The Rock Blog

I would like to thank everyone who has supported and helped me during my campaign for National Chairman of Conservative Future. It’s been an honour and a privilege to be welcomed to so many events and have such a great response, mostly(!), to my plans. I sincerely hope I can keep in touch with everyone I’ve met and hopefully help you all to improve CF!

Whilst it has been hard work, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the entire campaign. We seem to forget during elections that CF should be fun! CF is a social organisation - you join to learn about politics, but also to socialise and how fun with your peers. Although I want to make serious changes to improve CF I have had great fun during the campaign - “Come up with a slogan that Rocks” being a good example. I include a link which many members may enjoy!

And, of course, I hope I win so we can start to build CF into a bigger, better and bolder organisation. I think my campaign has offered the best analysis of CF’s present state, the best solutions and the best approach to running an election campaign: honest, open and clean.

If any other candidate wins, I have always said I will offer them my support and my manifesto is theirs to implement. Best of luck to all the candidates for Tuesday and I hope whoever is elected, delivers success and improvement to CF.

This is essentially a ‘wrapping-up’ post for the campaign. No matter what the outcome is, I owe an enormous amount to the following people who have been involved in my team for what has been nearly eight months:

Richard Jackson
Martin Hewitt
Sophia Rock
Without a doubt, three of the finest, most patient, most supportive and talented individuals I have ever known and ever will know. None of you will ever know how grateful I am, thank you.

Ed Hallam
Laura-Rose Saunders
Considering I didn’t know either Ed or Laura before my campaign started, I am still overawed at the effort they have put in to help me. Once again, I am indebted to you both.

Starbuck Coleman
Patrick Sullivan
Owen Meredith
Paul Rogers
Tim Aker
Nick Vaughan
Amanda O’Brien
Chris Ford
Mehreen Malik
Sam Billett
Bethany Lightley
As friends, you have all helped me through some of the trickier moments!

Everyone who changed their Facebook profiles to my badge, joined my groups and have sent messages of support!

The list I posted of supporters really is a roll call of individuals who are an immense credit to CF, the Party and themselves. I, once again, offer my thanks to all the Branch and Area Chairs, the University Presidents and members who have made the last six months a blast. I will offer you all any support I can, whenever it is needed. You are all brilliant!

Finally, anyone who has voted for me, listened to me, hosted an event I’ve attended or randomly asked me questions then I offer you my thanks! It’s been a tremendous experience and I hope the result doesn’t undermine your efforts and support. I am thankful for every moment of time you have given over to my campaign.

As fitting, we are celebrating on Tuesday, regardless of the result! I invite you all to celebrate the end of the elections at Potion on Malet Street (from 6pm), then to a UCL Question Time event then back to Potion. If I just went to one event, it would be an entirely inappropriate end to the Rock4CF campaign!

Many thanks and best wishes for the future,
Michael David Rock

Obviously all higher education branches are located within a constituency and most will have ‘links’ to a close association. The type of help the local association gives differs from money and rooms to nothing at all!

To improve membership retention, it is vital that we create a link between the branch and the association so that members have somewhere to go when they leave higher education and ‘Student Life’. This will involve the Area Chairman needing to make contact the local associations and finding out what help can be given.

At UCL, we send CF members an email when they leave with information about the local association and how to get involved. To often, graduates fall into a vacuum once they leave university and that is both a weakness of CF and the Party. We need to improve communication and engagement with the wider Conservative body.

Alumni clubs and events are often a good way to form bonds local associations with the student body, particularly if the alumni stay in the local area! Often at university level, the step up to association level is not appealing as more often than not association members tend to be on the ‘maturer’ side! Familiar faces are always helpful when approaching a different organisation.

Finally, it is also important that we build a stronger sense of purpose and identity for CF so we don’t suffer from a drain of talent and experience. We need to offer more appealing events to members, address their social needs and choose more relevant locations and functions for the local membership. We should be building a network of friends and contacts within CF and enjoy our time as the present Future!

