It’s less than a week since the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO) launched and already organisers are optimistic about its success. The new group was born out of the Conservative Post’s ‘Boris ballot’ movement in October to restore the former Prime Minister to office via a petition which claimed to boast more than 10,000 Conservative members. Having failed in that effort, supporters David Campbell Bannerman and Lord Cruddas are instead hoping to have more luck with their latest endeavour: a group to give the Tory grassroots more of a say in the running of their party.
And early signs are good for the group, which launched last Sunday. Organisers say they have received an impressive 715 applications to serve on the executive of local branches. These branches will shadow the ‘official’ Tory associations in the 650 parliamentary constituencies across the country, working to create ‘a truly democratic Conservative party.’ The CDO wants to return to the pre-1998 ‘model of a National Union of independent democratic Conservative Associations, to whom a smaller Central Office reports.’ Other suggested aims include the right of members to elect their party chairman, a greater emphasis on local parliamentary candidates and enhanced powers to deselect MPs.
Priti Patel is the big-name signing to date, declaring that ‘party members are committed to our values of freedom, enterprise and opportunity and we need to empower them to have more say over our policies and candidates.’ Mr S understands that further high-profile supporters will be announced next month, when the CDO hopes to launch itself formally with a glitzy gala dinner. The group is being supported by the Conservative Post website too, with its editor Claire Bullivant serving as the CDO’s Communications Director. She told Steerpike that:
We believe we have the largest database of Conservative Party members outside of CCHQ so we know we can be very influential. But we’re all on the same side and just want what’s best for the party. We’ve already had talks with CCHQ and they are listening to what we have to say. They’re being very receptive. Together we are hoping to make positive changes.
Will CCHQ listen? Over to Nadhim Zahawi and the whizz kids in 2 Matthew Parker Street…
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