"I suspect that truly renewing the party will require full scale change."

In his latest column, PopCon Director, Mark Littlewood, takes a look at Conservative Party reform. 

If you’re a Conservative Party member, you may well have received an email from the Party co-chairman, Nigel Huddleston, earlier this week about plans to “build a new army of Conservative candidates”.

If the Tories are serious about returning to government, this is a vital task.

Sure, no voter on the doorstep ever says they won’t be voting Tory because they are dissatisfied with CCHQ’s media training programme for Parliamentary candidates, but that’s beside the point.

If the party can’t field a stunning array of talent in Westminster elections, it is not going to be able to win a general election or form a well-run government.

Over recent days and weeks I have been talking to a good number of Tory activists who are familiar with – or have been through – the Parliamentary selection process.

Although I readily admit that I am stringing together a series of anecdotes rather than having a comprehensive overview or, indeed, any first-hand evidence myself, the stories I have heard add up to a scarcely believable horror story. From psychometric tests asking potential candidates whether they have ever considered murdering their parents to training exercises where people are asked to read an obscure text backwards, the system appears to have gone entirely “off grid”.

I would think any serious political party needs to distinguish very clearly between three different things – vetting, training and selection.

A vetting process is, of course, vital.

But it should be, in theory, straightforward. A criminal record might well exclude an otherwise talented candidate from being considered, for example.  Similarly, any history of expressing repugnant political views could also trigger a veto. There also needs to be consideration given to whether the individual in question has a world view consistent with that of the party they wish to represent. Differences on policy – perhaps even major differences – should not act as a barrier to entry but if someone is seeking a particular coloured rosette as a mere flag of convenience, that should raise alarm bells.

Recent history in the Tory party suggests that you may well fail vetting simply if you’re seen as not being fully aligned with the prevailing agenda of the current party leader or the party establishment. I know at least two individuals in the Conservative Party who a fair-minded individual would think could have the skills to become leader of the party who have been prevented from seeking a berth in the House of Commons.

Training should generally be optional not compulsory.

If a putative candidate shows a stunning range of talents but needs some help polishing their public speaking, they’ll no doubt be keen to do so. Their prospects of being selected will be radically diminished if they don’t. A political party may well find itself able to offer some training itself – but outside agencies can also help here.

Then there’s the question of the selection process.

Any party that aspires to be a genuine grassroots movement needs to give meaningful power to its members to decide who their local representative should be. Help and support might well be provided by national HQ to ensure the process runs smoothly and fairly. Also, there will always be cases where a local association has been put into special measures or has too few members to run any sort of selection process that can be considered properly democratic. But these will be the exceptions. If you run a system whereby those in high command can often influence - or even rig - a selection process to assist “favoured sons and daughters” then expect your voluntary membership base to become disillusioned and melt away.

The challenge facing the Conservatives in rebooting the way candidates are picked is substantial.  I suspect that truly renewing the party will require full scale change.

If you have ideas on how you think the process can be improved, I’d love to hear from you. I also hope you can join me Tuesday 15th April at 7.00 pm to discuss this issue – and others – with Conservative Party co-chairman, Lord (Dominic) Johnson.

Keep the flag of freedom flying.