Brilliant! Whatever next. They are just so desperate. It will be fascinating to see how this one pans out in reality. I somehow suspect that not many local constituency parties will want to take up the Central London option. So that leaves the "primary style" selection. Candidates will be questioned by local community leaders and the public and this session may be moderated by a local journalist. Then an executive panel of local Tories will make the decision. Cue dissatisfaction from party members who will be disenfranchised from the process and great opportunity for local opponents to make mischief with the process and argue about who performed better on the night of the selection.
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8 comments:
Did Simon Hughes, as Party President, not suggest something similar a year or ago for us...? I seem to recall it getting a bit of a frosty reception.
Trouble ahead I agree ...........
Lib Dem and Labour members could "help" Tories to select more PPCs similar to Edward Leigh.
Primaries are not necessarily a dumb idea, although the concept is novel to the UK. The notion that they would be swamped by activists from other parties strikes me as farfetched. As an activist myself, I would rather eat my own leg than attend a Conservative hustings. If primaries work as intended, the Tories could end up making money and widening their public support. If I were you, I'd save my scoffing for later...
I would be amused to attend and I know a few others who I am sure would want to create mischief
Primaries are a democratic disaster. Look at the States for example - huge amounts of cash is spent by the candidates (non-millionaires need not apply), which because it doesn't come from party coffers often produces candidates who must do their best to keep big business sweet. So, whilst most Americans want gun controls the number of politicians who are funded by the NRA makes this a near impossibility.
Getting elected in the UK is already much harder if you're poor - if we go the route of primaries then things will be infinitely worse.
It does seem to be a rather daft idea ( despite Simon Hughes expousing a similar approach for us ), but it is slightly better than we Liberals asking people to stand for election "just for fun". Sorry it had to be said.
The fact that Simon Hughes is exposing daft ideas is nothing new.
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