Northern Board attacked as "gimmick"

Former Tory candidate Jonathan Scott has written for today's Yorkshire Post about the Conservative Party's "northern challenge."  He believes that the actions taken so far are an inadequate response to the fact that "Tory MPs are so few in number in the North that they would struggle to fill a London taxi."  Although Mr Scott's characterisation is exaggerated (David Cameron's three most senior ministers represent northern seats) he does offer two important observations:

The new northern board: "It was instructive that [David Cameron] chose William Hague to head the new Northern Board. The Shadow Foreign Secretary is, without doubt, a very decent man and a hugely talented politician. But he is also a very busy man, and the task and responsibility of restoring the party's fortunes in the North should not have been entrusted to a full-time politician who also has literary and speaking ambitions... The fact that the Northern Board will meet only quarterly speaks volumes of the lack of urgency with which Central Office regards the crisis facing the party in the northern reaches. What is needed is a daily, hourly, assault on the key constituencies, re-building shattered constituency associations, identifying key local issues that connect with the voters, establishing links, bonds of trust, between the party and the local and regional media."

Northern voters want more than climate change: "The people of the North do care about climate change. On the east coast, they have grown familiar with the constant depredations of the sea, eating away at their homes and their livelihoods. For them, the prospect of rising sea levels is terrifying. Cities such as York know only too well how heavy rainfall and storms can spell personal and financial ruin in the form of floods. So the softer, climate change message is a good one, even here in the North. But it should not be the only message or the primary message. Like it or not, immigration, crime, welfare fraud, the dependency culture, and the politics of identity are much more pressing issues for prospective Tory voters."

Comments

[sjm]

Well, I understand Jeremy Middleton (Vice-President, National Convention) has been given a senior position on the Northern Board, and he's certainly proved to me that he is rather good at getting things up and running.

When is Mr Scott going to stop moaning and roll up his sleeves?

[Cllr Iain Lindley]

If Jonathan Scott really wants to help us win in the north, he should stop writing poison pieces in the press and get out on the doorstep like the rest of us. There's a box of leaflets with his name on it if he wants to come and help us improve on our 30% 2006 vote share here in Salford. What a pillock.

[Goldie]

This man is absolutely right.

[Alistair]

If Tories seriously imagine that Northerners will vote for them after the massacre of jobs which took place under their last government, then they are deluding themselves.

In the North the Tories are thoroughly detested for their uncaring callous class-based attitude and rightly so.

They're wasting their time

[Pillock]

Only a immature and ego-tripping pillock would post using the Cllr prefix. Get a life Lindley!

[Antony Calvert]

ok Alistair... just tell that to the 4 out of 5 West Yorkshire councils controlled by, ummm, the Conservatives.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Actually, I agree with Scott. Hague's a bit past his political sell-by-date now and has bigger fish to fry. We are still not taking the North seriously.

[Bill]

For once Hinchliffe writes something I agree with.

[Andrew Woodman]

A right mix of responses so far. While I agree boradly with the content of the article, I think it would have been better written for a site like this rather than the Yorkshire Post. We have nothing to gain from the publicity this article will generate and everything to lose.

Anyway, he's right about Hague. He's got far too much on his plate already. I'm sure we have a Northern Ex cabinet minister who could take up the position.

[TomTom]

I was elected to serve Walkden South ward in June 2004 at the ripe old age of 21, making me the youngest Councillor ever to serve on Salford City Council.

So what about real life experience Councillor Ian Lindley; when do you intend to get some ?

just tell that to the 4 out of 5 West Yorkshire councils controlled by, ummm, the Conservatives.

Well Bradford and Leeds depend on the LibDems for Kris Hopkins and Andrew Carter to have any influence, and Carter must alternate with his LibDem Coalition Partner......maybe that is Cameron's future too ?

[Cllr Iain Lindley]

I don't think I really need to justify that with a response. All I will say is that I'm proud to be part of the Conservative organisation in a northern inner-city council area where we achieved 31% of the vote in 2006 and are looking to make significant inroads this May.

