fish for food in the Thames, US immigration requires proof of a return ticket. Remember 9/11? You know the event whose anniversary this year was marred by the offensive speech by Dave. Anyway, I trust the event on the 13th is a success and that this site goes from strength to strength, providing an outlet for those of us who were once part of the Conservative wing of the Conservative Party.

[Roslyn Freeman]

I am surprised there are no awards for the ordinary "c" bloggers as individuals,afterall they do provide the support for Home Page.

Blogs,articles,reports,commentary,prescience,laughs,humour and so on --but no Honours.Tim you are taking a leaf out of the Tory Leaderships book ie no communication== means no trouble- means less support means low polls.

Us Bloggers are your lifeblood!!

[James Maskell]

Perhaps one bit can be amended...could we just say "British troops serving overseas - for their courage and sense of duty" under Patriot Award? Id rather those outside of Iraq and Afghanistan didnt feel left out because they werent in a media highlighted area...they are just as important to usw as those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan...it just wasnt as controversial.

[malcolm]

Tim, this is a disaster!My constituency have a selection meeting that night and I think it's a three line whip. I'll be very sorry to miss the evening which I'm sure will be very interesting. If this thread is anything to go by I suggest you hire some useful bouncers to keep the warring factions apart. Have aa great night everybody!

[Sally Roberts]

Sorry you're not able to make it, Malcolm as I would have liked to meet you!

[Editor]

That is a great shame Malcolm. We will miss your good humour!

[Paul newman]

oops missed a bit ignore above

Barely literate eh? Well my punctuation is better than Shakespeare’s. I can be quite confident that like many, who profess to be attached to this countries heritage, you know nothing whatsoever about it, so I had better explain. He wrote plays. As to your own style, you manage a fair impression of a smug little bureaucrat and seem inordinately proud of your achievements in precisely this role. It takes a certain sort of person to describe what, he thinks, is his own vast importance to the world, like an Estuary English speaking estate agent, and you have not let me down. We can safely assume you are the modern incarnation of the bitter brilliantined oddities that were the typical anti marketers of 1975.

You are too young to remember, but the thrust of the Yes campaign, as described by its treasurer McAlpine, was, “to depict the anti-Marketeers as unreliable people - dangerous people who would lead you down the wrong path”. This tactic was greatly assisted by the right wing detritus that clung to the campaign as the only log floating nearby. It reminds me of the miscellany of wastrels attached to the anti -hunting and animal rights lobby .Often these people were embittered Tories who for very good reasons had been unable to gain the advancement their ego’s craved within the party.Do you know anyone like that MH ?

The rational, democratic and self interested argument against Europe, which I broadly support, has made great strides into the world of moderates since .This is what has saved the Conservative Party, not a drift in the other direction as wrongly perceived by political illiterates like MH. On the other hand, because Euro scepticism has won ground across a broad spectrum, the same rules apply today, to those who have actually become traitors. People like MH, who would rather let Brown-nose in than knuckle down to winning an election. Look at the party he is joining. Richard Suchorzewski recently pulled the rock up to reveal business as usual

“Nothing however prepared me for the scurrilous behaviour, defamatory comments and downright dishonesty of some of Nigel Farage's & David Bannerman's staff, supporters and members of the Press Office staff, in which they clearly colluded. I was accused of having associations with the BNP – even when these scoundrels knew that my grandfather was murdered by the Nazis in a concentration camp and my Great Grandfather was discovered hanged by them from a lamp post near his home by my 14 year old Father.” ………………………and much much more of which I trust you are aware. .

From what I can tell MH will fit right in, and this was clear from the moment he began to attack Justin Hinchliffe in the infantile way he did.
Moving on from pointless fantasists l there is a real problem here both for the Conservative party and, ironically for UKIP. The types of people that become involved, not only undermine UKIP, which so badly needs respectability, but also the debate within the Conservative party. If you were go to the Bruges group, as I have done, you feel amongst friends with a valid point of view that you might have a slightly different take on. Other UKIPs remind me far too much of the doctrinal religionists of the Labour party or, at worst, of the BNP. They remove the ground on which a Christopher Booker stands the moment they open their mouths …..Salutations MH

The Europe case is sound but the baggage that comes with it is unattractive and in any case a world of electoral dreams The other problem is that this attitudinising will leave the Conservative party entirely in the hands of Liberals with any move towards UKIP policies, which are widely supported, appearing actually treacherous This is very bad indeed and entirely the fault of UKIP who have failed to maintain respectability and civility. I see there will be no end to this.

I am not the same sort of Conservative as Justin Hinchcliffe. He is on the other hand worth any number of self satisfied poseurs who have expressed, in effect, an intention to work on behalf of the Labour Party. As for Conservative home , if it is going to be renamed, “Conservative (and those who hate the Conservative Party) , Home” , then you can expect frank exchanges of opinions as , in Islington and Tottenham we are more than used to.

[Paul Kennedy]

Sounds like a great event, can't be there but hope everybody has a good time, and I look forward to seeing the winning nominations.

