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ConservativeFuture.com has a five minute interview with David Cameron this morning. On the all important question as to why one should get involved with organisations such as CF, Cameron answers:
“Rarely has the country needed change as badly as it does now. Given the scale of the challenge we face – first the electoral arithmetic to win the election and then the mess we will have to sort out if we do – we need every hand to the pump. That means everyone who shares the views of the modern Conservative Party should be getting involved. There’s a vital role to play for everyone.“
You heard the man – to arms, Conservatives!
Tarasyn is back asking the questions with her first interview of 2009. This week she sits down with perhaps the centre-right’s most famous blogger – Iain Dale, who has some tips for public speaking and appearing on camera.
Iain Dale is one of Britain’s leading political commentators, with an impressive political record which ranges from writing on politics for the Daily Telegraph to publishing Total Politics magazine and standing for Parliament. What stands out about Iain is his representation of the modern Conservative Party in the media dominated age. I was interested to know what motivated Iain, and what we should expect next from him.
TheYoungConservative: Iain, as not only a writer, speaker and broadcaster, but also author of one of the most popular blogs in politics, what would you say is the key to a successful blog?
Iain Dale: Every blog is different, but I think keeping it quite personal is important. Effectively you’re building a little community, and sure, your readers want to read your viewpoint on various issues, but they quite like knowing a bit about you too. Regular posting is also important. I post generally about 5-10 times a day, and if I go for a few hours without posting anything I often get emails complaining – which is nice! But if you are a councillor it’s different. Most bloggers don’t need to post as often as I do.
TYC: How do you fit in the time to do it?!
ID: People imagine I spend hours blogging, whereas the truth is I do not. I probably spend an hour a day on it. If there’s a major political story running that might increase, but I do not spend every waking hour poring over a keyboard, contrary to popular rumour.
TYC: As a former financial journalist with Lloyd’s List, you must have a strong understanding of what is happening to the economy at the moment. Do you jump on the bandwagon of the Conservative Party and blame Gordon Brown, or do you see the situation we are in as inevitable no matter who is in government?
ID: While it is true that other countries are also affected by the credit crunch and a global downturn, ours is going to be worse than most, mainly because of this government’s economic and regulatory mismanagement over the last twelve years. The Conservative Party shouldn’t be afraid of saying so. They [Labour] had enough warnings about debt getting out of control, but their hubris knows no bounds.
TYC: How long do you see us in this crisis for? Should we worry as much as the BBC is telling us we should?
ID: Yes we should. I think this recession will be far deeper and far longer than any downturn I have experienced in my adult life. The next government is going to inherit a basket case of an economy. We can certainly forget about sharing the proceeds of growth and there won’t be any for some time. Even when it returns it will be incredibly fragile.
TYC: You have recently been signed up to the Specialist Speakers Bureau, and there is no doubt that you are talented when it come to public speaking, or even firing interview questions from behind the camera. Is this a learned art?
ID: To an extent, yes. I have never thought of myself as a very good public speaker. Parts of it do come naturally, but there are lots of tricks you can learn if you have an open mind and have the right people to learn from. Interacting with an audience is a key part of successful public speaking. I never understand politicians who think they can just arrive at an event, give a speech and then bugger off again. You need to meet your audience beforehand so you can bounce off them and work out how to make them laugh. If you can get them laughing in the first minute you’re on your way.
TYC: Top tips for anyone facing a political grilling live on camera?
ID: Don’t try to act, or play the part you think you are expected to play. Be yourself. If it’s pre-recorded don’t be afraid to ask to do it again if you are not satisfied with your answer. Try to smile. The person watching is probably taking more notice of you visually than to what you are saying. Don’t be intimidated by a famous interviewer and always ask what the programme requires. Generally, if it’s for a news bulletin you will get a 20 second clip, so try to speak in sentences and give them the sound-bite they want.
TYC: Anyone in politics at the moment you think could particularly benefit from taking these tips on board?
ID: So many politicians are incredibly bad on TV. You would think they would be more receptive to media training but most of them think they know it all. They don’t. Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper are dreadful on TV yet they clearly think they are brilliant at it.
TYC: What other political blogs do you read?
ID: My favourites are Dizzy, Guido, ConHome, Labour MP Tom Harris, Ben Brogan, Paul Waugh and Donal Blaney. But I have RSS feeds on about 250 blogs to enable me to compile my Daley Dozen list of the 12 best blogposts of the day. I now get people begging me to include them as they know they will get several hundred hits as a result!
TYC: You stood as a Conservative candidate at the last election – do you see yourself standing for Parliament again?
ID: I’m not sure to be honest. I am still on the Candidate’s List, but I haven’t applied for anything for more than a year 
now. Starting a new business like Total Politics is very time consuming and it wouldn’t be fair on the business to have been applying. However, the political virus never quite goes away and if the right seat came up in 2009, who knows? But I feel it is probably unlikely now.
TYC: Is becoming an elected official one of your goals?
ID: I would have loved to have been an MP, but if it doesn’t happen so be it. I’m suspicious of people who are obsessed by it. There are other things in life.
TYC: How did the idea of Total Politics come about?
ID: I thought there was a gap in the market which needed to be filled. I think that people interested in politics are very badly served by the magazine market. There’s only really the Spectator and the New Statesman. Both are fine magazine, but they don’t really cater for that group of people to whom politics is a lifestyle.
TYC: And finally, what are your New Year resolutions for 2009?
To lose more weight, to be less knee-jerk on my blog, to spend less money and to be nicer to people!
