I know well that the phrase "Liverpudlian Conservative" has practically been an oxymoron in recent decades so please indulge me for a moment as I try to explain how that is changing...
Like in other cities the Conservative Associations in the city amalgamated last year, coming under the impartial chairmanship of Mike Howarth. Liverpudlian Nadine Dorries MP wrote this fantastic, typically emotional article about that process, which provoked a lot of debate. Liverpool Conservatives now have a youthful home-grown Chairman in Tony Caldeira - the entrepreneur behind the Caldeira cushion empire, a full-time co-ordinator in Cllr Martyn Barber, and a very committed "Shadow Minister" in Chris Grayling MP who keeps close tabs on things day-to-day.
The association is now out of supported status and its first challenge is to put together a full-slate of local parliamentary candidates. Parachuting candidates in from out of the area like last time doesn't give the impression that the city is being taken seriously. A huge conference centre will be completed on Kings Dock early next year so we could perhaps hold a Spring Forum there in the near future.
As well as developing the party's operation, bridges are being built with members of the community who are outside of party politics. There have been some particularly successful meetings with local businessmen - the picture on the right shows Tony Caldeira and David Cameron with Everton FC's Sir Phillip Carter - and with local charitable projects.
The most underreported speech at conference was given by Dave Sharples, a Christian youth worker in Liverpool who I did some work with in my teens. It was similar to Iain Duncan-Smith's speech in that he spoke so passionately about the moral imperative to be the change in your community that a number of people cried and all gave him a standing ovation. Worth watching:
Paul Oginsky is another Liverpudlian youth worker who spoke on the main stage at conference (and a colleague of my father when he ran a youth centre in Kirkby). He's the man behind Cameron's National Citizenship service idea and you can ask him questions about the scheme today in our Interviews section.
Related link: Join the fledgling Liverpool Conservatives Facebook group
Deputy Editor
It'll take a generation to get past the tribal anti-Thatcher vote but the young professionals coming through could be a way in.
Captain Dave is legendary! lets have more people like him in the party
Posted by: Matt Kellett | October 10, 2007 at 15:54
I also hear there are great things happening in Sefton Central, which is also a grouping on the outskirts of Merseyside.
Watch out for that one...
Posted by: Henry Edward-Bancroft | October 10, 2007 at 16:21
Yes our candidate Debi Jones is the de facto MP there at the moment! Southport has a good chance now with Brenda Porter being selected, her personal following is huge.
Posted by: Deputy Editor | October 10, 2007 at 16:23
Liverpool city centre is very impressive, probably second only to London in terms of architecture etc, there is also a hell of a lot of new building work and refurbishment going on in Liverpool, ive seen it with my own eyes, but plastered all over it is EUssr propaganda such as:
"We couldnt have done it without EU"
and:
"Thank EU Grants"
I imagine a lot of people there think the EUSSR is actually giving them something when in fact the EUSSR give this country, England, at best, half the money back per year what we give them, on the condition that we spend it on what they tell us to spend it on!
Posted by: Steve | October 10, 2007 at 16:30
A good young man, who brings hope with him, and understanding follows, we need more like him.
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | October 10, 2007 at 16:37
It would be great if the Liverpool effect spilled over to places like Skem, Wigan and Hindley. The North West has been failed by Labour and yet Labour get away with this at every local and national election. Labour takes the vote in these towns for granted. Just as Labour takes ethnic minority votes for granted. However I think David Cameron has really taken great strides in changing things. Why shouldn't a scouser feel comfortable about voting Conservative? After all what have Labour ever done for the people of Liverpool?
Posted by: Tony Makara | October 10, 2007 at 16:41
Sefton Central is about your only slight hope in Liverpool, unless you count the Wirral.
Posted by: Comstock | October 10, 2007 at 16:41
I have met Tony Caldeira a few times at conferences and he strikes me as exactly the right person to pull this together.
From what I know of some of the key people in liverpool I am sure that they can begin to make real improvements and look forawrd to watching progress.
Posted by: James W | October 10, 2007 at 16:46
The Liverpool grouping is making terrific progress. As real shot in the arm after so many false dawns and difficult periods. So many people have worked tirelessly there for years they deserve medals but now hopefully some electoral success will follow.