Throughout my travels around the country I have met many great CF members - working hard every day for our organisation. This is especially true with the Chairmen running branches and Areas. I am very proud to have many of them supporting my bid to become Conservative Future National Chairman (more to come):

Sam Billett - Cities of London & Westminster
Paul Hughes - Dorset
Amanda O’Brien - Deputy Chairman Essex
Mohammed Ali Azeem - City Future Steering Committee
Chris Birks - North East Derbyshire
Serene John-Richards - Tooting
Nathan Cavin - Bristol
Victoria Chamberlain - Deputy Chair and Treasurer for Islington CF
David James Sadler - Saffron Walden
Tim Crockford - Birmingham City

Starbuck Coleman - University College London
Harry Rowe - Loughborough
David Bonner - Lancaster
Marc Stokings - Kent
Rob Goldie - Imperial College London
Amanda O’Brien - Deputy Chairman Essex
Colin Moore - King’s College London
James Deighton - Leicester
Paul Church - London School of Economics
David Bonner - Lancaster
Paul Wells - UEA
Steven Bainbridge - Newcastle
Eleanor Downey - Bristol

Matt Lewis - Staffordshire
Oliver Cooper - London North West
Edward Keene - Nottinghamshire
Hamish Stewart -Deputy Chairman, Nottinghamshire
Laura-Rose Saunders - Deputy Chairman, Bristol & Gloucestershire

Christopher ‘Japers’ Mullan - President-Elect of KCL Student Union
Tobias Lehman - CF Scotland, National Chairman

We are fortunate that many ‘like minded’ organisations have worked with CF members in the past: running training in all areas of political activity, providing opportunities to travel abroad to see other political groups and having a Speakers Panel so that high class speakers can be obtained.

We should utilise their expertise: outsource it to these groups. This will provided professional training to our members and avoid incidents such as the failed Working Life conference last year.

The needs of each member will always vary. Therefore we should offer as much support and opportunities as possible. From my knowledge of the breadth and depth of talent within CF, I imagine courses ranging from media training to canvassing skills to campaign management will all be popular.

Once we improve the information network, we can advertise all events to all of our members. It should be possible to offer regional training, once we establish interest levels. Area Chairs should give feedback to the NME so we develop a history and recommendations list for future CF members.

I don’t live in London so don’t have a vote in the upcoming Mayor of London elections. However, as I studied and work in London, I have seen first hand some of the problems that ‘Red’ Ken has created, exacerbated and not solved. Don’t even get me started on TFL!

The first time I went out canvassing for Boris was at Oxford Circus during the morning rush hour, where I dished out leaflets and the tremendously popular Oyster card holders (if you travel frequently in London, you basically don’t have a choice except to have an Oyster card…don’t get me started…!) It’s a great way to get the message across that the Conservatives are engaged in London issues.

I think Boris is the only Conservative who can outdo Ken in terms of personality and character. Whatever you think of Ken, I’m really not a fan in the slightest, he does connect with Londoners and has a high media profile. Boris can match that and is a great choice for the Conservatives, having the ability to engage people not usually involved in politics through sheer force of personality. I have been fortunate enough to hear Boris’ plans at some of his hustings and events. The substance is there to match the style. I am confident Boris can win and I know a huge amount of supporters and CF activists are helping with the campaign, particularly from the CLWCF branch and across the capital.

If elected, we will co-ordinate a campaign day to help Boris in his campaign. Depending on resources, we could make it a regional day or a national day. My instinct is to keep it as a regional event (for Area 6) but knowing the popularity of Boris amongst students, it might well be advertised across the country, depending on the feedback we get from the AC’s!

Rock4CF and Boris4London!

“The National Convention is some 900 strong with every association chairman (625) plus approx 150 representatives of the 10 regions and 44 areas. There are 100 places for members of recognised organisations. Members of the Board and immediate previous Nat Convention office holders are also members.