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone from your branch or organisation to be interviewed on TheYoungConservative please contact us at edward@theyoungconservative.co.uk or tarasyn@theyoungconservative.co.uk
Tarasyn interviews Bow Group Chairman and Hazel Grove PPC Annesley Abercorn, 24, discussing his love of the quintessentially British, his deep concern for social justice, rebuilding of the EU, and reflections on youth politics.
TheYoungConservative: It seems Conservative politics is in your blood, from being on the National Executive for CF, Chairman LWCF, Deputy Chairman of Brent East Conservative Association, and you were the local candidate for the London Borough of Brent. How did you get the political bug? Did you come from a very Conservative background?
Annesley Abercorn: My parents, although Conservative, were not that political so they had no affect really. I was always interested in politics from a distance and kept up to date with current affairs and what not. It wasn’t until my A levels when I studied Politics that I was then encouraged by my teachers to get more involved.
I ran a mock election at my school in 2001. It was actually at that time when my local PPC, Jason Hollands, found one of my leaflets washed up by a car. He contacted me asking if I wanted to get involved with his campaign, and it all went on from there. If it wasn’t for that phone call, I may have never of gone into politics.
TYC: Well that’s one positive from people dropping Conservative literature! You plan to win Hazel Grove, which is currently Lib Dem Andrew Stunnell MP’s seat. You emphasize that with the right ‘energetic campaign’ Hazel Grove can be won for the Conservatives – explain what you mean.
AA: The Hazel Grove area has been neglected by the Conservatives for many years, due to too little in the way of resources and enthusiasm. From this the Lib Dems took advantage and the local MP managed to infringe himself onto the community. However, the mood is now changing with a want for change both locally and governmentally.
This is by no means enough; the old classics never loose their strength – from literature to canvassing. Some areas of Hazel Grove had not been canvassed for 10-15 years, and many residents when I started canvassing said it was simply a joy to see someone out and about. I plan to cover over 90% of my constituency by the next election, whether it is in 2009 or 2010.
It is also crucial to put young people forward and get them engaged. We have a local CF that is being set up. Plus, visits from Shadow Ministers helps to get Press, not to mention my red double decker bus – it certainly stands out and the residents love it!
In a nutshell it is about: canvassing, visual ability and raising the profile of my campaign.
TYC: What are your main plans for Hazel Grove now, and if you are elected its MP?
AA: Many residents are annoyed at the rate of council tax, for which they get little benefit for. Hazel Grove is quite affluent so there is less demand for social welfare.
There is a big demand for the A6 relief road, a plan put forward by the Conservatives in 1997 but then rejected by the Lib Dems. It is a big problem, people are using back roads around residential areas and it is simply not feasible.
On a wider scale, with the sheer hostility towards Labour at the moment, people are worried if they vote Lib Dem then Labour might get in. With stealth taxes and the state becoming a burden, people are now seeing the Conservatives as a real alternative.
Back to core local issues, there is also concern about some local school closures, not to mention the state of some of the roads in the residential areas!
TYC: On a wider scale you have expressed that you are a strong patriot, wanting to preserve the country’s institutions and rich heritage; I take it from this you are not a supporter of the EU?!
AA: I think we need to start from scratch with Europe, it can be made to work. Elements from it such as free trade and common interest such as the environment are all positives and the answer to the problems are really to make it more simplistic.
When it comes to our own laws we should be the ones to decide, not a undemocratic elected person who is miles away. A single currency will not work either.
I am not a Eurosceptic, but I do think when the Conservatives come into government there should be a referendum of the Lisbon treaty. Then we can resolve the problem once and for all!
TYC: You are the Chairman of the Bow Group, which is one the most influential and leading centre of right think tanks. For someone new to the Bow Group, how would you describe what it is, does and its aims?
AA: The Bow Group is a strong think tank with a rich heritage, and has been especially strong since Michael Howard’s time with the group in the 1980s. Its members really can shape the political agenda, and the group has big respect from the party.
The group moves to influence the media and Conservative policy agenda, as well as creating a platform for debate. The group’s ideas literally can find their way onto the Shadow Cabinet’s table.
TYC: Is it true you are planning to regionalize the Bow Group a bit?
AA: Yes. Although our members are from all over a country, we have a vast majority stationed in London. We want to reach out into universities and get younger members engaged with the group whilst they are still studying; they are after all the future of the Bow Group.
TYC: Well we certainly support that! It says on your Conservative party profile that you are a big supporter of Iain Duncan-Smith and the Centre for Social Justice. If you became MP for Hazel Grove, would you consider doing the inner city challenge?!
AA: Yes defiantly. I am currently trying to organize a Social Action project in Hazel Grove. For example, a church hall or reconstruction. I don’t want to make it political, just hard work with a team of people for a few days and it is amazing what you can do for your local community.
TYC: What are the key social issues in Hazel Grove at the moment?
AA: There are areas of deprivation and people living in relative poverty with very low incomes. There are also some drug and alcohol issues. I want to help and encourage people to find a job, get a skill and work up. We can get them not depending on the state and try and help them gain the confidence in believing that they can earn and be more than that.
TYC: What is your analysis of the recent US elections?
AA: I think the results were a lot closer than the media made out. Obama connects very well to the US population and has made history by definition. We celebrate that a lot of people who were disinterested in politics, and thus not voting, now are. I don’t think he will be judged as harshly as his predecessors due to his already historical presidency; this will be talked about for generations.
McCain was very gracious in his defeat and it was always going to be hard for him to win. I was undecided who I supported to the very end, but I do think Obama is a force for good.
TYC: As a former NME member looking at CF today, what do you think are its biggest flaws and limitations? How can we entice more young people into CF and how could the central Party support CF better?