[MH]

Well, Paul, I can think of better things to be doing at 1am than obsessing about this blog. My point was to counter the inaccurate assertions that I had not made my contribution in the past to the Party and that it pained me greatly to leave. I also happen to regard the need to leave the EU as the most important issue facing our nation since when 80pc of our laws emanate from their institutions, what's the point of having a Westminster parliament?

I also represent everything that Dave is and seemingly now loathes: white, male, middle class, privately educated, fox hunting heterosexual who lives in the South East and is a higher rate taxpayer. I wouldn't make his Z list. I would have thought that Paul would have welcomed me making way for one of the New Labour defectors that Dave so badly want rather than act as a blocker.

[paul Newman]

1 AM . Sadly with work , family and party commitments I AM is all I get.

[MH]

OK, lol, even I understand that. Seriously, Paul, I truly respect the graft that people like you in very tough areas have put in to keep the Conservative Party going. My patch was a doddle by comparison, although the number of ABs who have switched off since 1997 is a bit stunning. Cameron's Conservatives are just not for me and I felt the decent thing was to go and not just sit tight. I hope that you get what you want and are not disappointed.

[Sean Fear]

Bill (Scotland) and Justin, I'm sure there are individual Conservatives who support CND, but no one would claim that that organisation is close to the views of the average Conservative voter. That organisation (like those I mentioned) would overwhelmingly derive its support from people on the left on the political spectrum. Because, in the main, the policies they espouse are left wing ones.

I don't think there's anything remotely contentious in saying that the average Conservative voter (never mind the average poster here) has opinions pretty close to those of Migrationwatch, TPA, or Cornerstone.

[Sean Fear]

In fact, Bill, what exactly is odd about describing the Fawcett Society, Stonewall, or Searchlight as left wing?

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

How is Stonewall left-wing - just because it champions equality? I think, Sean, that you're in the dark ages.

[Sean Fear]

It favours controls on free speech - through legislation to ban incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexuality.

It favours ever more stringent forms of anti-discrimination legislation - which interferes with individual freedom and property rights.

It favours requiring employers to monitor the sexual orientation of their staff.

None of those strike me as being conservative positions.

As for Searchlight and The Fawcett Society, I take it you wouldn't disagree with my description of them as left wing.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

We'll have to agree to disagree. So I assume that you would abolish all race relations laws and the CRE? Don't know about the other two, except that a number of Conservative MPs signed up to Searchlight campaign and that WtW are working with the Fawcett Society. Don't forget that Cameron made a major speech only a month ago to..... Friends of the Earth! The Party is changing.

[Sean Fear]

I'd repeal them insofar as they affect private sector organisations, and would take great pleasure in abolising the CRE. For the same reason I'd repeal last year's legislation against religious discrimination, and any law against free speech, unless someone is directly inciting another to commit a criminal offence.

I don't doubt that the Party is changing. It's reverting to its pre-Thatcher position of acceptance of the left-wing status quo.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

From http://5thnovember.blogspot.com/

Conservative Movement Awards :
Cornerstone Consternation

ConservativeHome.Com's Tim Montgomerie has come up with the idea for a Conservative Movement Awards ceremony to be held on November 13 in London. George Osborne is to be the keynote speaker at the event.

Even on ConservativeHome itself there is some disquiet about some of the suggested recipients - MigrationWatch and Cornerstone in particular.

Eyebrows would be raised in particular if Cornerstone did win the "One to Watch" Award ahead of the widely supported Taxpayer's Alliance. The credibility of the award if Cornerstone won would be in question. The group is popularly known as "Tombstone" and is considered to be the organised last gasp of the of the anti-modernisers with little support across the Conservative party.

Some months ago Tim Montgomerie privately offered to redesign and manage the Tombstone website for free to make it much more user-friendly and attractive. As it stands the paleo-Conservatives still have a terribly old-fashioned looking website. Tim and his deputy Sam Coates have attended Cornerstone steering committee meetings - indeed it was Tim who suggested that they rename the new website www.ToryCornerstone.com. It would look very odd if one website run by Tim awarded another website run by Tim a prize.

ALL VERY INTERESTING!

[Sean Fear]

To paraphrase Harold Wilson, Cornerstone is "the conscience of the Conservative Party."

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

More likely the death of the Conservative Party!

[Andrew Woodman]

Will you be attending then Justin?

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

No. Will be out delivering In Touches - care to join me?

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

No.

[Andrew Woodman]

Is that a no then. Tempting offer as you propose, I'm afraid I have to help organise a primary. I'll take a few hours out to go to the awards though. Hoping to see the East Midlands triumph.

[Brian Jenner]

Where are the women coming from at this event?

Wouldn't it have been better to get a woman to present the prizes.

Wouldn't it have improved the image of ConservativeHome if they could have had a prize for Most Promising Woman award.

Social events where women are in the minority are very boring. The more women you attract to events, the more fun they are. The more women you have around the more sane the level of 'political' engagement.

[Stuart Raven]

"The group is popularly known as "Tombstone" and is considered to be the organised last gasp of the of the anti-modernisers with little support across the Conservative party."