The National Convention holds its AGM each Spring and elects its officers who sit on the Board of the Party. It also meets in the autumn for its half yearly meeting. 66% majority of its members are needed for rule changes and in some cases this percentage has to be matched by 66% of MPs.

It provides a focus for views of Party members and acts as a link between the Party Leader and its members.”

Currently CF only gets 42 seats on the 900 strong National Convention. It is important that we have a voice in the convention and that our elected representatives all get to attend. With only 42 seats this is not possible and so if elected I will push to have the number raised to 50 seats for CF.

This may not sound like much, but this will allow every Area Chairman and all members of the NME to attend and take part. A small and simple measure that will greatly increase the accountability of our organisation.

If we are to re-establish CF as a political force then we need to start acting like a serious organisation, showing we can input sound opinions and adding value to our Party. The Party will listen to us if we prove our worth.

Compulsory attendance by all Area Chairmen and NME is a simple measure of accountability; if one member can’t attend then they must organise for a representative.

As the best placed and most experienced business candidate in the CF elections, I will personally adopt the ‘Working Life’ brand as my project. Much of the disillusionment with CF comes from young professionals: CF plays no role in the lives of those who work hard and play hard.

We need to address this by seeking the external knowledge of the business professionals already involved with their immediate circle within CF, people such a Mohammed Ali Azeem who runs City Circle. I have a wealth of experience in business and look forward to promoting these events, where like-minded business people can network and interact.

Working Life needs to have a timetable of regular ‘official’ events (as well as the City branch events). My plans:

• 4 Working Life socials a year in the 6 areas
• 4 Working Life Policy Discussion breakfasts in London
• Trial Working Life Policy Discussion breakfasts in Manchester & Birmingham. If successful we will hold regular breakfasts in the 6 Areas
• Run by Area Chairman with NME member making sure they happen
• Specific ‘Working Life’ events at my CF Conference
• Continue working with ‘City branch’ groups for advice and support

Our current Branch Chairmen constitute an incredible resource that we should utilise far more effectively. We need to leverage the knowledge within CF to further advance and improve our organisation.

Established, experienced branch Chairman and Area Chairman will be paired with new branches. They will act as a contact for help, advice and general support. New branch Chairman will be encouraged to communicate with their ‘CF Consultant’ for advice, localising the support network and avoiding the ‘orders from London’ syndrome.

An example I can use is someone on my campaign team: Richard Jackson who ran the UCL Conservative branch last year is helping the Tooting CF branch - experienced members passing on knowledge thus stopping it from being lost when they leave the organisation. A simple and easy way to improve CF! 

Ballot papers should be arriving through your letterbox today - if you don’t get one call the ERS on 020 8889 9203.

I want to restore the Conservatism in Conservative Future. I will do so through core conservative principles: taking a professional, business-like approach to running our organisation, decentralising power and promoting a broader coalition of conservative-minded people.

My main proposals focus on invigorating and expanding CF, by building up support and influence from the base upwards. I will break the stranglehold of the NME: too much power rests in too few hands. Ordinary CF members, like you and I - outsiders who do the real work, on the ground - should decide how CF is run EVERY day, not just once a year.

I have recorded a short video message to share my views & plans for CF.

I have travelled all over the country, speaking to and meeting members, discussing their concerns, plans and ideas. This dialogue will continue for the rest of the campaign and beyond: you can email at michael@rock4cf.com, phone me on 07903 016809 or leave comments on this website.

The most valuable resource we have in CF is the members and I am determined that CF changes to reflect that. You can view my Business Plan here or view specific policy areas on: CF Conference, CF membership plans, Regionalisation, National Days, CF website, CF Protests, Social action & Democracy in Action tours.

Don’t settle for the same old Conservative Future, let’s return CF to its members, influence and power to a local level and make us the organisation that leads the Conservatives back into power - vote Rock4CF!

