AT A TIME WHEN TRUST IN POLITICIANS AND THE POLITICAL PROCESS IS ARGUABLY AT AN ALL TIME LOW, IT IS A BRAVE DECISION TO OPEN UP THE PROCESS OF CANDIDATE SELECTION IN THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY TO INVOLVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT DAVID CAMERON DECIDED TO DO LAST YEAR.
TO INVITE LOCAL PEOPLE, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR OWN POLITICAL PERSUASION, TO PARTAKE IN THE ACTUAL SELECTION OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE FOR THEIR CONSTITUENCY WAS A BOLD MOVE, PARTICULARLY IN A SEAT WHERE THERE HAD BEEN A HIGH-PROFILE CASUALTY OF THE SO-CALLED ‘EXPENSES SCANDAL’. THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT BRACKNELL CONSERVATIVES DECIDED TO DO LAST OCTOBER, AND I’M THE PRODUCT OF THAT PROCESS!
NOW, WHY DO I THINK THE PRIMARY PROCESS THAT I SUCCESSFULLY WENT THROUGH IS GOOD FOR POLITICS AND ABOVE ALL, GOOD FOR THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY?
FIRSTLY, FROM THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FINAL SEVEN THROUGH TO THE FINAL SELECTION DAY, LOCAL MEDIA KEPT A CLOSE EYE ON PROCEEDINGS. BBC RADIO BERKSHIRE INTERVIEWED ALL OF THE CANDIDATES, LOCAL NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED PROFILES AND INTERVIEWS, AND LOCAL TELEVISON INTERVIEWED ME AT THE FINAL. AS A CONSEQUENCE, I HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WHEN I STARTED CAMPAIGNING. FACE AND NAME RECOGNITION WERE BOTH REMARKABLY GOOD, EVEN BEFORE ANY CAMPAIGN LITERATURE WAS DELIVERED, ALTHOUGH I MUST ADMIT SOME THEM WERE FORMER PATIENTS!
SECONDLY, THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN FIRST SHORT-LISTING THE CANDIDATES, PUBLICLY SUPPORTING THE PROCESS AND THEN PARTICIPATING IN GOOD NUMBERS IN THE VOTING PROCESS ON THE DAY. I BELIEVE THAT THE ASSOCIATION’S PUBLIC ENTHUSIASM WAS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROCESS.
AND FINALLY, IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT BOTH OPPOSITION LOCAL ACTIVISTS AND CANDIDATES ALL ATTENDED THE FINAL EVENT. INDEED, A PROMINENT LOCAL LIBERAL DEMOCRAT BLOGGED THE ENTIRE EVENT AND DESCRIBED ME AS A STRONG CANDIDATE WHO WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO BEAT!
SO, IN SUMMARY, THE PRIMARY GARNERED GREAT PUBLICITY, ENGAGED THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND PUT THE LOCAL OPPOSITION IMMEDIATELY ON THE BACK FOOT. NOT A BAD SET OF OUTCOMES FOR THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION OR FOR ME AS THE CANDIDATE. THE PRIMARY APPROACH MIGHT NOT SUIT ALL ASSOCIATIONS AND CONSTITUENCIES; HOWEVER, JUDGING BY THE LAST FEW MONTHS SINCE MY SELECTION, IT HAS WORKED WELL IN BRACKNELL. THE PRIMARY MEANT THAT I WAS SELECTED NOT JUST BY THE LOCAL PARTY BUT ALSO BY LOCAL PEOPLE.