There are areas of very great potential in Liverpool and with time and effort, the rewards will come. Mike Howarth and the team are to be thanked for their hard work and all the best to Tony and co for the future!
Posted by: Carl Cross | October 10, 2007 at 17:12
I'm a student at Liverpool University, and from what I can see, we still have a very poor presence in the city. Why?
There is no Liverpool University Conservative Future, which is extremely odd considering the size of the place! CF branches are an important tool for campaigning in large cities, are they not? There isn't even a Liverpool CF as far as I'm aware. The nearest one appears to be "Wirral West".
The massive amount of regeneration in the City centre is impressive. In my opinion this can only work in Labour's favour as they can claim credit for it. This is a great pity as most of the really deprived areas in the city would benefit greatly from DC's aim to fix our "Broken Society".
I know Chris Grayling is an extremely hard-working and competent man but I remain unconvinced he is suitable as our "Shadow Minister" for Liverpool. He is the MP for Epsom and Ewell, one of the most privileged areas in the UK and is himself born and raised in the south. I've never read anything in the local press to suggest that he is well-known in this role or constantly campaigning here. Surely someone like Nadine Dorries would be perfect?
If someone can prove me wrong on all these points I'll be out leafleting in my "Bottler Brown" costume tomorrow.....maybe not.
Posted by: MrB | October 10, 2007 at 17:21
It is excellent news that the Liverpool Conservative campaign is up and running again. I was present at the launch meeting and the keen-ness and enthusiasm was very heartening. Much thanks also to Mike Haworth who acted as the "convening" Chairman in pulling the whole operation together. Every good wish to Tony and his team, they have my wholehearted support.
Posted by: Sir Robert Atkins MEP | October 10, 2007 at 18:06
Its good news. The key is to start with councillors. When people in deprived areas realise the truth, which is that Conservatives councillors have to work hard for them because unlike Labour they can't take them for granted, then you will start to have the base to start winning parliamentary seats. In deprived ares where we have good Conservative councillors its not unusual to see the council estates are the stronger areas. Only one example to illustrate a point but most things are possible and it can be done,
Matt
Posted by: Matt Wright | October 10, 2007 at 18:55
MrB, Liverpool University do indeed have a CF branch!
Posted by: Helen Smith | October 10, 2007 at 19:06
MrB, e-mail Mark Cotterell, Area Chairman for Merseyside CF. He'll give you all the info about LUCF.
markcott2003 [at] hotmail [dot] com
Posted by: Helen Smith | October 10, 2007 at 19:25
Helen, if they do, It is a secret society since there is no mention of it on the University society list and there was no stand at the bi-annual freshers fair, even though all the other main parties were there. Even the socialist worker party had a stand for gods sake!
Posted by: MrB | October 10, 2007 at 19:33
"Even the socialist workers party had a stand"
I thought the SWP had merged into RESPECT?
Anyway, avoid, under either name:- I went to an anti- Trident meeting organised by that lot. Lets just say they make my rantings look positively sane.....
Posted by: Comstock | October 10, 2007 at 20:57
Dave Sharples *isn't* a Conservative.
I found his speech almost aggressive and very uncomfortable to watch. I was worried he was going to either lose his temper or break down into tears at any point.
Clearly, he has made sacrificies, but he seemed to have a certain air of moral smugness about it too. I wasn't impressed.
Nothing to compare next to IDS.
Posted by: Graham Checker | October 10, 2007 at 21:05
Most Liverpudlians that I know, including several close relatives, object to being called Scousers (locally regarded as the descendants of Irish immigrants). Wayne Rooney is a typical ugly and thick Scouser.
If the Conservatives want more votes on Merseyside, they should be more careful with their language.
Posted by: Not a Scouser | October 10, 2007 at 21:30
MrB, there isn't a stand inside (it's been outside the last couple of years I believe) because the branch won't subscribe to the lefty principles of the Guild.
Anyway, I think we've realised that it's been hard to get in contact in the past and hope that we're now more accessible.
I would also like to distance myself from the term 'scouser'. When DC used it wrongly in May, it was quite embarrassing.
It's a word that's now become far too closely associated with the pitbull and black trakkie idiots that roam the city.
