87% of Conservatives members would like Dan Hannan to have prime speaking slot at Party Conference

To Eric Pickles MP, Conservative Party Chairman

Dear Eric,

Thanks for last night's drinks party and for the great crowd you gathered together.  As I was leaving I got caught up in the CS gas incident.  I couldn't quite identify the individual being pinned down by three policeman but did see at least ten police officers running down the corridor to the scene.  Something of an over-reaction?  A party to remember anyway!

But that's not the reason I'm writing to you.

We polled Tory members in our regular survey yesterday and 1,215 people have already voted.  Although the survey is still open, one result is so overwhelming I thought I'd share it with you now.

89% of those polled had watched Dan Hannan MEP's great speech attacking Gordon Brown's record.  87% agreed that Dan should get "a prime speaking slot at this autumn's Conservative Party Conference".

Members don't get much involvement in Party Conferences anymore and so close to a watershed General Election - as the next will be - the need for stage management is understandable but it would be a real treat for the grassroots to hear Dan speak from the main platform this year.  A barnstorming attack on Mr Brown from Dan - clearly a very gifted speaker - could be a great booster for the whole conference.

Could you and the Party Board make this happen?

Best wishes, Tim

Tim Montgomerie

The survey is still open on the Dan Hannan and other questions for those yet to have their say.

Comments

[Sally Roberts]

Tommy @ 10:02 - I'm puzzled as I can't spot anything wrong with your comment either.

Jack -

"Sally and tommy."

Tommy has a capital "T". It's a proper name.

[Michael McGowan]

Sally Roberts, your "reply" to my question was not a reply at all. You simply parroted Peter Buss's lines which can be summed up as: unless the Tory Party panders to the Guardian-reading classes it cannot get elected ....which is nonsense and the certian death of any meaningful centre-right opposition in the UK but probably a view you share. Your infatuation with David Cameron is delusional: how can you describe as a "world-class leader" a man who has never held any significant executive office?

[resident leftie]

Posted by: Tommy | April 01, 2009 at 13:10

"Today, it seems, they are rolling in something else."

And yet they still oppose EU membership!

We'll see - at the moment it's more to do with whether we'll have them or not. If it's agreed, they could join pretty quickly. As members of the EEA, they've already signed up to two thirds of EU law. May as well have a say in the creation of its own laws, eh?

Maybe we should ask the visionary Dan Hannan whether they will join?

[resident leftie]

Posted by: Michael McGowan | April 01, 2009 at 13:37

. Your infatuation with David Cameron is delusional: how can you describe as a "world-class leader" a man who has never held any significant executive office?

You are absolutely right about Cameron, and I think you should take a close look at Hannan's CV, too. He's done nothing but politics.

[17 (jha]

I`m a fan of Daniel Hannan, but if resident leftie`s version of what he said about Iceland is correct he obviously got it completely wrong about that country. My county council, Surrey, still has £21million of our money there and we`ll be lucky to get it back, never mind the interest.

Would anyone with any sense have put money into an Icelandic bank? I certainly wouldn`t. Perhaps Mr. Hannan would like to comment.

[Sally Roberts]

Thank you Michael McGowan - I think I should be known henceforth as "Menagerie Sal"! I have been (let's see now...)
1. A spaniel;
2. A Duck;

and now (fanfare of trumpets)

A PARROT!!

I could make a CHEEP remark in return but then I'd then only get called a CHICKEN!

Frankly the topic of conversation has moved on and I am far more interested in what is going on in the burning City of London.

[Tommy]

"We'll see - at the moment it's more to do with whether we'll have them or not."

Even in these dire straits, the majority still oppose membership. So whether 'we'll have them or not' is irrelevant.

Leaving aside the arguments for/against british membership, there really is no way Iceland could join and remain a (relatively) wealthy nation. It's economy is almost entirely dependent on fisheries, and the CFP would destroy them.

[Super Blue]

Tommy,

"Grammar" does not need a capital G during a sentence,

Stephen