There is no magic formula for winning in the north. It takes a lot of hard work, but it can be done. Our main problem in the north over recent years compared with other areas was not the message so much as the fact our infrastructure was poor compared with Labour and (in some areas) the Liberal Democrats. This is beginning to change, and I know that the northern board are well aware of the changes that need to be made.

Not only are articles like this grossly unhelpful, but they are also spectacularly ill-informed. Scott writes:

"What is needed is a daily, hourly, assault on the key constituencies, re-building shattered constituency associations, identifying key local issues that connect with the voters, establishing links, bonds of trust, between the party and the local and regional media"

...this is all happening, and if Scott got involved rather than carping on the sidelines he would realise this, rather than writing poison pen articles which benefit only Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

[Ted]

pillock - well named.

Iain, good points.

As a real Southerner (born from about 5000 miles south of London) It does strike me how often the criticism of Conservatives activities in the North comes from one county. I know Annabel is a good sort perhaps she could wield the handbag around some of her more backwoodsmen fellow Yorkshiremen and suggest that the occasional constructive "straight talking" and less whinging, more action would be effective.

[TomTom]

If Conservatives could win seats in West or South Yorkshire you might have a point Ted, but frankly the jury is out on whether you ever will.....it just happens that Yorkshire is the largest county and calling people backwoodsmen explains lack of success very clearly.

Telling us you are a real Southerner compounds the problem

[TomTom]

Salford

Party Previous +/- 2006
Labour 45 -1 44
Conservative 8 0 8
Liberal Democrat 6 2 8
Others 1 -1 0

PAST RESULTS
2004: LAB
2003: LAB
2002: LAB
2000: LAB
1999: LAB
1998: LAB
1996: LAB
1995: LAB
1994: LAB
1992: LAB
1991: LAB
1990: LAB
1988: LAB
1987: LAB
1986: LAB
1984: LAB
1983: LAB
1982: LAB
1980: LAB
1979: LAB
1978: LAB
1976: LAB
1975: LAB
1973: LAB

[TomTom]

Salford Council election 2006

Elections to Salford Council were held on 4th May, 2006. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party kept overall control of the council. Overall turnout was 28.1%.

After the election, the composition of the council was

* Labour 44
* Conservative 8
* Liberal Democrat 8

Votes Cast Electorate
Labour 42.7% 11.99%
Conservative 29.6% 8.32%
LibDem 25.8% 7.25%

[TomTom]

By Ward 2006

Ward

[TomTom]

Council Website by Ward

Salford

[Ted]

TomTom

you might as well just admit that the real North is west of the Pennines - triple posting about Salford just shows your jealousy.

[Perdix]

Why isn't Scott getting involved at a local level? Is he suffering from a bruised ego?

[Annabel Herriott]

Well Ted, Kirklees Council is now run by the Tories. We are cracking along with 3% increase limit on council tax, rebate for over 65s, 4 million to be spent on the disgraceful roads, and we have started already with the main feeder road up to the M62 out of huddersfield. We had our Campaign Launch today, with Francis Maude, we intend to build on our success, and gain more seats. I could tell you more, but having been out all day looking at regeneration sites with our excellent PPC Jason McCartney, Francis Maude, and the Ward councillors and candidates, I cant be fagged to go down stairs and get the manifesto to reel off. I am standing as a paper candidate, but if labour sit on their hands because they are cross with Blair, that will the the end of any free time for me, and will be like being a health visitor again.
So can we have less whinging, more action, and we are happy for more volunteers for leafletting and campaigning please.
Plus, if anyone knows who won the primary over at Calder Valley, will they please tell Tim or Sam. We are waiting with baited breath.

[Richard]

"What a pillock."

How constructive.

"If Tories seriously imagine that Northerners will vote for them after the massacre of jobs which took place under their last government, then they are deluding themselves."

And the alternative was what? Allowing inflation to rocket and the disaster of the late 70s to continue? The early 80s were harsh but the medecine was necessary, even if its implementation was flawed in some respects.

"In the North the Tories are thoroughly detested for their uncaring callous class-based attitude and rightly so."

And the Labour Party are not class-based and also contain significant class hatred? Even the "moderate" Dennis Healey was delighted at the thought of suckering the rich with high taxes.