AA: Although people under thirty who join the party are automatically a member for the CF, doesn’t mean they get involved. More needs to be done to engage people, not just in London but all over the place. A less cliquey feel, as current committees will get older and move on, is important to pump the new generation through. We need to mobilize members who are not involved, bring events out of London – things like guest speakers and even celebrities are a great attraction.
I remember when I went to my first CF event. It was very daunting and I didn’t really know anyone, and that can be very off-putting. It is important to engage new people.
You can follow Annesley’s campaign and get involved on Facebook.
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone from your branch or organisation to be interviewed on TheYoungConservative please contact us at edward@theyoungconservative.co.uk or tarasyn@theyoungconservative.co.uk
We met Birmingham activist Sahar, a Tory of Iranian descent, at Conservative Party Conference 2008, and were struck by everything from her fervour to her ease on camera.
TheYoungConservative: Sahar, this was your first Tory conference, tell us a bit about your background.
Sahar Rezazadeh: I’m currently a student at the University of Birmingham reading Political Science. I was born and bred in Birmingham.
TYC: In your opinion, what makes you a Conservative and which policy areas are you most interested in?
SR: I am an ideologically conservative person so the foundations of conservative thought, like family values, social responsibility, strong communities and so on really hit home. I am definitely against the nanny state and would like to see the state playing a smaller role in our lives. I feel that people can be trusted to take decisions for themselves rather than rely on the government to decide for them. I think it’s crucial that we all learn to take control of our own lives because it is when we start relying on others to make decisions for us that we lose authority over our lives and this has many knock-on effects.
TYC: You also attended your first Young Britons’ Foundation training on the Saturday and Sunday of conference. How useful was this to you? Would you recommend it to others?
SR: I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and was able to learn a lot of new tricks of the trade. Donal gave us some great tips on how to communicate our ideas well and efficiently primarily through keeping the audience engaged. I was delighted to meet Shane Greer, he is a fantastic speaker so it was really helpful to have him there. The practical training was a surprise for me since I was not aware of it but that only made the experience more exciting. It was great! I sure would recommend the training session to anyone who is considering to become a public figure at some point, particularly if you are looking to be a politician.
TYC: For you, what was the highlight of Conference?
SR: That’s a difficult question you ask Edward. Every moment of the conference was a new experience for me and that is a huge highlight in itself. It was very professional, interactive and well-organized with a powerful message.
The conference was a great opportunity for me to meet other like-minded people, create links and become further involved with Conservative Future and the University Of Birmingham Conservatives which I am really looking forward to.
TYC: Outside of the Conservative Party what is your involvement in politics?
SR: I have been politically involved since the early stages of my teenage years. My first ‘political encounter’ was at Secondary School at the age of 12 as I stood for the Conservative candidate in our school mock elections. It was such a great experience for a young teen, having my own secretary, campaign team, was exciting. The ups and downs I experienced during my campaigning were pretty stressful for a 12 year old, I must say, but I got through it in the end coming third which was really an achievement considering all the propaganda I was faced with from the left. It was my history teacher who organised the school mock election. We don’t sit on the same side of the political spectrum so we have engaged in exciting discussions throughout my secondary school years.. I would like to pay my tribute to her here because Miss Evans, you are an absolute legend!
In 2006, I got involved with the UK Youth Parliament and was an elected member for two terms. I have a lot of passion for youth issues and feel that we certainly need to put young people first in some key policy areas. As a result, I’ve been largely politically active as a ‘youth activist’, representing the views of young people on many levels. I represented the young people of Birmingham at the Core Cities Summit in 2006 where I spoke of the issue of governance for the young people of the core cities. I attended the World Youth Congress this Summer in Laval University as the young English delegate.
I have mostly been active locally, in Birmingham. Recently, we had the launching of the Birmingham Children and Young People’s Parliament and this is a project that I have been involved in since its very early stages. The structure aims to enable young people to have direct access to the decision makers in the city and therefore find the solutions to their problems more efficiently. Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe and so there is a lot of youth’led development throughout the city but the projects are fragmented and there has been no previous structure to bring the work of children and young people together. This new BCYPP structure aims to do just that! At this point, we want as many young people as possible to be aware of this new structure in the city but it has been a great success so far with a lot of support from the Birmingham City Council.
Watch Sahar’s speech at the launch of the Birmingham Children and Young People’s Parliament:
TYC: You had a few good-natured exchanges with neo-con Douglas Murray during the conference. How do you think the West should approach Iran?
SR: Well Edward, I can say that one of the highlights of the Conference was also meeting Douglas Murray! He is such an interesting person to speak with. I really do admire his character and appreciate his views in some key social areas. I look forward to engaging in more discussions with him.
The Iranian Question is a complicated one because what we should do, that we do not often do in politics, is look at situations from every angle. So in this case, we should look at the Iranian perspective as well as the Western perspective and find a middle ground that benefits and addresses the concerns of both sides. It is very challenging and this is why I feel that its a complex issue to address.
Nonetheless, with all that said, I would like to see the West showing respect for the cultural and historical heritage of Iran and also for the Iranian people who want what we all would want for our countries- prosperity and advancement. I guess this is why the Nuclear Program is so close to their hearts and we must show that we comprehend this.
TYC: You were involved with the UK Youth Parliament. What’s the actual purpose of the UKYP, and how did you become involved with it?
SR: The UK Youth Parliament is an organisation that aims to empower young people from the ages of 11-18 in becoming actively engaged in their local communities and giving them the support they need in order to bring about change that would benefit the young people around them. The organisation has grown so much in the years since it early stages and I find it a great success, an excellent way of bringing young people together to work on issues they feel strongly about, make their mark and gain a lot of experience on the way.