"I'm a proper scouser me lad"
Posted by: Neil Wilson | October 10, 2007 at 22:29
Liverpool City Council- Warbreck by-election on September 13th. By no means the most deprived ward in Liverpol and with 3 Tory councillors until the early 1980s. Part of Liverpool Walton which had a Tory MP until late 1960s. Massive swing to Labour from Lib Dems. Tories finished 7th out of 8th, beaten by BNP, Greens, UKIP and Independent. Yes- the Tories are making a real comeback in Liverpool!
Posted by: bw | October 11, 2007 at 00:18
Thank you Editor for the video. Very moving.
But, Graham Checker has point - even if it might not be comfortable to say.
Posted by: Derek L. Piper | October 11, 2007 at 01:44
The next general election will probably see Tory MP's in Southport,Sefton Central, 'Wirral West'and 'Wirral South' but you will finish a poor third in all of the Liverpool seats.
Posted by: 601 | October 11, 2007 at 09:54
What is a 'youth worker'?.
Surely what Liverpool needs is a bit of reality-mainly along the line of withdrawing all the various fixes which have been sedating the population since the 1920s.
Posted by: anthony scholefield | October 11, 2007 at 11:01
The new Liverpool Association are under no illusions that they have to work hard and for a long time to have an impact on the city. We have always had a CF branch at the univeristy going back many years to when I was a student there-but obviously now there is now much more to unite behind.
Now we have cracked Liverpool and the Wirral/Sefton are on their way to returning 4 MP's to the house it wont be long before places like Knowsley and St Helens have organisations to be proud of. As a merseysider who has lived in just about all 5 of its council areas-we should have a strong merseyside organisation within a couple of years there is certainly plenty to aim for.
Posted by: tn1487 | October 11, 2007 at 12:13
Great article Sam, but, second paragraph:
Like in other cities ...
"Like" in other cities? LIKE?
Posted by: Graeme Archer | October 11, 2007 at 12:17
Where are you from, Graeme?
"Like in other cities" sounds perfectly correct to me....I'm a midlander.
I think it is a regional thing. Other parts of the UK would say "As in other cities"
Posted by: Comstock | October 11, 2007 at 12:59
1487- Conservatives in St Helens are very active, we have 6 district councillors and I am having some success in setting up a CF group here. I was elected to a parish council in May at 21, alongside a 20 year old.
I have tried emailing the CF website to get help in organising and registering a CF group but haven't had any reply.
Posted by: Robert Reynolds | October 11, 2007 at 13:06
I'd just like to add that it is great that we are finally making some progress in Liverpool
Posted by: Robert Reynolds | October 11, 2007 at 14:50
bw: Nobody is suggesting the Tories are making a real comeback in Liverpool. It's a slow process and it would be extremely unlikely to start in somewhere like Warbreck ward, regardless of who was elected quarter of a century ago! Nevertheless, the right structure is at least now in place and hopefully progress will come.
And I don't think it matters whether the 'Scouser' or 'Liverpudlian' tag is used. Either is pretty much interchangable in practice and only those with chips on shoulders could find offence.
Posted by: Steve | October 12, 2007 at 14:05
I'd love to be able to feel positive about the work this guy's doing in Liverpool, but as a gay man I can't. (And if the Tories are serious about being a modern, compassionate party, perhaps they can't either.) The flipside of the work of Frontline Church in the community is the message that you'll be punished eternally in hell if you don't become a born-again Christian. And if you're gay - well, if you're willing to repent, being gay is an evil condition that can be reversed 100% with the right counselling. For every child that has been genuinely helped at this church, how many have been damaged by being drawn into this kind of fundamentalism?
Posted by: Dave | October 16, 2007 at 11:21
I thought it was about time that someone who was actually at Lpool Uni & Freshers Fairs for the past 10 years, posted a comment!
I helped to man the CF stall @ Lpool Uni, earlier this semester. Both Helen and Neil are right (but I'll come to the technical issue of Guild affiliation later).
As a bit of background for those who don't know me, I co-founded the then YC branch @ Lpool Uni in 1997. When I arrived, Labour Students ran the Guild (often elected unopposed to non-Sab positions).
By the time I graduated in 2000, the CF branch was the largest political society and had over 65 members and Ind, Con & Ents' slates combined to defeat Lab Students in Guild elections. [Incidentally, I'm not taking sole credit for this - the Lab Govt's introduction of tuition fees played a large part!]