[Richard]

"We are cracking along with 3% increase limit on council tax"

Out of interest, what would be the consequences of a 0% increase or even a cut?

[Alistair]

I wonder whether you have ever been unemployed, Richard? It's very easy for you to dismiss the plight of the unemployed in such a callous and uncaring manner.

I have close relatives in Lancashire and I know only too well what the general opinion of the Tories is there. Basically they're unelectable, and that's putting it politely!

Some people on this forum are deluding themselves about the North. Obviously there are isolated areas of wealthy people livimg expensive housing that will vote Tory. Nobody doubts that.

Concerning Mr Lindley it's enough to note how he totes the title "Councillor" as it its the only thing he ever achieved in his life, which it probably is.

And if Annabelle Herriott really worked for the NHS and remained a fanatical Tory she must be a very odd person indeed.

In my experience the NHS is a Tory-free zone, and much the better for it.

[Andrew Woodman]

Alistair, this really shows the desperate state of Labour party if you're reduced to trolling on here. I was speaking to a former Ward sister who had been sacked by Labour and is now having to look for jobs 2 grades lower. The NHS is most certainly not a Tory free zone.

[Annabel Herriott]

Oh Dear Alastair. I have the bad back to prove it! 1953 Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle on Tyne. SRN. Princess Mary Maternity Hospital/Newcastle General 1956 -58 SCM. Northumberland Co Council Health Visitor training, are you bored yet Alastair? From 1969 Health Visiting in West Yorkshire, retired 2000 at age 65. And I am still a Tory, and I am not odd, although you do give rise to doubts in me.

[Ted]

Annabel - sorry I couldn't help joshing TomTom :-)

Do however please follow my advice in earlier post and use your handbag on these guys like Jonathon Scott who undermine all the hard work you are doing.

[malcolm]

When Tomtom are you ever going to post anything constructive? Do you actually ever want to see a Conservative victory or does the sneering bile you post everyday actually have a point to it?

[Richard Carey]

Firstly, I think that this piece by Mr Scott was ill-advised. While he may have valid views about the need for urgency in our re-organisation, which I'm given to understand by my fellow posters above is being delivered, they would have been far better expressed in a private letter to the Board or even in a Platform piece for CH.com. However, that would obviously not give Mr Scott the pleasure of seeing his name in the newspaper.

Where I am clear is that ultimately no regional board in itself can deliver the reconstruction of the Party in these difficult areas. It will be dedicated campaigners on the ground like Annabel and Iain above (good luck to you both, by the way!) who bring this about, and those Conservatives here who pillory them do themselves no favours at all. The Board, however, can and must ensure that such colleagues get all the resources and back-up that they need.

[Matt Davis]

Anyone who finds themselves still unwillingly unemployed after 10 years of a Labour Government knows who is to blame, and it isn't the Tories Alistair. Equally anyone who has seen the multi millions of their pounds poured into the NHS only to have their local hospital closed down will also know who to blame. As will the Doctors deliberately shafted over jobs, the mainly Northern armed forces personnel shafted in every way possible and the small businesses being strangled by red tape and excessive taxation. The blame lies fairly and squarly at the feet of the worst and most dishonest Government of my lifetime, Bliar & Brown's Labour Government. You can't keep trying to blame past Conservative Governments when you've been in power for 10 years and the electorate have cottoned on to that and will be punishing Labour at a polling station near you soon.

[matt wright]

The transformation comes when you get a small nucleus of very active people prepared to stand for council. You build it up from the base and when people get into the habit of voting Tory again you are away. I grew up in the North from working class stock originally and worked initially in manufacturing so I saw all this at first hand. There are plenty of working calss tories in the North and plenty who know Labour were a failure before and proving so again. Ignore Labour lobbyists like Alistair that are so desperate that they have resorted to frantic posting on a Conservative site. Just get on with it and win,

Matt

[Dominic Llewellyn]

I find this a bizarre article by Jonathan Scott - the patron of his thinktank is after all the said William Hague who incidentally is one of the most hard working MPs around. If you look at its website at http://www.diji.co.uk/cv/pages/about.htm Conservative Vision claims to support the party's aims and objectives. The Conservative Party have appointed a Tyneside born and bred man former MP with much business experience in Michael Bates as Deputy Chairman with responsibility for the North and are giving the Northern Board significant powers.