I found out about the organisation through my mother and got involved with them at the age of 15 as I stood as a candidate for Birmingham. I had a successful campaign and so was elected as one of the five MYPs of Birmingham. I am really glad that I had the chance to serve as a Member of the Youth Parliament because I grew so much with it.
TYC: How do you see your political activism developing in the future? Any ambitions you’d care to share?
SR: I’m really passionate about Conservatism so I would like my political activism to develop and I’d like to pursue a career dedicated to the Conservative cause. I would like to see more and more people understanding what the Conservatives stand for and sharing our values.
I find that Conservative values are very often misunderstood though it is in the hands of us as members to be able to correct these misunderstandings. Primarily, this starts at grass-roots through educating the people around us of the true values of the Conservative Party. It starts with our own friends and family members so I have had a lot of influence over voter attitude of the people around me. Most of my acquaintances are really surprised when they are made aware of my political affiliations and this shows just how misunderstood Conservative values are. This is largely a fault of our own and brings the issue of complacency in the party to the forefront. We have come a long way but there is still more to be done.
TYC: Anything else you’d like to say?
SR: Thank you Edward for the interview. I’d like to add that another highlight of the conference was meeting Edward Hallam.
Sahar has recently launched her own blog, Sassy Conservative, which takes a distinctly ‘her’ look at politics!
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone from your branch or organisation to be interviewed on TheYoungConservative please contact us at edward@theyoungconservative.co.uk or tarasyn@theyoungconservative.co.uk
As activists from around the country converge on Wellington college for the political training conference of the year, YBF5, Tarasyn reveals this exclusive interview with YBF Director of Operations Christian May.
Christian May is one of the key young figures in the British Conservative movement at the moment. From being a council candidate, receiving a national excellence award from David Cameron during his time as Exeter CF Chairman, becoming Deputy Chairman of CF nationally, working for YBF and recently being accepted as a member of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. ….he has certainly achieved a lot in the field at the tender age of 22.
A young man passionate about the NHS, who is a strong defender of civil liberties and conscious about social justice, despite his middle class look and southern accent, Christian is a realistically moderate Conservative focussed on the needs for modern Britain.
I was keen to find out how Christian became to be so passionate about the party, and now having already made a firm mark on the Conservative movement, does he intend to pursue further down the political path?
TheYoungConservative: Christian, how did you become so involved in politics, and more specifically the Conservative party?
Christian May: My family have always been quite politically minded so I grew up having large family meals where various generations of my family would vigorously debate politics.
Apart from a very brief flirtation with Socialism at the age of 13, I’ve been a Conservative for as long as I’ve been politically aware. This probably started at school with in interest in history and current affairs, and then after travelling the world solo on my gap year I returned to the UK just after the ’05 election to the news that I would have to endure yet another 5 years of Labour. At university I quickly got involved with the CF scene and things just took off from there. It’s true to say that when growing up, the more I understood about conservatism as a philosophy the more convinced I was that this was the Party for me.
My involvement in active Conservative politics really took off as David Cameron became the Party Leader. Whilst I was a Committee member at Exeter before then, my becoming Chairman did coincide with Cameron’s victory in the leadership contest. Exeter’s rapid rise in membership has more to do with the latter than the former, I’m sure.
TYC: Am I right in saying you are a “Cameroon”?!
CM: I’m a Conservative, who supports David Cameron in his efforts to bring the Party back to power. If I ever seem to be ‘sticking to the party line’ it’s because I agree with it.
There are areas that I’d like the Party to be more vocal on (such as attacking the erosion of our civil liberties with more passion, and also in reminding the public at every opportunity that this is Gordon Brown’s recession – he created it!) but on the whole I’ve been right behind Cameron in his efforts to change the Party.
TYC: After recently attending the party conference in Birmingham, and seeing speeches from many of the greats in politics over the past few years, who would you rate as your most inspirational figure in the Conservative movement at the moment?
CM: Donal Blaney, without a doubt. Actually, whilst he is right up there a more honest answer would be William Hague. I’ve always had great admiration for him – his sense of political timing, his understanding of important issues, his ability to appeal to all wings of the Party, his intelligence and the way he has earned respect from across the ‘political class.’
There are also a number of people within the movement who are doing superb work to promote the cause; the team at the TaxPayers’ Alliance , the new generation of bloggers that are emerging, leading CF figures like Sonia Cohan, Liza Chantelle, Clare Hilley, James Morton, Oli Cooper , Nick Webb, Richard Lowe etc, and of course the myriad of groups and organisations that make up the movement – like the Freedom Association or NO2ID. Basically, as you’ve probably gathered, it’s tough to single out one person. The movement has never been stronger.
TYC: As deputy Chairman of Conservative Future and an employee of YBF, do you think the likes of YBF are an essential source of support of the Party, or are they independent in their own right?
CM: The answer is that we’re both. YBF has developed an excellent working relationship with the senior Party and with CF. Put simply, there are things that we can do that the Party cannot. However, whilst we’re independent of the Party our goals are the same – the election of a Conservative government and the promotion of freedom and liberty.
TYC: How are you finding your time working for YBF?
CM: I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. I completely believe in what YBF does and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. YBF’s growth this year has been great – our training sessions are now going out to over 20 universities around the country. This represents the growth in conservative support amongst students but it also demonstrates the popularity of YBF.
TYC: And what is Donal Blaney like as your boss?
CM: Well I know that TheYoungConservative is one of Donal’s daily reads, so I’d better be nice..! Working for Donal is extremely rewarding. I’m learning a huge amount about politics and the movement yet I’ve also got a great deal of independence and freedom to work. I also enjoy hearing about Blaney’s Blarney before the posts are published. It’s challenging and rewarding work, and Donal and I get on very well. Now ask him what it’s like to be my employer and see if he agrees…
TYC: You had a brief spell at blogging, and it seems your blog is well and truly missed….do you think you will return to blogging in the near future?
