The Rock Blog

We need to be much savvier in promoting the Conservative cause: just pushing leaflets through doors is not enough to convince many people. We need to deliver a public, social conscience. Elections are won on a local basis: by showing that the Conservatives are involved in local issues means we can genuinely show our best, most progressive side. Conservatism promotes influence at a local level; social action shows how it can be done.

As an organisation we have made good ground this year for social action; examples include the social action project at Party Conference, leg-waxing in Keele, Poppy selling in London, and the ‘Surpise Supplies’ initiative that I am doing with UCL CF (above picture).

On the ‘National Days’ we will also get CF members involved with social action projects:

• The Area Chairman will work to find local projects for the local members to get involved with on the National Day.
• This also allows the CF branches to build links with the project enabling them to possibly help or more than one occasion.
• Having the power and choice back with the Area Chairman allows us to make a difference with these projects, and not just a one-off photo op.

CF is not just for delivering leaflets; CF should be about spreading the positive message and image of Conservatism. We should see every project we become involved with as another advert for the positives in politics.

If Conservative Future is to grow into a mainstream political force, we need to develop from our standing as the dominant youth organisation and start delivering the message of Conservatism on a much bigger scale, to a much larger audience. We are not going to convert the apathetic solely by pushing ‘In Touch’ through letterboxes. This approach is not even engaging the majority of CF members.

One question frequently asked by people is just how much influence does Conservative Future have? The answer is, really, not a great deal, but it ought to. One field into which Conservative Future needs to develop if it is to increase its influence is protesting. We ought to be truly on the frontlines of twenty-first century politics.

A typical example of such an opportunity is the referendum on the EU Constitution we were promised by Labour. We, the people, have been cheated out of this. We were partly to blame. Conservative Future did nothing to put pressure upon Labour to deliver on their pledge. Our leadership at national level failed to seize, or even recognize, the opportunity.

Second chances in politics are somewhat rare, and yet we have been given one – and we’re still failing to seize it. Referenda are being held all over the country as an act of protest. Conservative Future is ideally placed to get involved with these, by promoting them, and make the Conservative case for a ‘No’ vote. It is after all in our Party’s manifesto! Instead, though, we’re doing nothing. Again.

Conservative Future ought to place protesting and law-abiding demonstration at the heart of its remit, along with campaigning for our candidates, and social action projects in our local communities. All three approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, but their combined effect will be to dominate through education the political discourse and ensure that our voice is perceived as the voice of reason.