Comments on "The Way We Were", Conservative Party Conferences

 Some Comments on "The Way We Were":

Andrew Rosindell MP

Wonderful John, well done! Our traditional Party Conference for the members should be brought back. My first was in 1982. Then we could truly debate the issues and argue about policy. Time to restore that! At least last year the National Anthem at the end of the Conference was restored, having been shamefully scrapped in the early 2000s when woke ideas started to infect the Conservative Party! 

Nicholas Bennet (Former MP)

I went to my first conference in 1970 in Blackpool aged 21. Found a B&B for £12 a night. Not only was there a conference handbook but an addendum with amendments to motions. These included the names of the proposer and seconder. I first spoke at the 1972 conference again in Blackpool (conference alternated between Brighton and later Bournemouth and Blackpool). For impoverished young conservatives the trick was to find fringe meetings with the all important words 'refreshments provided'. For the 1972 conference I went with the late Derek Stone in his van and we arrived in the early hours and slept in it.

The leadership worried about the outcome of the debates and, although the platform chose the speakers, they had to allow Enoch Powell (before he defected to the UUP in 1974) to speak and in the 1990s Norman Tebbit.

Conference was the high point of the political year, hob nobbing with the great figures of the party, meeting up with friends, going for a meal in the evenings and then to the bar at the main conference hotel.

Fortunately in 1984 I had to go back to teach in the Friday so left Brighton after the debates in Thursday afternoon missing the bomb in the Grand Hotel that night.

I last attended conference in 2015. Full of lobbyists and armchair style chats on the stage at Birmingham. Not being a spotty young man on the make any more the fringe meetings and receptions with questionable warm wine no longer appeal.

John Strafford Replies to Nicholas Bennet

Nicholas I also missed the bomb in 1984. I left the bar of the Grand Hotel at 11pm on the Thursday evening to drive home as I had a meeting the following day!

Ben Patterson (Former MEP)

There used to be real debates then. And most of those attending were Conservative Party members - a large number of them YCs - rather than representatives of lobbies, think-tanks, commercial organisations and the press.

Caroline Strafford

My first Conference I attended as Chairman of Chelsea Young Conservatives and was held in Blackpool. Captain Litchfield was our MP and he took all Chelsea attendees to lunch! I was called to speak at one session - I think because my name was Caroline and it was about pirate radio! One evening we had the Mayor's reception, another the CPC lecture, and on another evening the Conference Ball. I can only tell you that the Conference Hall was always packed out for debates and the Agents were busy trying to "fix" for Central Office the one motion to be chosen at Conference by the members. I can remember staying in a bed and breakfast establishment on the sea front and and you had to ask for a bath plug!

Andrew Kennedy

John, I have always been a huge admirer of your courage and steadfast determination in support of democracy and the rights of members and associations. I first heard you speak at the debate for the party to the organise in Ulster - I think it was 1989. In my 40 years of attending Conference, it remains one of the most powerful and effective speeches I have ever heard, including those delivered by Ministers and Secretaries of State. I do hope I will see you both in Manchester.