Dizzy reports on the problems facing Conservative Future.
It appears that if you are not part of a Conservative Future clique or part of the trendy in crowd in London then you are nothing at all, and in many cases, even those who fall in to those categories are not up to much either.
15 comments:
It would be difficult to argue to LDYS is in any better of a position.
After speaking with some people from the other two parties, they have confirmed to me that the same is largely true in their youth wings.
Bloody students.
I don't doubt it for one moment.
The problem for me as a young person who was interested in politics was that I was interested in real politics, not youth politics.
In 1995 when there were serious issues to discuss in the UK, LDYS were discussing moving Radio One up North. What ever did that say about the relevance of LDYS ?
Am with you, NB, 100% I always encourage young people to get involved at the centre, not piss around with CF. And having attended a CF event recently, well I save that for another time.
You were young?
Let the under-thirties have their cliques. It means normal people can ignore them.
In 1994 and 1998, LDYS faced down a Parliamentary Party determined to oppose the national minimum wage. In 1997, we faced down an attempt by Paddy Ashdown to get the party to back fees. And yes, 12 years ago we did have a 20 minute debate about Radio 1 moving to Manchester (prefiguring the current very important debate about the BBC relocating much of its core departments to Manchester), but the main reason the movers tabled it was a bit of publicity in the local press (it worked).
No-one would deny that LDYS is having difficulties at the moment, but for a period in the 90s it was working very well indeed. The result has been at least 3 MPs (arguably more) and a whole generation of some of the parties top campaigners. Maybe you should have been paying more attention, Nich?
In those year, when other swere playing at student politics, I was spending every spare moment helping Norman Lamb turn North Norfolk in to a marginal seat.
I am please LDYS has produced some MP's, but given that they are the party youth wing, surely that is inevitable.
Out of 60 MP's though, isn't that figure low ?
Most of our MPs were over 30 in 1993 when LDYS was founded, Nich
"In those year, when other swere playing at student politics, I was spending every spare moment helping Norman Lamb turn North Norfolk in to a marginal seat."
Oh, so YOU'RE the one I heard about. The one who is single-handedly responsible for the party's success. That solves that little mystery then.
Isn't blogging a little beneath you? You could be out there solving world peace or sorting out climate change.
So sorry to have disturbed someone so clearly important.
I never used the term "single handedly", you used that to embelish a story and to try and ridicule.
What we achieved in North Norfolk was very much a team effort, but was led by a small group of "die hards".
It is sad that you have to put down the efforts we made in North Norfolk. From 1992 to 2005 we turned an 11,000 defecit in to a 10606 majority. Oh yes, really something to put down and patronise isn't it !
You sugguested that LDYS was vital in that period of time, I argued that for me it wasn't vital, important or of any value to what I was doing at that time. But you don't like that !
It might be worth accepting that the LDYS (and YLD before 1993) like CF, really isn't the be all and end all, and it certainly isn't a prerequisite for all potential MP's.
A vibrant youth wing is a good thing, but don't believe for one moment that everyone is interested in youth politics.
I would ask James what makes you so important that you can denigrate the efforts of people working in target seats ?
Also, why do you think blogging is such a "low level" activity. I've never said it and rather resent you putting words in to my mouth.
Your over the top attack shows a level of churlishness that I didn't expect from a fellow Lib Dem, especailly when all I did was say that I had been invovled in target seat campaigning.
James: I'd say LDYS was wrong on those issues (although possibly politically correct...)
I do find it difficult not having been involved in politics at Uni to get involved now. There is something of a clique, although its far better than it could be...
I think some in the party need to realise that there are other means of getting people into the party although LDYS can do a lot to help...
I never did the youth politics thing. I was too busy raving and getting high.
It's a shame you were high. Those of us who weren't got to see (and can remember) just how utterly awful the Tories were.
Had you been like the rest of us you'd never vote for them.
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