CM: I can reveal to TYC that I do have plans to resurrect my blog, under a new format. The thing I’ve always been told about blogging is that you have to have a reason to blog. It’s arrogant to assume that people will read your work simply because it’s there.
When I blogged, I did so as a politics student. It was a student blog. When I graduated I realised that I no longer had a ‘reason’ or a niche, and so decided to wind it down. It’s my plan that The Silver Fox blog will launch before Christmas, and I intend to blog on UK politics, foreign policy, and special interest pieces. I’ll be writing from a conservative perspective with an interest in political marketing. Watch this space.
TYC: There is no denying that you have made your mark in British Politics already, and coming straight from graduation you are now working for YBF and continue in your role as national Deputy Chairman of CF. It seems a political career is in the making, do you plan to continue in politics?
CM: Absolutely, I love it. Of course, ‘working in politics’ is very vague and I’d like to clarify that I have no plans to look for a seat any time soon. After the next election I intend to travel some more, mostly in the Middle East, before returning to the UK to work in foreign affairs either for the Party or for an independent organisation or company. For now though, I’m enjoying YBF and working towards getting the Tories elected once more.
TYC: How would you respond to the argument that going straight from education into politics does not produce representative politicians of the general public?
CM: I think that’s a fair argument if you’re referring to the ‘university, work for the Party, become an MP’ line but as I said earlier politics is an enormous field and there’s a lot more to it than a few hundred MPs in Westminster. Life experience is a valuable thing no matter what line of work you go in to. I’m lucky in that I’ve had quite a varied life already – I’ve travelled a lot, with my family and on my own, and I’ve done my fair share of working on the family farm from a young age. I’ve never thought of myself as a ‘product’ of some kind of urban political movement.
Whilst I enjoy the buzz of politics, (yes, even just at CF level!) I’m never happier than when out on my little boat or having a barbeque on the beach.
TYC: Ok we all know your movements in the political world, but what other interests and hobbies do you have?
CM: I’ve always loved acting, I did a lot of that at university. Directing as well, which I really miss. As you might have gathered I also enjoy the simple pleasures of an island lifestyle – boating, sailing, fishing etc. I like to ski as well, and I’m looking forward to going with my dad and brothers next year.
TYC: Thank you Christian!
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone from your branch or organisation to be interviewed on TheYoungConservative please contact us at edward@theyoungconservative.co.uk or tarasyn@theyoungconservative.co.uk
In the Saturday Interview we speak to Laurie Pycroft, who, at 16, founded Pro-Test, the campaign group which advocates animal testing for medical research purposes. It’s a tale of issues-driven grassroots activism par excellence.
TheYoungConservative: Laurie, give us an overview of your background. Have you always held strong opinions on a spectrum of issues, or was science and vivisection a special case that stirred you to action?
Laurie Pycroft: I’ve always held a wide variety of political views, but my most strongly held beliefs are regarding scientific subjects such as nuclear power, GM food, nanotechnology (all of which I am in favour of) and, of course, animal based research. Over the last few years I have become more outspoken about my other views, and I have refined my political outlook. Animal research isn’t the only thing I feel passionately about, but it happens to be the one I ended up protesting in favour of almost by chance.
TYC: Was this the first project of its type you’ve been involved with, or had you been involved with campaigns previously?
LP: I’ve never been involved with any sort of activism before, beyond arguing with friends or teachers, or complaining about things on my blog. As a result, Pro-Test started off in a very ad-hoc manner, and the first month of its existence was somewhat of a crash-course in media management and campaign organisation for me.
TYC: You founded Pro-Test when you were really quite young. What spurred you to set it up?
LP: As I’ve said, animal research is one of the issues I’ve been interested in for a long time, and for years I’ve been debating with animal rights activists whenever I see them in the streets. In late January 2006, I saw an animal rights demonstration moving down the street outside of the Oxford coffee shop I was sitting in. I went outside and began marching behind them, shouting “build the Oxford animal lab” while they chanted “stop the Oxford animal lab”. This caused them to get rather annoyed, and after they had spent a few minutes verbally abusing me, I went to WHSmiths, purchased a marker pen and A2 sheet of card, and stood opposite their demonstration with my makeshift placard which said “support progress- build the Oxford lab”. After a day of standing around and being shouted at by the animal rights people, I put the results of the day on my blog, and from there set up a website and found myself organising a demonstration.
For historical interest Laurie’s blog post detailing the day Pro-Test was born can be found here and is well worth a read: http://sqrrl101.livejournal.com/145774.html. In particular I’d highlight Laurie’s conclusions on the day:
“I find it amusing that three teenagers with £1.98 can pull in more public support, and maintain more composure, than two hundred adults with thousands of pounds to spend on their protest.”
TYC: Did you find it difficult to be taken seriously? Did you have any resources to turn to for help, support and guidance?
LP: The resources I needed to start Pro-Test were £5 for a domain name, £5 for a year’s web hosting and about £2 for the original placard and marker pen. I put up the website and linked to it on a few Oxford student sites, and within a couple of days I was already planning the march with a committee of volunteers from Oxford university. Within a week of that, we had the attention of the mainstream press including a piece in The Times and TV interviews. It turns out that, provided one has the right cause, it’s remarkably easy to get noticed. Actually organising a march, on the other hand, can be quite tricky.
TYC: Passions are quickly inflamed by subjects such as vivisection. No doubt you came up against a lot of hostility; what was the worst you had to take, and how did you cope with it?
