EXCLUSIVE: Figures reveal CCHQ’s concern about Tory Associations
Posted on March 3, 2011While the collapse of the Lib Dem campaigning machine is the focus for many politicos at this weekend’s Conservative Spring Forum, there are some rumblings around about the Conservatives’ own operation in some parts of the country.
This morning there was a closed meeting of the Party’s National Convention at which the matter was discussed.
A source who was at the meeting has exclusively passed me some of the most alarming information that came up. Apparently Andrew Feldman reported on a study CCHQ has carried out into the effectiveness of local Conservative Associations.
In a “mystery shopper” exercise, CCHQ wrote to over 300 associations under the guise of being a person who wanted to join up, and asking how to do so.
Over half of the letters received no response at all, which is bad enough. Weirdly, a handful who wrote back saying the applicant would need to pass a membership interview before they could join the Conservatives. Most worryingly, though, around 10% wrote back to the pretend applicant saying they were “closed to new members”.
This is obviously a cause for serious concern. Party membership has been falling across the board, and in the current political climate the Conservatives should be welcoming supporters with open arms.
CCHQ was clever to carry out this study – the question is what will or can they now do to fix the problem without falling out with their network of associations?
Tags: Andrew Feldman, CCHQ, Conservatives, Exclusives, Politics
Categories: Exclusives, Politics
Perhaps GCHQ should look into their association with Common Purpose also. An alleged “charity” carrying out polical acts (which it unlawful for a charity to do) inside councils, police forces and school etc. Also being given public money, also illegal.
05.03.2011 17:24
Laugh like a drain if one of the 300 was Witney – it wasn’t, was it? Please say yes…….
05.03.2011 17:50
The Conservatives might find it more beneficial to ask people who have left the party why they did so and address their concerns. Perhaps these associations acted the way they did because they could not quite believe someone wanted to join such an autocratic and undemocratic party.
05.03.2011 17:57
This sounds a bit fishy to me. Can we be sure it isn’t a black ops exercise to discredit associations which don’t worship at the Cameronian shrine? Or maybe the names and addresses were spotted as not genuine. I’d want to hear a lot more before buying the story. Besides, wouldn’t most people these days join via the website?
BTW, great blog but this white-on-black is painful to read for any length of time.
05.03.2011 18:24
Fascinating, yet appalling. It’s prompted me to write about a recent experience of my own, which is a further problem the party needs to deal with – namely a slack renewal process.
http://www.borisbacker.com/2011/03/05/tory-associations-membership-problems/
05.03.2011 18:30
[...] just read with interest Mark Wallace’s exclusive on the current state of local Conservative Associations. He writes: “In a “mystery [...]
05.03.2011 18:31
So why was my comment deleted Mark?
05.03.2011 18:56
S’ok sorry just appeared!
05.03.2011 18:56
[...] 2011 by Spidey An interesting article has just cropped up in my timeline via Iain Dale from the CrashBangWallace [...]
05.03.2011 19:02
Not surprising at all. But the branches not the associations are real problem
05.03.2011 19:05
Interesting conversation. But there is more to this data than meets the eye, and one wonders how it was presented to the National Convention. His Grace has replied: http://bit.ly/efZ1Tb
05.03.2011 19:05
I joined the Con Party…since when I’ve been bombarded by surrounding associations, including thanks for £2K which I didn’t give ! All seems a bit chaotic…
05.03.2011 19:25
I should have said I joined the Con Party nationally…..
05.03.2011 19:26
I’m not surprised! That’s all I can say
05.03.2011 20:13
Were these 300 letters all posted from the same place?
“Some chap in London want’s to join our branch in Northampton.” “Silly bod. Chuck it in the bin.”
05.03.2011 20:56
Can I have that ‘ back please. I might need it later.
05.03.2011 20:57
[...] Mark Wallace has very good piece on how local associations are treating prospective new members. I have to say it doesnt come as any surprise to me. But the question I am left with, and have been pondering for quite some time is just what do you get as a new member (if you are lucky enough to have a response to a membership enquiry). [...]
06.03.2011 06:30
I had this very problem, I tried to join my university society last year in freshers never got a response, looked up the web address (which was given but didn’t actually exist) after a year I finally found a website which had a form to fill in but it was an online form which required a signature and money, neither of which could be electronically submitted. So on another website I found an email address and managed after about 2 further weeks to get a reply. Even still I have managed to go to the meetings but am not actually a member yet. The joining process is a shambles and needs sorting now, had I not been so committed I wouldn’t have been able to join so I completely understand why numbers are falling.
06.03.2011 12:42
Well Stratford upon Avon have found a new approach to discouraging both membership and funding.! Not only did I receive no written acknowledgement but my bank were unable to execute my direct debit mandate because the beneficiary (i.e. Stratford CPA) bank details (taken from the application form) did not tally.
06.03.2011 16:36
Perhaps the Party should try a similar test of its branches. The results might be interesting to say the least…
06.03.2011 23:07
This is an important issue, because it means that those wanting to be selected as representatives can create power bases and cabals, with the result that there is no control over them centrally or locally. The Tory equivalent of Militant Tendency.
07.03.2011 12:33
The party is riddled with bases and Cabals! But in reality CCHQ is no better, I joined centrally, it took months to get an acknowledgement, then when it came to renew they did not send anything out, i had to contact them.They acknowledged the form and I never heard another thing, until being told I was not a member anymore! Omnishambles! In my view CCHQ are equally as responsible for the numerous failures of the Party as the Associations and Branches are. They have single handedly failed to create a centralised system to support Volunteer’s, whilst at the same time cut back on support and field staff. It’s hardly a surprise that Volunteer organisation is run like a Volunteer organisation, perhaps mr Fieldman should remove his heads from the clouds.
07.03.2011 14:49
Taking local associations websites offline for months without even putting up a holding page in many cases with contact details did not help the party post election.
07.03.2011 16:02
[...] traffic. I’m pleased to say March has gone really well – helped by exclusive stories on the failures of various Conservative Associations and the revelation that Ed Miliband freely confessed to some pretty massive foreign policy blind [...]
04.04.2011 17:57
[...] again this shouldn’t be surprising, for as Mark Wallace wrote back in March: In a “mystery shopper” exercise, CCHQ wrote to over 300 associations under [...]
21.04.2011 10:02