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.

The combined offer of free hosting and a functioning template, from MiLon Hosting and the Rock4CF team, has been taken up by many branches across the country. I have demonstrated how to deliver a functioning information led website, through my competence, business experience and knowledge. Websites are promotional tools, but they should also be a reference point for those inside and outside the organisation.

I will take as much influence over the creation of the improved CF website as humanly possible. We need it to be a focal point and I will deliver a much improved version. The main features of the website will be:

• The CF website will primarily be an information source - with up-to-date events (through integrated RSS feeds), news and contact information for branches and people
• The NME and Area Chairman will have to post regularly on the website - ‘post counters’ and other measures to ensure accountability
• Comments facility for members to question the NME and Area Chairman
• A facility, on the website, for members to join Conservative Future
• Online forum for members to share ideas, information and advice
• Guest blogging from CF members (similar to CF Copywriters) to provide knowledge for other members, and to reward the work done by the membership

The website needs to member-oriented, with posts by and for the membership. Most importantly, the website needs to used! Creating a website is never just about the code , its about the users. I’ve already shown how easy it is to get things moving on the web front: I have no doubt the CF website will be one of my personal projects!

We need to make a ‘National Day’ truly national; mini-bussing 20 activists to the opposite end of the country denigrates the impact and effort that CF members put into their constituencies all over the country.

My plans will create a ‘buzz’ for the entire nation, not merely a select few. These plans include:

• On a CF National Day six events will occur in the six areas of the country
• The six events on any ‘National Day’ will be different; some will be campaigning sessions, some social action projects or protests.
• The Area Chairs co-ordinate amongst their region to maximise turnout
• Every CF member can be involved, for less time and cost

This proposal also means will can cover 36 marginal seats a year on the National Days - 24 more than at present! Also, it was devised to increase the chance of repeat campaigning: people will develop an affinity and a relationship with their region and candidate. We should remember all the work our members do, outside of the limelight: the biggest impact we make is at local level.

That simple fact is how we can build momentum behind CF; by building local strength and then combining forces to a deliver a truly national impact.

Today is the day - ballot papers will be going out across the country for 10,000 CF members to vote who they want to be Conservative Future National Chairman. Let’s make this the year when CF members vote for themselves: vote Rock4CF to give CF back to the membership! 

Why vote for Michael Rock? 

I want to restore the Conservatism in Conservative Future.  I will do so through core conservative principles, taking a professional business-like approach to making our organisation bigger, better & bolder!

My main proposal is to invigorate and expand CF, by building up support and influence from the base upwards. This process involves giving more influence and power to the Area Chairs and encouraging a culture of open dialogue and idea-sharing.

My Business Plan for CF covers six areas, which I have gone over in detail on this blog:

• Strong & supported CF branches
• Increasing financial resources for Conservative Future
• The CF website & general communication
• Accountable NME & Area Chairman
• Distguishing CF members
• Conservative Future events & campaigning

Don’t settle from the same old CF, let’s return the bottom-up system to CF and make us the organisation that leads the Conservatives back into power - vote Rock4CF!

What if you do not get a ballot paper?

From the CF website: “If the member can verify their details then they will get a ballot paper. In this regard, ERS will establish a CF election helpdesk – please call 020 8889 9203. This number will be open from 11th February and can be used by Members, who for whatever reason do not get a ballot paper.”

Nominations have now closed and my nomination has been accepted. This now means that I am ‘Officially’ standing to become the next National Chairman of Conservative Future.
 
My plans for CF focus on returning power and influence back to the key people in CF: the Area Chairman, branch Chairman and CF members. I see that out of the possible 43 Area’s we only have 21 filled by candidates - this really is not good enough. Our Area Chairman need to be a pivotal role for CF and the ones driving th organisation ahead. In the last CF year we have had 7 Areas without Chairman. The current NME have been in power for over 18 months and have not been able to fill these. This is tremendously disappointing.