LP: We occasionally get some unpleasant e-mails, but they tend to be poorly written and rather amusing. The worst physical attack I’ve received was an incident which occurred at about 2am in a pizza shop, where a drunk man shouted something incoherent about having seen me on the TV, then threw a kebab at me (and missed) while shouting “Want your meat? Here’s your bloody meat!” Some scientists and institutions have been the targets of despicable campaigns of harassment, but luckily I seem to have avoided anything serious.
TYC: Ever consider giving up?
LP: No. All the evidence I’ve seen points towards animal based research being an effective way of testing new medical treatments, and a vital part of the overall biomedical research process. I believe that, when done correctly, it is entirely ethically justified, and it’s important that scientists are able to continue their work. I see no reason to stop unless animal research is almost universally accepted and understood by the general public.
TYC: How did your friends and classmates react to it?
LP: My friends weren’t especially surprised when I started Pro-Test, as I’ve always been quite outspoken on a number of issues. They were initially worried for my safety, but calmed down as it became apparently that no harm was likely to befall me.
TYC: What next for Pro-Test? You’ve previously had high-profile marches – can we expect to see more in the future?
LP: We’re not planning any new marches as animal research simply doesn’t have a high enough profile at the moment to make it particularly worthwhile. Currently we’re concentrating on engaging in debates and giving speeches at schools and universities, as well as engaging with the press should they need information regarding animal based research. Should there be another controversy surrounding a new laboratory, though, you can expect us to be involved.
TYC: Do you have any plans for campaigns outside of Pro-Test, such as another single issue group, or even with a political party?
LP: Not particularly. Politically, I’m an anarcho-capitalist libertarian, so I’m not particularly interested in any of the major parties, and I’m currently concentrating on studying so I don’t have any specific plans for other campaigns in the future. Should anything spark my interest, though, I may well end up shouting about it. If I do end up starting another campaign, it probably would be single-issue as I believe that to generally be the most effective way of changing anything.
TYC: Based on your experiences with Pro-Test, what advice would you offer to someone considering setting up a campaign group of their own?
LP: My main piece of advice would be to take as much advantage of the Internet as you can- it’s the most powerful tool at your disposal. Social networking allows you to reach millions with incredible ease and as long as you have a cause that interests people, they’ll effectively advertise it for you. My other piece of advice is find people who know what they’re doing to help you. No matter what your issue is, there’s no way that you have enough knowledge to perfectly explain every single facet of it, or the ability to organize a decent demonstration all by yourself. For a good place to find motivated, knowledgeable people who are interested in getting angry about something important, I suggest universities.
TYC: Finally, the name, Pro-Test, is eloquent in its simplicity. Where did it come from/who thought it up?
LP: I wish that I could claim I came up with it, but it was in fact an anonymous commenter who replied to the blog post I made about the first impromptu demonstration. The specific comment is here – http://sqrrl101.livejournal.com/145774.html?thread=527214#t527214
If you’d like to find out more about the work Pro-Test do, how to bring a speaker to your branch or campus etc, see http://www.pro-test.org.uk/
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone from your branch or organisation to be interviewed on TheYoungConservative please contact us at edward@theyoungconservative.co.uk or tarasyn@theyoungconservative.co.uk
In their own words, “Each week, YBF profiles a prominent activist or group from within the conservative movement.” This week it was the turn of yours truly to answer the questions. The interview focuses on TheYoungConservative, how it came to be, our plans for its development; and then more widely on the US and British young conservative movements.
If I may highlight one section, it’s this suggestion to all our student readers:
In America they’re very keen on bring conservative speakers to campuses. In Britain that translates as MPs and PPCs. This is something I’m trying to change. The Conservative Party doesn’t have a monopoly on conservatism. I’d like to see our branches and campuses inviting non-Party speakers. Douglas Murray is a favourite and always warmly received, in addition to being a simply lovely chap and a fantastic orator. But we need to be exposing young people to fresh thinking and new ideas, not just trotting out the Party line over and over again.
Read the full interview at YBF: Activist Profile: Ed Hallam and ‘The Young Conservative’ blog.
In this interview with Tarasyn, Shane Greer talks about his decision to leave the Young Britons’ Foundation, doesn’t rule out standing for office, and voices concern at would-be career Parliamentarians.
Politics is not a job, it’s a way of life. Shane Greer is just the sort of young activist that shows this. Formerly the executive director of the Young Britons’ Foundation, he is now executive editor of Total Politics, a lifestyle magazine for all things political. From interviewing leading politicians to appearing regularly on Sky News and the BBC, Shane is a busy man.
TheYoungConservative: Shane, what would you say to a young activist new to the political world, who wanted to know what exactly Total Politics is, and its aims?
Shane Greer: Total Politics is a non-partisan political lifestyle magazine aimed at elected officials and those with more than a passing interest in politics. It offers in-depth interviews with the biggest names in politics, as well as features on the big political issues of the day, on top of that you’ve got a dedicated lifestyle section covering everything from film to theatre, fashion to food, and a section dedicated to the art of political campaigning.
TYC: What is your highlight so far with working for the magazine?
SG: I think the highlight would have to be seeing the impact we’ve had in terms of media coverage; not bad for the new kid on the block.
Of course, the feeling of seeing the whole project go from an idea last autumn to where we are now is pretty good too!
TYC: After a successful spell at YBF, why did you choose to leave to join a magazine, at a time when some might argue print media is being superseded by the internet?
SG: I’m not sure I’d agree with that argument. I think the print media is being augmented by the internet. The only publications that are losing out to the internet are those that don’t understand how to harness its power. Print media and the internet aren’t enemies, they’re just two different platforms, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.