While I don't suppose the average sixty-something Tory member has ever heard of Cornerstone/Tombstone, I very much doubt he/she has changed his/her mind on anything since voting for IDS a few short years ago.

[Paul newman]

The more women you have around the more sane the level of 'political' engagement.

Yes indeed . If there was no other reason to be a Conservative the female members would suffice . You get a more balanced view on the Boris Johnson site which ranges broadly over arts ,music lifestyle whithin a Conservative Context mostly.That is exactly the appeall of the Boris "forum".

Uniquely , it deals with what Conservatives do like. This blog is usually concerned with what they do not which which is clearly appropriate to a purely political forum but far from the whole story

I think you make a very good point indeed though which ,whoever runs the place, would do well to listen to

[malcolm]

Don't think you've been on this blog long enough to make a comment like that Paul.Generally speaking this site is broadly supportive of the Conservative party although there are many regular posters who are critical.
Thank you for the kind comments Tim and Sally.

[Chris McLaughlin]

Reading Conservative Home can be both inspiring and depressing. Did you all go to University together and are you still sulking over who did best?

Debating time is over.your frustrations are clear. Its time to get rid of the Socialists before they finishing screwing what's left of this country.

Congratulations to Conservative Home for The Awards. A great idea -if only to upset the Today programme.

Here's my £10.00 worth and if its as accurate as my BAFTA preferences...

BEST WRITING AWARD - Sunday Business for overcoming the media left bias. Keep it up Andrew and Rupert. Thank you Barclay Brothers.

OUTSTANDING PARLIAMENTARIAN AWARD - Roger Helmer MEP, Brussels is as corupt as old Byzantium , without the Eastern charm

‘ONE TO WATCH’ AWARD - Taxpayers Alliance - Upsets me every week when i get their email on working for Gordon. Great use of technology too.

UNLIKELY ALLY AWARD - Frank Field MP for consistent independence of thought.

BEST CAMPAIGN - Migration Watch for being right everytime - where was HM Oppposition on this for the last several years?

NEW TECHNOLOGY AWARD - Grant Shapps for showing how to connect to the electorate

TAXCUTTER AWARD - George Dubbya for proving tax cuts work - please take note George...
Pity the Midterms will probably finish his Presidency in two weeks time.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD - Ruth Lea and Bjorn Lomborg for questioning cant _ I remember the same experts and the BBC highlighting the coming ice age.

PATRIOT AWARD - The British armed forces, currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq who have been sold-out by Labour and Conservative politicians and by the supposed "Peace Dividend".We should all be deeply ashamed.

SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD - Frank Field, a true parliamentarian with honour and integrity - find him a safe Tory seat.

[malcolm]

I like most of your choices Chris although I think IDS should get the social justice award and I think Mathew Parris the most consistently incisive Conservative commentator.

[James Maskell]

"Debating time is over.your frustrations are clear. Its time to get rid of the Socialists before they finishing screwing what's left of this country."

Which Socialists, the ones in Government at present or the ones aiming to take over at the next General Election? The distinction is quickly receeding...

[Sally Roberts]

I'd certainly like to see Ruth Lea triumph! A woman of great common sense and plain speaking. I actually remember her years back before she was well known when she and I were both at a music summer school - we were both singers.

Grant Shapps also deserves to do well.

Frank Field - good choice too - I wonder if he will end up coming over to us?

[Patsy Sergeant]

I would have liked to come to the Awards ceremony, but travel from my county town to London can be almost as long as Annabel's at the other end of the country. So I was hoping to arrange to stay overnight with a friend of mine, but I think she is away. I would not dream of travelling on BR alone late at night, anyway the latest train as far as I know is something like 10.30pm. So....

[Stuart Raven]

You get a more balanced view on the Boris Johnson site which ranges broadly over arts ,music lifestyle whithin a Conservative Context mostly.That is exactly the appeall of the Boris "forum". Uniquely , it deals with what Conservatives do like.

So what do Conservatives like, according to Boris Johnson? (not exactly the brightest star in the firmament)

Are we to suppose, for example, that Conservatives prefer Rembrandt and Mozart, while a taste for Van Dyck and Beethoven is a clear mark of a Nulabour man?

IMHO one's politics have absolutely no bearing whatsoever on one's taste in art and music.

[Praguetory]

I'm hoping to meet Ivan Miklos on 11 and 12 November. The most deserving candidate for the taxcutter award in my opinion. Unemployment has fallen from 13.5% to less than 10% in the two years since the flat rate was introduced. Due to the revenue boost, even the Slovak Socialists look unlikely to overhaul the excellent system.

[deborah]

Grant Schapps does deserve to do well. Apart from the email system, he's doing a fantastic job asking and getting answers to awkward questions.
I wish more MP's would put as much effort in.

[Sally Roberts]

Editor - do we know when and how you are planning to contact those of us who have booked, to let us know where the event is taking place?

[Editor]

I'll send out an email on Tuesday, Sally. thanks!