If elected I will aim to fill all Area Chairman roles within one month of the handover. This is key to my plans and will take precedent for the new NME. I have already started to look for possible Area Chairman to speed this process up - these names will be passed onto whoever wins the election. If you are interested, please email me with your details: michael@rock4cf.com
 
I have been campaigning in the CF elections since last September and have thoroughly enjoyed every moment - travelling around the country meeting CF members and enjoying several drinks with you! Very few organisations can offer the spectrum of beliefs and ideas we have in CF, it is a real privilege to be standing and know I have the skills and professionalism to make our organisation great again!

Don’t settle for the same old talk, lets make progressive changes to CF that will improve both our social side and our campaigning force!

Vote Rock4CF!

The most important thing for a Chairman candidate to do, during the CF election, is to visit as many branches as possible. I have learnt so much from visiting CF members across the country and feel it has given me a lot of information when I was putting my Business Plan together. Since September I have been travelling round and meeting you all over the country - I am currently on my way to Lancaster at the moment to meet with members of the University branch!

Throughout this campaign you have been able to keep track my movements through the campaign map here. It is a great way so you can actually see that I am committed to CF and so I can remember where I have been! I am the only Chairman candidate that is actually making this effort, as I believe our most important asset is our members and have drafted my plans for CF with you at the front leading us to power!

Please check out the map and see where I am going to next (green pins) and come along and meet me - I want to try to get to every branch I can. If you want me to come to your branch email me: michael@rock4cf.com 

UPDATE: so far I have been to Newcastle, Hereford, Cheltenham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Blackpool, Lewes, Bournemouth, UCL, Kings, LSE, Imperial, Cities of London & Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Lancaster, Essex, Cambridge, Newcastle & Keele, Croydon, Tooting, Dudley, Birmingham, Stafford, Brentford & Isleworth, Harrow & Richmond. 

More to come…    

I published my Business Plan in its entirety last week, which gives a breakdown of how I will make CF bigger, bolder and better, if elected. Appreciating that many CF members can’t get to any of the Hustings, I am going to publish each section individually so CF members can ask any specific questions they have about that section.

I want CF members to believe that we can improve our organisation. My Business Plan has been written with this in my mind: sound, deliverable plans built on the Conservative priniciples of decentralisation and progressive thinking.

If you are not comfortable asking questions on the blog, please feel free to email me any questions directly to michael@rock4cf.com.

The agenda for the week is:

• Monday (Today)
  Strong & supported Conservative Future branches
• Tuesday
  Increasing financial resources for Conservative Future
• Wednesday
  The Conservative Future website & general communication
• Thursday
  Accountable NME & Area Chairmen & Distinguishing Conservative Future Members
• Friday
  Conservative Future events & campaigning

Today, I will blog the first section on ‘Strong & supported Conservative Future branches’, on the following post.

Enjoy and fire away!

Welcome to the new, improved, Rock4CF campaign site. Yes, its been a while since we launched the first version, we wanted to pack in as many new things as possible for a special re-launch, as well as line up a programme of updates, extensions and features, providing more interesting and flexible ways for you to communicate with me, follow my campaign and read up on what I stand for and why I want to be CF National Chairman.

You should now find it easier to navigate, with the addition of tags for blog posts and divided sections for the Manifesto and upcoming Business Plan. Any comment, feel free to leave a comment on this post or contact me at michael@rock4cf.com.

Please explore the new site, the headline features are a full blog (and obligatory RSS feed), Campaign Trail Map and a new, improved, page providing nice, easy, copy-and-paste code to embed support badges in your website!

Shortly, I will launch my Business Plan, laying out in detail how I plan to implement the theories and concepts illustrated in my Manifesto of Principles. The plan will go up in its entirety, but I will be highlighting a section per day, to give as much scope as possible for comment and discussion.

Onwards and upwards!

Michael