Westminster is still recovering from the 2015 election but some Conservatives are already thinking ahead to 2020. Two of Conservative HQ’s activist movements, Team 2015 and Roadtrip 2015, were key in mobilising support on the ground, as well as getting out the vote. Although Team 2020 is a long way off from hitting the stump, a key member of the Tories’ operation is planning to continue this work from outside the party.
Grant Shapps’ former chief of staff Paul Abbott is leaving Conservative HQ to run Conservative Way Forward, the Thatcherite pressure group that counts tub-thumpers Norman Tebbit, Liam Fox and Conor Burns among its patrons. Abbott previously worked for party’s deputy chairman Rob Halfon, masterminding his fuel duty freeze campaigns, so he has plenty of experience in running successful campaigns too.
By the end of 2016, CWF’s aim is to have thousands of activists deployed across the country — something that will be crucial for the EU referendum. The revamped organisation is hoping to move away from solely being a pressure organisation. As a CWF source puts it:
‘There are some huge battles ahead in this Parliament: the race for London Mayor and City Hall and the EU referendum. CWF will be a champion for the kind of bread-and-butter, popular Conservatism that people have just voted for: more money in your pocket, decent jobs, and better schools for young people’
I understand that Abbott will be relaunching CWF this weekend with an action day in Tower Hamlets, aiming to boost Cllr. Peter Golds’ efforts to replace Lutfur Rahman as mayor of London’s rotten borough. 140 activists have already signed up for a campaign day and the chief secretary to the treasury Greg Hands will be on hand to help out too.
Conservative HQ has been criticised for focusing too much on the election at hand and not enough on keeping the Tory activist base fresh and active between campaigns. Given David Cameron’s surprise victory, recruiting new activists to boost the Tory cause should be easier. CWF should provide a mechanism to keep them enthused with big campaigns.
Comments