Dont wipe out the Tory Ground Troops.

Read my article about Conservative Party membership in today's "Daily Telegraph"

Conservative Election Expenses

Time for the Conservative Party to come clean on by-election expenses.

John Straffords interview on Channel 4 news 25 February 2016

The Eurozone by Roger Kendrick

COPOV has no view on whether we should vote "Remain" or "Leave" in the European Union Referendum, but we do encourage debate, so all the views on this site relating to the Referendum are personal.

See a very clear explanation of the Eurozone expressed in terms we can all understand.

Give more than 100%?

What Makes 100% ?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%.

How about achieving 103%?

What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K  
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But ,

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,  

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%  

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%  

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that while Hard work   and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude   will get you there.
Its the   Bullshit   and   Ass Kissing that will put you over the top.  
Now you know why some people are where they are!

 

Cameron - Dictator or Leader?

David Cameron gave a message to Conservative Members of Parliament on Wednesday 3^rd February on how to vote in the EU referendum - “Members should not take a view because of what their constituency association might say or because they are worried about a boundary review.”   Yet these are the constituency associations which work their guts out at election time to ensure that Conservative MPs are elected.

Once again Cameron has shown contempt for the Party membership.   He just does not understand the difference between Leadership and Dictatorship.   We have been here before.   Remember the “A” list of candidates, gay marriage to name but two issues where the views of members were ignored.

The Conservative Party has a tribal instinct.   It likes a strong Leader but the Leader must listen to the members before taking a major decision.   If he does that the members will continue to follow the Leader even when they have disagreed with him.   At least they have had their say.    A Dictator doesn’t listen but just says ”This is my decision, take it or leave it.   I am not interested in what party members think”.

The decision as to whether this country remains in the European Union or leaves is the most important decision we face today, and yet within the Conservative Party there has been no debate.   No motion was tabled at the Party Conference at which members could express their views – in fact there are no longer any forums within the Conservative Party at which ordinary members can express their views to the Leadership.

Is it any wonder that Party membership is at an all time low.   The Conservative Party is the only major party which has not increased its membership since the General Election.   Membership is about 135,000 of which about 10% are active members (mainly Councillors and their families).  Compare this with the Scottish National Party which has a membership of 110,000 and only fights 59 seats in the Westminster parliament.   To fight a ground campaign at a General Election on a National basis the Conservative Party would need 1,000,000 members.

   One final point, in the EU referendum, whichever way the electorate vote there will be a substantial minority perhaps as many as 10 million who will be bitterly disappointed and who may have voted against their Party for the first time.   They will be deciding which political party to support in the future.   After the Scottish referendum the Scottish National Party attracted huge support in spite of losing the referendum.   Which party will the disappointed turn to after the European referendum – one of the major parties or one of the new parties?.   What is for sure is that we are moving towards a major shake-up in British politics and it will be those parties which are democratic which are likely to be the beneficiaries.   It will be those parties where the Leader listens to their members that will win.   By telling Conservative MPs to ignore their Constituency Associations Cameron is telling them to act as Dictators.   Perhaps when selection of candidates comes up after the Boundary Commission Review, party members might just remember that.

It is reported that 70% of Conservative Party members are in favour of leaving the European Union.   If the vote in the referendum goes against them they will form a huge pond in which other political parties will fish.   The kaleidoscope of party membership will be shaken.   How will it fall?

What is certain is that if a political party loses it’s membership it will in due course cease to exist.   Interesting times!

Grass Roots letter in The Sunday Telegraph Feb 7th 2016

As Conservative Party members and supporters, we were proud to campaign for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union during the 2015 general election. It was a historic opportunity to secure a democratic vote for the British public on this vital matter.