[Al Gunn]

How interesting. Conservative Vision's website is suspended.

I hope that the Northern Board achieves things. It might well. Hague is a very good figurehead. Let's hope the other names involved will be doing the real work.

[Curly]

I was speaking with Michael Bates just last Friday evening, and you will be hard pushed to find a more dedicated and energetic person to champion the cause of the North. He knows his onions too, and will be found campaigning those seats and areas most likely to reap a dividend.

[TomTom]

omTom

you might as well just admit that the real North is west of the Pennines - triple posting about Salford just shows your jealousy.

Jealousy Ted ? How odd you are. Then again a LibDem or Labour MP represents a constituency just like a Conservative, and if they cannot make the grade well they simply don't get elected.......if you want to be the Party of Tatton, fine.

[TomTom]

When Tomtom are you ever going to post anything constructive? Do you actually ever want to see a Conservative victory or does the sneering bile you post everyday actually have a point to it?

Posted by: malcolm | March 27, 2007 at 23:07

Grow up Malcolm. What do you want to hear ? The Tories are doing a superb job, bound to sweep the North and have a majority of 150.....oh dear fantasies didn't come true.

You are deluded Malcolm - self-deluded. And simply use BUggins Turn as a strategy that Conservatives can win when Labour gets tired......it is pathetic, self-serving indolence masked by arrogant contempt everytime the emperor's nakedness is exposed

[Alistair]

Correct Tom Tom, and the honest views of Jonathan Scott are also very welcome.

For those sneerers who wish to suppress the views of everybody who is not a card-carrying Tory loyalist I have this to say.

Firtly, I have actually vted for all three parties over the past ten years and when Cameron was first elected I began to wonder whether the Tories might be an option again

I have now concluded that they are not.

Secondly I was a Conservative activist for a number of years and was briefly chair of an FCS branch. The more I discovered about Thatcher's party the less I liked it and I see that nothing has changed.

Above all I came to recognise the Tory "type", something which came firmly into focus when I lter read Adorno on the Authoritarian Personality.

It's not a pretty picture.

[Sally Roberts]

Interesting... Alistair! I looked up our friend Mr Adorno on Wikipedia to see exactly what you were getting at and here's a little quote:-
"Those persons who admire fascist ideologies, according to the theory, distinguish themselves through their unconventional, prejudice-laden view of social and political relationships. From this background in their personal history arose the assumption that the emergence of certain phenomena such as anti-Semitism and ethnocentrism stands in close connection with this particular personality structure."

I think you are confusing the Conservatives with the BNP.

[Alistair]

Well Sally, some Conservatives I have encountered in the past might well have been confused with the BNP. I suspect the only reason they did not join the BNP was because it was not "smart" enough for them.

Which other party do you suppose that middle class people with BNP-style opinions would join? Some might join the miniscule UKIP, true, but racists, homophobes and sexists who want to succeed in politics join the Tories and I could give many instances I've seen and heard personally when I was a member of the party and since.

All that's changed is that most of them now keep their views secret, unlike the late Alan Clark MP who said "I am a Nazi".

I don't know whether to condemn him for his foul extremism or congratulate him for his honesty.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

I think it's a good idea to just ignore Alistair, our new Labour troll.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

I think it's a good idea to just ignore Alistair, our new Labour troll.

[Traditional Conservative]

Don't you think it would be rather better to address the points he raises.

You don't have to be Labour or even a "Labour Troll" (whatever that is) to ask in what sense the party has actually changed, as it is alleged to.

David Cameron, John Bercow and one or two others may indeed have changed what they say for media consumption, but that has little to do with us, the rank-and-file.

Personally I hope the party does not change. The Camerons of this world come and go but we the real workers will remain, steadfast and true to our genuine opinions.

[malcolm]

You're not very good in debate Tomtom are you? I asked you if you had anything positive to say about anything and you reply that I'm self deluded! I assume the answer then is no?

