Friday, November 10, 2006

Yarmouth says "No": So, what now?

Tonight Brandon Lewis, the Leader of Brentwood Borough Council in Essex, has been selected as Conservative PPC in Yarmouth. He's a great bloke and a real campaigner - actually an asset to the 'A'List and I feel confident he'll turn the seat blue. Well Done to him.

However, this certainly has to make me think about the future. You see, as I'm white, middle class, a male, happily married, able bodied and not a celebrity (this blog not withstanding) then I am nowhere near being on the Priority List and hence unable to apply for seats around the country.

I could go on and on about all the fabulous things I've done for the party - candidate, agent, local Chairman, Deputy Chairman, campaign co-ordinator, councillor and group leader. I could talk about how jolly unfair all this is and how I should be given the chance to fight a safe seat.

But the truth of the matter is I did all those things for the benefit of my communities, my country and my party. All three are "bigger" than I am and I shall continue to furrow my ploughs for the Conservatives because I care about why I am doing this.

I, like fellow local candidate Kay Mason, have no right to that seat in the way no candidate has any right to any seat.

One day all this A List nonsense will be seen for what it is - and until then people like me must carry on, because politics matters at every level. Tonight was a shame, but it won't stop me saying loud and proud to everyone who'll listen:

I'm a Conservative. I'm proud of my party and I'm proud to be a Conservative. I back Cameron all the way to Downing Street. So come on board and let's change this country for the better.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I suppose a gender change is out of the question?

Anonymous said...

Anthony - all Politics is local. That your party doesn't see that, is good news for mine!

Iain Dale said...

commiserations Antony. AT least you have many years to achieve your goal!

Anonymous said...

Anthony, the way in which you have handled the outcome of this selection is commendable and magnanimous. I wish you well.

Paul Kennedy - Warrington South

Ryan Newell said...

If you care about your country you should not be in the Conservatives.
If you really care about this country you would join the only voice of opposition UKIP

Anonymous said...

UKIP, who, opposition? LOL. A fringe vote more like!

Antony said...

If I wanted to stay on the fringe of politics and lose not only every election but also nearly every deposit, I'd join UKIP.

If I was serious about standing up for Britain, beating New Labour and winning the 09 election, I'd campaign for the Conservatives.

Guess what my choice is.

Anonymous said...

Anthony,

Your dignified reaction to your disappointment does you great credit. Hang in there, we need people like you!

Ryan,

I hardly think that this is the time or place for a facile prty political broadcast, which says nothing new and makes you and your Party just look stupid!

Chris Whiteside said...

Anthony,

the way you have responded to a decision which must have been a great disappointment is a credit to you.

Like you I wish Brandon Lewis all the best in winning Great Yarmouth for the Conservatives.

You will probably remember the night you were selected to fight Norwich South at the last election, and that I was one of the unsuccessful candidates that evening. Anyone who works hard in politics is likely to make enemies as well as friends but your hard work in Norwich won you the nomination.

I am quite certain you will be standing for parliament as a Conservative candidate again, and I still hope that we will both meet again in the House of Commons before too long.

Anonymous said...

You've already distinguished youself Antony. It just may take longer to get to Westminster, it's nothing unusual to have to contest three elections before winning.

Anonymous said...

Well done Antony for the way you handled your situation.

I do hope our Party will scrap the A list and replace it with a candidates list.

All selections should be open to all members and the final choice should be put to the local people in an open primary.

The open primary system would give all candidates male and female an equal opportunity to win the selection. process.

In addition to the above our Party must do more to encourage people from all walks of life to join our Party and apply to be put on my proposed candidates list.

Having an open selection procedure, engaging with the press and our supporters would help to erase the 2nd class candidate tag. It would also help to weed out any dead wood at the early stage of the selection process.

Go for it.

Anonymous said...

That's probably what people said about the Labour Party in the early 1900s ...

Let's face it, the tide is against Conservatism, especially Cameron's wishy-washy brand which can't even do Liberalism properly.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on being so dec ent about it. Rejection is always hard but in this case I am sure it is simply because the 'right person' for the seat was judged to be someone else. Do keep ploughing away because it is the people who stick with it who ultimitely do get where they want and deserve to be. Well done too for doing it for the right reasons.

Anonymous said...

Anthony keep at it.

You have shown how to take the disappointment of not being selected and are a lesson on the subject to the priority list, of which I am sure you will be a member one day

Anonymous said...

Antony, I am 'white, middle class, a male, happily married, able bodied and not a celebrity' and I got on the A list...do not give up!

Antony said...

Thank you to everyone, I am one of life's natural leafleters...

And Tabman you have shown yourself up with that ridiculous comment. I published it because it says more about you than it doesn about me.

Anonymous said...

And as the last fortnight proves, one of life's most polific political bloggers, with increasing comments?

Anonymous said...

", like fellow local candidate Kay Mason, have no right to that seat in the way no candidate has any right to any seat."

Isn't Kay Mason on the A List? ConHome has her in the third wave addictions.

Anonymous said...

Forget what I just posted (I misread your original line). You can avoid to publish it too!

Anonymous said...

Bad luck on missing out on selection. I hope you get selected to fight somewhere soon!

Anonymous said...

In awe of your own words:

‘There comes a time when you have to ignore what party a candidate is standing for, and look at the person, irrespective of their allegiance.’

And on that basis, you sir, deserve to win a seat. I fear many MPs don’t have their hearts in it these days, and your devotion to the cause is unquestionable.

I just hope you do, and will continue to, (and I say this irrespective of my own political beliefs) question what party you’re in, as I trust all MPs do.

I shall condolence myself for the shocking lack of anti-Tory content in this comment, by reciting the words of Claire Short:

Interviewer: “So, do you think there are any good Conservatives?”
Claire Short: “Yes.” ’

And for the record, I couldn’t help but laugh at that UKIP supporter. Sorry.

Anonymous said...

Bad luck Cllr. Little.

Perhaps Mr Cameron will come to his senses...? But more likely the party will become less and less Conservative as time goes on.

Anonymous said...

So in essence you're saying you failed because of 'political correctness gone mad'?

Seems like sour grapes to me.

Anonymous said...

Antony..You shall go to the Ball!