Rock charms the Guardian

Excuse the old news, but TYC must have been having far too much fun at conference to have let this little gem slip under the radar. On the final full day on conference the Guardian ran a brief interview with CF National Chairman Michael Rock entitled “Rock papers over crackpots of Conservative Future’s past” to coincide with CF’s 10th anniversary.

No doubt Rock takes some comfort from the article insofar as it describes him as a “twentysomething”, rather than “raddled and receding” as the Financial Times did a few months ago! Whilst only a superficial profile it’s markedly more positive than the FT was. And certainly the image of playing paper scissors rock with Lady Thatcher is amusingly in character.

More seriously, it does highlight just how far CF can take an activist, noting “the organisation is a conveyor belt to the party. Last year’s chairman is now one of those PPCs and one of deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft’s right-hand women is also a former CF chairman.”

Read it in full here.

Conservative Future at 10

Conservative Party Conference was a busy time for activists, but amongst the training and debates a little time was found to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Conservative Future, the Party’s youth wing.

It was during the reign of William Hague that CF was founded, replacing and unifying the various youth wings of the Party that hitherto existed. Hague returned, flanked by current National Chairman Michael Rock and first National Chairman Donal Blaney, plus other past chairmen, to address the party, celebrating all the successes of Britain’s largest political youth organisation.

Votes at 16? That’ll be a no

In one of the most passionate actual debates of the conference, a panel comprising CF National Chairman Michael Rock and YBF Chief Executive Donal Blaney defeated the motion supported by Oliver Rowlinson (UK Youth Party member) and Paul Carter (head of Kent County Council) calling for the age of voting to be lowered to 16.

It was an example of politics at its best – focused on issues, not party lines. It might sound perverse at first blush for me to adopt the Rock/Blaney ticket, given that the stated aim of this site is to promote youth involvement in politics, but the idea that increasingly the size of the electorate would increase the percentage of electors participating is nonsense. Issues are what bring people into politics, and addressing them is undoubtedly the way to engage the electorate. People don’t vote for many reasons, but one of the commonest is that they feel they can’t change anything. In that respect, issues driven campaigning – such as pressure groups – and not party politics, is the way to enfranchise people.

YBF at Conservative Party Conference

This years conference featured a heavy showing for youth activists.

For the youth of the Conservative Party conference 2008 began a day earlier than billed. On Saturday, ahead of the formal opening rituals, activists from the Party’s youth wing Conservative Future descended early on Birmingham for the start of 24 hours of intensive training. This was a first for the conference, and was run by the Young Britons’ Foundation.

Their heavily attended training – at least 60 activists attended – covered the ‘nuts and bolts’ of political technology – with an emphasis on to how to carry oneself off in the media. This section was especially nerve-racking but crucial, as students were tutored in the art of appearing on camera, being interviewed by nice and not so nice journalists and giving a ‘vox pop’. Whilst many my have felt gauche to being with, after the second or third run through the progress and development was clear to see.

Fana puts her training to work

Later in the week our training paid dividends as numerous students found themselves stopped for vox pops – including this author. After Cameron’s closing keynote speech YBF students Fana and Sahar were stopped for their opinion by The Sun.

For those that missed YBF’s training, they have two more dates this month.

Get Involved Today: Young Conservatives on film

This Thursday, 18th September, in preparation for Conservative Party Conference, and in anticipation of the new Conservative Party website, the Party want to collect a host of short video clips of members explaining why they are a Conservative…and why these times are so exciting for us young people.

The footage will be edited into a film to be shown at Party Conference, and it will also appear on the new website which launches soon.

This is YOUR chance to be a part of that campaign. Come along on Thursday night, get yourself a cocktail in the Millbank Lounge, and see how you scrub up on camera.

More details are available on the event, the venue and how to reach are on the page below:

http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=77288455034

Let’s just hope that the video they produce is as superb as last years was!