[Elizabeth Hill]

What we got from Jonathan Scott was straight talking, something that anyone who knows him would only expect.
To all those who tell him to stop moaning and start working, there is no-one in yorkshire who has done more for this party in terms of time, comittment and fundraising and receieved so little respect in return. Conservative Vision, is not and has never been, against the promtion and success of Tory party, in fact it's aims have been the opposite. Conservative Vision and Jonathan Scott want to see the party prosper in the North but we can't bury our heads in the sand or have gimmicks. I actually hope that Jonathan is proved wrong over the northern board, but we certainly shouldn't stop debate about it's purpose and direction.

[Andy Johnson]

"I have close relatives in Lancashire and I know only too well what the general opinion of the Tories is there. Basically they're unelectable, and that's putting it politely!

Some people on this forum are deluding themselves about the North. Obviously there are isolated areas of wealthy people living expensive housing that will vote Tory. Nobody doubts that."

So Alasdair your relatives speak for the whole of Lancashire do they? I think it's you who is deluding themselves about the north, not everyone who comes from a deprived northern area has a chip on their shoulder and blames the Tories for all their woes. I know plenty of people who don't live in nice large houses in wealthy areas who vote Conservative. If you want a real reason why the north is in its current state try looking at years of Labour mismanagement. Honestly the arrogance of you Labour lot that all working class northerners should support your shambles of a party is a joke. You cite Thatcher creating mass unemployment in the north, well what has Labour's solution been, get everyone dependant on welfare benefits and public sector jobs. What about creating opportunities for real investment and opportunities to try to halt the number of skilled workers moving south, no you've done nothing on that as you know they ain't likely to vote for you.

[Sean Fear]

Hyndburn, West Lancs, Chorley, Wyre, and Rossendale all have Conservative councils, so not everyone in Lancashire agrees with Alistair.

[Richard]

"I wonder whether you have ever been unemployed, Richard?"

Yes.

"It's very easy for you to dismiss the plight of the unemployed in such a callous and uncaring manner."

What else am I supposed to say? The fact is that there was no alternative in the early 1980s. Labour's alternative policies would have destroyed our economy and the Alliance would have simply continued the decay. That isn't callous, that's realism.

[TomTom]

You're not very good in debate Tomtom are you? I asked you if you had anything positive to say about anything and you reply that I'm self deluded! I assume the answer then is no?

Posted by: malcolm | March 28, 2007 at 09:32

Must be the Advertising World that gets to you Malcolm. I thought the aim was to win and not be such a bunch of losers, but clearly you have so little idea of how marginal the Tory position in Northern England is you would prefer to think of Conservatives as The Opposition In Perpetuam

[malcolm]

Another ludicrous response! What is the point of these posts? This relentless sneering at everything and everybody not only the Conservative party achieves nothing. Why not, just for once put a POSITIVE idea forward, that is, if you have one.

[TomTom]

Malcolm...why not give it a rest. You become tedious. If you are so hopelessly inadequate that you cannot start addressing key issues go out and play, but if you don't start addressing the situation in the North of this country you can wallow in being a Home Counties fringe grouping, since from the perspective of much of Northern England that is what you are.

Thatcher's party held Northern seats, now you seem resigned to being losers

[malcolm]

Another stupid response.You're right 'though Tomtom, I will give it a rest, this 'debate' is going nowhere. Keep up the silly,pointless,snide remarks if they make you happy...

[Ted]

O/T malcolm - spoke to soon yesterday, saw 'Alistair' in later post mentioned FCS and involvement in 80's Tory party. Think you were right about Wallenstein Returns (or is it Mark McCarthy or Alex Forthsythe or...)

[Alistair]

Are you all right?

Yes I did mention I was a member of FCS for a while, although its not something I would normally want to brag about.

Has that fed some delusion of yours?

[Daniel VA]

"If you are so hopelessly inadequate that you cannot start addressing key issues go out and play..."

Interestingly enough Professor Sandmann, wasn't that what Malcolm was (correctly IMO) accusing you of?

You never seem to offer anything constructive on any of these 'key issues' you refer to, unless you consider copying and pasting from Wikipedia or Google search results in order to posture pompously as the font of all knowledge to be a constructive contribution?