History of the Conservative Party Constitution Episode 12

January 1998. The establishment try to push through a Constitution which no one has seen! The first ever Constituency Association has been expelled!

With thanks to BBC Around Westminster

History of the Conservative Party Constitution. Episode 11

 History of the Conservative Party Constitution. Episode 11

Do Conservatives remember how they felt after the defeat by Labour in the General Election of 1997? The Candidates for Leadership started lining up!

History of the Conservative Party Constitution - Episode 10

 Nov 1999 Selection of Candidates. The ugly faces of Money and Ethics were raised in the selection of Candidates for the London Mayoral Election. There was a democratic process, however CCHQ allowed the Candidates to spend £80,000 each in their campaigns. Jeffrey Archer spent that on his campaign. This is an obscene amount of money to be spent on an internal Party election and was the forerunner of even larger amounts being spent on future elections. Once again money talks in the Conservative Party. Sensible limits should be imposed for each candidate but you will not find that in the Party Constitution. Archer was a controversial Candidate with a dubious background. CCHQ responsibility is to conduct due diligence. Did they, and if not why not? Why was Archer not referred to the Ethics Committee? Many people thought he should not have been allowed to be the Candidate. Were lessons learnt?

History of the Conservative Party Constitution - Episode 9

 Should the vote on the re-selection of a sitting MP be by secret ballot?

    The Conservative Party Constitution was implemented in 1998, but the arguments as to what should or should not be included in the Constitution continued and are still continuing! A major issue was whether the Executive Council of a Constituency Association should vote on the re-selection of their existing MP by show of hands or by secret ballot. This became an issue in March 1999 when the Henley Constituency Association had to decide on whether Michael Heseltine should be re-selected.

    In 1997 I moved a motion at the meeting of the National Union Executive Committee that "On the re-selection of an MP by the Executive Council of a Constituency Association the vote should be by secret ballot". The motion was carried overwhelmingly. At which point Archie Hamilton who was then the Chairman of the 1922 Committee objected. He said that part of the deal whereby the members of the Party had a vote in the Leadership election, as a quid pro quo the vote on the re-selection of a sitting MP should be taken by a show of hands. (It would be interesting to know who participated in this deal!) The result was that in the new Constitution the decision was taken by a show of hands.

    In 1999 Bryony Bethell who was Chairman of the Buckingham Constituency Association moved a motion at the National Convention that the decision should be taken by secret ballot. The motion was passed and the MPs accepted it. The then MP for Buckingham John Bercow was so annoyed by her action that he ensured that she did not continue as Chairman of the Constituency Association.

This result was a win for the grass roots of the Party, but a loss for Briony Bethell!

History of the Conservative Party Constitution - Episode 8

 At last the Constitution of the Conservative Party is published, but is it a democratic Constitution? See how many assertions were made which turned out to be wrong!

History of the Conservative Party Constitution - Episode 7

 In February 1998 William Hague launched a paper setting out the principles of a democratic Conservative Party Constitution - it was called "Fresh Future".   It raised the hopes of ordinary Party members, only to see those hopes later annihilated.

History of the Conservative Party Constitution Episode 6

 February 1998 William Hague is about to launch a document called "Fresh Future" setting out some principles of a new Constitution for the Conservative Party!"

A History of the Conservative Party Constitution ( Episode 5)

 The 1997 Conservative Party Conference.   "What we want William, what we really, really want!

Essential viewing do not miss this video!

Tory Democracy in action, or is it?

 The following letter has been sent to Conservative Party members in the Buckinghamshire Area inviting ordinary members to stand for election as an officer of the Buckinghamshire Area.   However  unless you are an officer of your Constituency or any other Constituency in the Area you will not be able to attend the meeting at which the vote will take place, or if there is more than one candidate for a position, you will not be able to vote for yourself!

The Area Council should invite every member of the Party to the meeting at which elections take place and each member should have a vote.   That is democracy!

Many years ago, after a Buckinghamshire Area AGM it was announced that that there was one position that there had been no candidate for, so I put my name forward to fill the vacancy.   Guess what? The Establishment very quickly found another person to put their nomination in who was on the Area Executive so was able to stand and vote for herself in the election.    That person was Emma Pidding, now Baroness Pidding who started her long ride up the greasy pole!    I somehow feel that I helped her on the way! 

Subject: Notice of the Buckinghamshire Area Annual General Meeting Dear*********,  Thank you for your continued support of the Party, and any activities through which you actively help the Party, such as campaigning or fundraising.  It is only through our members and volunteers that we can succeed in our ultimate aim of getting Conservatives elected at all levels, across the country. Building a thriving and internally democratic Party is also important, to ensure that we run our own affairs robustly and transparently.  You may be aware that we hold elections at your local Association or Federation level, but we also hold elections at our Area level (which typically cover a whole county, or similar).  The roles of our elected Area teams are to co-ordinate Associations/Federations and take initiatives in respect of: Sharing of resources between Associations; The finance and membership of Associations; The motivation and monitoring of the performance of Associations; The management and training of Officers of Associations; Campaigning and Conservative representation in National, and Local Government elections; Matters relating to Local Government; Assisting elected representatives and the professional staff with the co-ordination of local media relations; Resolving disputes within Associations and Branches thereof, including the investigation of breaches of Rules of Associations; The provision of assistance to, and the undertaking of activities within a Supported Association; Preparing and submitting to the Board an annual report on the activities of each Association within the Area.  Beyond these formal roles, Area Officers play an important role in representing the views of members upwards to your Regional team, and onwards to the Party Board, Chairman and Leader.  If you are interested in standing for one of the three Area Officer roles for this Area (Chairman; Deputy Chairman Membership; or Deputy Chairman Political), you will need the support of two senior officers from either your own local Association or one of the others in the Area.  You may contact them directly if you wish, or reply to this email (mario@mariocreatura.org.uk) and I can put you in contact. The Area AGM will take place on Monday 28th September 2026, therefore the deadline for valid nominations is no later than 6pm on Monday 21st September 2026.  Only valid members of the Area Executive Council may attend the AGM, and have a vote

Yours sincerely,   Mario Creatura Deputy Chairman of South East of England

A History of the Conservative Party Constitution (Episode 4).

 The week before the 1997 Party Conference.   The Proposed Party Constitution is leaked!   See what the late, great Ann Widdecombe thought about it, what Archie Norman thinks it will contain. William Hague is confirmed as Party Leader, the one and only time a Party Leader has been confirmed by all the members of the Party!

Essential viewing to see how the Tory Party works!