The goodwill of the Prime Minister committing to a referendum has been undermined by his comments this week in the House of Commons urging his MPs to ignore the views of members of the Conservative Party and its associations. It was through the dedication and hard work of Conservative Party members that David Cameron secured the majority he needed to form a government. Grassroots Conservatives pounded the streets in all weather, knocking on doors, running street stalls and raising money to ensure that their Conservative candidates were elected and Mr Cameron would secure a Conservative majority. It is deeply regrettable that the Prime Minister dismisses the very people who helped secure his victory, and he should remember that no prime minister has a divine right to rule.

The EU referendum is a testing time for the Conservative Party as it evokes such passionate views on both sides of the debate. We urge Mr Cameron to accept that loyal Conservative Party members want the opportunity for a balanced debate and that he and his colleagues should listen to the views expressed by all at the grassroots.

We urge the Prime Minister to refrain from showing any disrespect to the loyal servants who helped him win a majority government.

Ed Costelloe
Chairman, Grassroots Conservatives
Somerton and Frome
David Allen
Gillingham and Rainham.
Colin Aylin
Stevenage
Raymond Cade
Heathfield
Diarmid Campbell
Bromsgrove
Alan Chapman
Shipley
James Cheetham
Orpington
Andrew Clift
Orpington
Paul Diamond
Cambridge
Mary Douglas
Salisbury
Stewart and Sheila Drennan 
Bexhill and Battle
Matt Ewart
South Staffordshire
John Fifield
Weaver Vale
Robert Flunder
Brentwood and Ongar
Richard Fontes
Wrexham
Guy Hordern
Edgbaston
Kath Howell
Loughborough
Ian Hunter
Colchester and North Essex
Paul Jemetta
Horsham
Ros Jump
Haltemprice and Howden
Arthur Kay
Bexhill and Battle
Anthea Kemp
Somerton and Frome
Jeremy Knapp
South Suffolk
Roger Lomas
Fermanagh and Tyrone
Richard Mackenzie
Kingston upon Hull North
Gladys Macrae
Chippenham
Anne Meek
Rutland and Melton
Delyth Miles
Clacton
Bob Moore
Bexley
Andrew Nicholas
Enfield
Pam Notcutt
Beckenham
Tony Partridge
Clwyd South
John Sharp
Haltemprice and Howden
John Sheldon
Esher and Walton
William Stebbings
Tewksbury
Peter Steveney
Thirsk and Malton
John Strafford
Beaconsfield
Tony Tucker
Edinburgh North and Leith
Geoffrey Vero
Surrey Heath
John Waine
Nuneaton
John Wilkinson
Hastings and Rye
John Winter
Scarborough and Whitby
Ken Worthy
Esher and Walton

The Grass Roots in Sunday Telegraph 7th Feb 2016

Cameron and the "grass roots" update - todays Daily Telegraph

From "The Daily Telegraph" 6th February 2016

"John Strafford, a former association chairman, who now runs the Campaign for Conservative Democracy said the "obvious home for disgruntled Conservatives will be UKIP".   He said "For a long time Tory party members have supported leaving the European Union and unless Cameron pulls a rabbit out of the hat they are going to vote against him.
"These members who have been Conservatives for most of their lives will have to vote against their party for the first time.   But once you start voting against your party you lose your attachment to it and when you lose your attachment you start looking around"

COPOV Forum 20th February

See Events

Cameron and the "grass roots".

David Cameron gave a message to Conservative Members of Parliament on Wednesday 3^rd February on how to vote in the EU referendum - “Members should not take a view because of what their constituency association might say or because they are worried about a boundary review.”  

This is what "The Times" said today:

"John Strafford, chairman of the Campaign for Conservative Democracy, accused the prime minister of acting like a dictator.   He said that the Tory leadership had shown "continuous contempt" for party members.

"The essence of leadership is to listen to your followers and then take a decision," he said.   "The essence of dictatorship is to tell your followers what is going to happen". I am afraid Cameron has moved into the latter position of dictator.   What he should always remember is that the party members are the ones that put Conservative MPs into their position.   If you don't listen to them they will react."