From my point of view I think Total Politics was a natural progression. YBF taught me a lot about organisation, marketing, and what it takes to develop a successful brand. The magazine presented the opportunity to take an idea and turn it into a concrete and viable business.
TYC: You were schooled in political technology during your time with YBF, and you were a regular face on 18 Doughty Street, not to mention Sky News and the BBC. Has the art to being successful in the media come naturally to you?
SG: I’ll leave it to other people to decide whether I’m successful on the media or not. But I think like anything, media work requires hard work and practice. Certainly some people start off being more comfortable in front of a camera than others, but then that’s true of most things, like driving, playing football, or cooking. Ultimately it’s about building on your strengths and addressing your weaknesses, being able to take criticism well, and developing a strategy for what it is you want to achieve.
TYC: Are there any key figures in politics you think could do with some more media training?! Any examples of bad or obviously media trained figures in the public eye?
SG: To be honest that would probably apply to most MPs, but in terms of someone specific I’d have to say Gordon Brown. He needs to learn how to communicate emotion effectively.
TYC: Congratulations on being rated 22nd for your blog by Right of Centre and 38 from Total Politics. What is the key having such a successful blog?
SG: Blog regularly (ideally several times a day), cross link with other blogs, and promote content on the larger blogs when appropriate. Although if you look at my blog at the moment you’ll see I’m following none of those rules!
TYC: Are you a man for sound bites-any particular favourites?!
SG: Absolutely, my favourite has to be Tony Blair’s “I feel the hand of history upon our shoulders”, delivered directly after he said “it’s not a day for soundbites”.
Another great one has to be “Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”.
In today’s world people are busier than ever and politics, like everything else, has to compete for their attention. As a result, politicians and political parties have ever smaller windows of time in which to communicate complex political messages; and that’s where soundbites come in.
TYC: What can we expect next from Shane Greer, Total Politics, and the wider Conservative community?|
SG: What’s next from me? I honestly have no idea, this time two years ago I’d only just got interested in politics so I think I’ll play it by ear.
As for Total Politics, expect some very interesting interviews, some interesting events which will be announced over the course of next year, and… well, that would be telling.
As for the wider Conservative community it’s very much a case of getting our game face on. A general election is drawing closer, and that’s what we should be focusing on.
TYC: Do you ever see yourself going down the route of becoming an elected official, maybe an MP or MEP?
SG: Who knows. I meet a lot of young conservatives whose sole interest seems to be getting into parliament, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. Right now, I’m focussing on life outside elected office and I have to say it’s a great deal of fun.
TYC: And lastly, how did you start out in politics?
SG: I first got interested in politics in 2006, towards the end of my masters degree. At the time my intention was to pursue a career in the Bar, but then I got bitten by the political bug after stumbling upon Iain Dale’s Diary, Guido Fawkes, and ConservativeHome. I got involved with my local association and not long thereafter decided that might enjoy working in politics for a while. At the time one of the regular contributors to ConservativeHome was Donal Blaney from the Young Britons’ Foundation. To cut a long story short, I gave him a call and said I was interested in working in politics but didn’t know the first thing about it, he said ‘come down to London to meet me’, I said OK, and a few months later I was interning in the States. The rest, as they say, is history.
Check out Total Politics online, and Shane’s blog.
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone from your branch or organisation to be interviewed on TheYoungConservative please contact us at edward@theyoungconservative.co.uk or tarasyn@theyoungconservative.co.uk
Cllr Allan Andrews
In our first interview with young conservatives, Tarasyn talks to Cllr Allan Andrews from Coventry.
It seems that thriving young Conservative activists are popping up all over the place, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. The notorious Financial Times article from August this year emphasised the ambitious young Tories amongst the Conservative Future National Executive. Lately Tatler magazine is featuring an article on their predictions for future Conservative leaders of this country.
This trend has even filtered through to local government, and many young faces are standing for and being elected as Conservative councillors to their local council. It seems the opportunities for young Conservative minds are buzzing, but how does one reach these heights?
I caught up Allan Andrews on the matter. A graduate from the University of Kent, he was elected as Councillor on the Coventry City Council in May this year, at the age of 25. This very fact brought me straight into my first question:
TheYoungConservative: Allan, as a councillor, elected at 25, do you think it is important to have young people like yourself as elected officials in local government?
Allan Andrews: One of the nicest things about canvassing in the run up to the elections was the reaction on the doorstep when I said that I was the candidate. Not one person said that I was too young to represent them, and, in fact, most commented on how nice it was to see young people standing for election.
In Coventry, the Conservatives have set the trend for listening to, and putting up as candidates, young people. We have 4 Conservative Councillors under 30, and 2 who have just crossed over into their 30s. Although I am currently the youngest member on the Council, I doubt I will be for long. We have other strong candidates coming through. Contrast that with Labour, and, well, it is hardly worth contrasting.
TYC: As Councillor of the Earlsdon ward in Coventry, what have been your main progressions since being elected in May, and what are the issues that matter to votes in your ward?
AA: I was quite fortunate to have been selected in February due to a retirement and, because I live in the ward, I was aware of some of the pressing issues concerning residents. The ward is geographically large but one of the major issues still ongoing is the night time economy in Earlsdon Street. Because the city centre is attracting fewer visitors at night, some of them appear to be heading to Earlsdon for their evening entertainment.
It must be stressed that Earlsdon is an affluent and well sought after area of Coventry but the Government’s 24 hour licensing laws have caused a great deal of problems locally. We have established a Pubwatch scheme to try and increase communication and cooperation between the licensed premises. It’s early days yet though so no assessment has been carried out as to its effectiveness.