I also remember for two years, at least, Lab Students didn't even turn up and the LibDems went home early, as they'd failed to recruit enough students to become a funded society.
In 2 of the last 3 years, a CF member has been elected to a Sabattical position.
From the CF members I've met at Liverpool Uni, I know they're also active in societies as diverse as: LMSS; Wine Tasting; Welsh; Darts; Jewish; Debating and Ballroom Dancing!
For those who have asked me and for all Lpool Uni alumni, previous Lpool Uni CF branch chairman, have included: Richard Perkins (2006); Jonathan Kearney (2005); Cllr Gareth Anderson (2003); Stacie Haskayne-Middleton (2002) and Constantine Biller (2001).
As to the technical issue of Guild affiliation - last year, the Guild of Students altered Society registration procedures. In the past, societies signed up members at Freshers' Fair stalls; but, in 2006, the Guild decided that societies sign up 'prospective' members, with students having to subsequently join. This decision was to prevent fraudulent/exaggerated membershio claims in order to secure larger than merited society grants.
I understand that the decision to disaffiliate last year, was taken as the branch found it difficult to withdraw their funds from the Guild and wanted control over their own finances.
Incidentally, there's a Refreshers Fair held in the New Year, so CF will again have a stall there.
CF events are as diverse as fashion shows; VIP nights @ Cream, to Quizgo @ the Cambridge pub and guest speaker and campaigning events and all are welcome to get in touch.
Mark Cotterell (Area Chairman, Merseyside CF 2004 - 2007)
Posted by: Mark Cotterell | October 22, 2007 at 17:43
Blogger 'Dave' makes a fair point and I'm aware that a couple of cf members have raised the same point; but, that doesn't detract from the good work 'Captain' Dave has done, over many years. [He's not running for council, let alone PM, remember]
I should, perhaps point out, however, that the Party in Liverpool (and cf in particular) is certainly gay-friendly. Our new chairman, lives in Stanley Street [for non-locals, the City Council has designated this the City's Queer Quarter] and whilst he isn't gay, he'd hardly live in a pink street, adorned with rainbow flags, if he was homophobic.
Our last 2 City Councillors were gay or gay-friendly. Around 20% of our 30 candidates have happened to be gay, in the past 2 years.
But, we choose candidates on merit. This is the same answer I gave to a Labour Student, who asked me how many "black candidates" we had. We don't have black candidates simply because they are black, in the same way we don't have 3 female PPCs in Merseyside, because they're women. [I'm in danger of straying off the subject - into an anti-Liberal/left PC rant - but I look forward to seeing Debi Jones; Esther McVey and Brenda Porter returned as MPs representing Merseyside seats. All hard-working Scousers - that's Liverpool-born, to those who don't like the phrase]
Anyway, back to the point - in short, our Party will always have some 'fundamentalists' who take the Ann Widdecombe stance on moral issues; but, I'd argue that that's largely a generational thing and that most under 30s aren't hostile to any minority group.
I would point out though, that the only leaflets I've seen taking a 'fundamentalist' stance in Liverpool in the past decade or two - on issues such as abortion - have come from Labour and the LibDems and not ourselves.
Incidentally, for the most racist/sexist/homophobic world view in Liverpool, just canvass an ex Labour voter in Vauxhall or Norris Green!
Posted by: Mark Cotterell | October 25, 2007 at 17:17
Mr Cottrell! I was one of those Labour STudents u refer to in such a derrogatory way! I demand a recount!! ;-p i meant to ask u where did u get all ur votes from the yr u put up nick bull4 president? i think he did law with u but even with them the rugby team christian union peeps i still dont see how he manged over 600 votes? in ur list u forgot stanley vyce think he was ur young turk in 2004? that can wait for a separate posting but why do tories have sill ynames? michael denzil xavier portillo, michael dibdin heseltine etc. are u still in touch with sheindel or jonah? also dont forgot some of us opposed tuition fees2 it wasnt just u & the lie dems!! didnt know chris grayling was ur lpool guy i hope u do as well as his seat in epsom where u have 1 councillor!! ;-p knock out a lie dem 4me i heard marbrow lost his seat i had a party!!
Posted by: Jo | November 14, 2007 at 17:28