The biggest problem we’re currently dealing with is that surrounding the sheer number of black cabs that are touting for business in Earlsdon on a Friday and Saturday night. They wait, engines running, on double yellow lines, immediately outside residential properties. In November, the Council is installing an experimental taxi rank to give the drivers a formal waiting area, but because Earlsdon is so built up, if that doesn’t work, further options open to us are limited. An Earlsdon Task Group was established prior to the local elections and I will be attending the next meeting of this group to have an input and to put forward concerns raised to me by residents.
In addition to this, I get out and about and attend resident associations meeting as often as I can and I have built positive working relationships with at least two prominent associations. I also chair the Earlsdon Ward Forum, further details of which are on the Council’s website. This gives an overview as to some of the issues I am currently dealing with, and there are many more!
TYC: How much help did young activists play in your victory?
AA: Earlsdon Ward has a very active and experienced ward structure, with a solid delivery network as well, so I was in a fortunate position. Young activists played a hugely important part in our target seats campaign (Earlsdon was not a target seat as it is one of our safest seats in the city) which helped us to keep control of the City Council.
CF has grown in Coventry, even since my days as its Chairman, in part because we have established stronger links with the Coventry University branch, and its members are very active on the campaign front.
TYC: Do you think it is important that young Conservative activists like yourself should be drawn up through the grass roots before potentially being elected to local -or national- government?
AA: I think it’s a vitally important part of a young councillor’s development. I began getting involved when I was 15 with my local branch, which at the time had 1 Conservative Councillor out of a possible 3. Over the next 2 years, we gained back both seats and the ward is now seen to be fairly safe, at least for the time being. I was also involved with fundraisers – organising them and supporting them!
I was CF branch Chairman before being CF Area Chairman for the Heartlands. I worked voluntarily with an agent to gain experience and an insight into the important work they perform for the Party and, importantly, I stood firstly in a solid Labour seat in 2004, before moving onto a slightly better seat in 2006, and in 2007 a target seat before being selected in a good Conservative seat in 2008. In addition to this, I was also involved with our general election campaigns in Coventry South in 2001 and in 2005 as the “Get Out the Vote” Director.
TYC: Do you plan for your career to progress further into politics, such as becoming an MP or MEP?
AA: I’ve had the opportunity to work for both an MP and an MEP (Philip Bradbourn) so I’ve been able to see first hand the very different roles they perform. At the moment, I’m pleased to be able to represent the residents of Earlsdon Ward on Coventry City Council.
TYC: You also work in Brian Binley MP’s office, has he been an inspiration to you?
AA: I’d better say yes in case he reads this! Seriously, working for Brian has been a great experience. He’s a very passionate MP and cares greatly about Northampton South. His business experience prior to becoming an MP has meant that he’s been able to have a positive impact on various projects, such as his review of independent shops in Britain’s High Streets, which David Cameron asked him to do. His hours are long and frantic, but he has a real passion for what he does.
TYC: How would you answer charges that at 25 you lack the experience to lead?
AA: Leadership qualities are not gained with age; they are gained by experience. Age and experience are two very different things. I was forced to stop playing football at 12 because of developing Arthritis. I was gutted, but instead of sitting around and letting it get me down, I began coaching. I qualified at 14, and by 15 I was coaching both junior and adult teams. At 17, I qualified as an assistant swimming teacher and taught various age groups. These required leadership, and despite some concern being expressed about my age, people soon realised that I was as capable as a 50 year old, perhaps more enthusiastic, in fact. It will the same in the political world, you will always have some people doubting you, the key is to keep doing what you’re doing, continue to learn and try to learn from those who have been doing it a lot longer than you!
TYC: I understand that you are a governor for your local primary and secondary schools, and work for Whitefriars Housing group, as well as being involved with the Bonds Hospital Estate charity. How do you find the time to balance all of this?
AA: In short, good time management. The primary school tends to meet on a Tuesday evening at 7pm, though it is not a weekly commitment. The secondary school also meets on a Tuesday but again it is not a weekly commitment. Whitefriars meets on a Thursday at 5.30pm, and although I sit on the Board I am also a member of their Property and Investment Committee. Bonds Hospital tends to meet on a Tuesday morning at 10am. Balancing these with my commitments on the Council can be tough, but with a well managed diary it is possible!
TYC: You are local in your ward, I guess you are often stopped my local residents?!
AA: Yes, I live on the main street in Earlsdon so I am visible all year round. Getting spoken to about a ward issue when buying a loaf of bread or having quiet pint in one of the local bars is quite a common experience!
TYC: Tell us more about your background:
AA: I was born and raised in Coventry so it’s a city that means a lot to me. It’s an honour to serve on the City Council. I went to the University of Kent and did Politics and International Relations. During that time I was heavily involved in student politics, with the departmental committees and union council etc. I worked for Philip Bradbourn MEP immediately after university but left this job to stand for election in 2006. When I wasn’t elected, I worked for Rolls-Royce as a Customer Account Manager based in Ansty and then took up the employment with Brian Binley MP, where I remain. Outside politics, my main interest is astronomy and astrophotography, though the latter still needs some serious work! On top of this, travelling is great fun and I’m obsessed with the Greek islands and their histories. I support the Henry Jackson Society but I am not yet a member of it. Then there is the supporting of Coventry City FC…enough said!
TYC: Indeed! Well your great work serving Coventry city council is already providing inspiration to all young conservative activists out there, and I am sure we will continue to hear about your achievements, and indeed successes!
Thanks Allan!
AA: Thank you Tarasyn, and no worries it was a joy.
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone from your branch or organisation to be interviewed on TheYoungConservative please contact us at edward@theyoungconservative.co.uk or tarasyn@theyoungconservative.co.uk
