Talk amongst yourselves...

About this...

and...

Enjoy...

Rock's support dips as the reforms are chewed over...

of members are unhappy about the communication they have received regarding the proposed changes to the structure of Conservative Future.

Based on a survey of 13% of the CF electorate there is clearly a feeling that something needs to be done to reinvigorate and restructure the organisation but the reforms put forward by Michael Rock are clearly not seen as the answer:

As a result Michael's strong personal rating of 72.4% just two months ago has dropped ten points to 62%. Some members clearly used this opportunity to vent their frustrations with 15% of them giving the Rock a Zero rating.

TB isn't surprised by these developments and has voiced his concerns about this matter on many occasion. This poll proves his analysis that it was not necessarily reforms people were anti - it's being kept in the dark they object to.

It's not too late to salvage this. TB is receiving word that an email from Michael will go out to the Area Chairman sometime this afternoon...

Looks like this could be the announcement they've all been waiting for...

Freedom isn't Free...

A tip-off from someone who has been asked to contribute led TB to Conservative Liberty - a website very much under construction.

Apparently it's the relaunch of a blog once run by Patrick Sullivan nearly five years ago. A little googling turned up very little content of this old blog but TB did find this on Samizdata:

Why Eastenders leads to Big Government

It's a great little article and hopefully Con-Lib will follow a similar path.

Just a week ago TB was calling for more for more factionalism and discussions about ideology amongst CFers, this alone would have been a welcome addition to the blog networks. However in what appears could be a double whammy, click on the picture below to see what else has recently been registered:

Are two libertarian blogs set to go head-to-head? This is a fantastic development if it is the case... nothing like a bit of competition to ensure high quality.

OK so the tables are turned on the Thatcherites, Pro-NUS folk and the Cameroons... where are your blogs?

The Bear Necessities - Michael Rock

Tucking into a dim sum lunch Michael Rock is looking remarkably relaxed for a man trying to juggle a full time job, what should be a full time job and his marriage. TB found his famed easy-going style lived up to its reputation, but don’t let that fool you. Beneath that Michael is articulate and astute, a man with a plan…

From a man whose interests on Facebook are “lamenting the loss of liberty” you would expect him simply to do just that – lament, but Michael is one of what he calls the “new generation” on the libertarian wing of the party. Instead of being all talk over cigars and port in the Carlton Club, Michael is adamant he will stamp his lasting influence on Conservative Future. His libertarian, small government, no nonsense outlook on life is the backbone to his intended restructuring of CF. Using Europe as a vague analogy he claims CF “needs a better structure, needs to be more independent from CCHQ, and we need to be in a position where branch chairs have more autonomy.”

Although the exact details of the restructuring cannot be released to the members until they have been approved by the Party Board, we will know by conference exactly what they are. Michael describes the reforms as “radical – we are the radicals and we will always be!” The reforms however will not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the Rock4CF manifesto – a document that is being put into action bit by bit all be it “slower than initially anticipated because of the very slow bureaucratic nature of CCHQ.”

At 29 Michael is one of the oldest active CF members, he seems to have taken to his role as the big cheese, the leader, very well. His age provides him with a certain gravitas over the younger members but unlike many of the students who make up the core of the membership Michael has a job. Despite being full-time information consultant his day is dominated by phone calls and anything up to fifty emails concerning CF and that’s just before the social events in the evenings. Friday night is Mrs Rock time though! He brushes away TB’s suggestion that it can’t all be fun and games but is clearly a hard man to faze. Despite certain blogs having emerged focusing on CF in the last few months, the nastier and darker sides of CF come in attacks that are not always meant for the public eye. Just this week Michael has had to deal with a fake document that slammed his record so far and worst of all the attacker falsely claimed it was written by Patrick Sullivan, not only a very loyal NME member but a friend. The attack backfired though,

this sophisticated fake

has failed to sway the determined Chairman - Michael is extremely thick skinned “it’s incredibly hard to insult me. I don’t take attacks personally because most of the things that are offensive are inaccurate.” He is trying to spread this attitude to his NME - “Just don’t worry about it! I guess that the younger you are less thick skinned you are.”

Though he is ambitious for his term in office, Michael is realistic. He constantly stresses his concern with the relationship and role CCHQ plays over the organisation. “We’ll be ok” for a general election if it was called post conference – “the target seats ‘issue’ wasn’t the best way to do it – we accept the fifteen target seats in the same way accept any seat – we need to win.” Michael is adamant that the relationship CF has with CCHQ has to change. Firstly CF still has no access to the data of all its members; the Chairman can not send an email to all its members in one go- “come on this is 2008!” Secondly over yet more dumplings the staffing of CF is discussed. Michael would like to see two full time staff of CF age devoting their time fully and completely to the everyday running of the organisation, something that is clearly needed -“there are members of CF that don’t know they are members of CF!”

Although he is careful not to discuss successor to a job that is not yet vacant, by far the biggest grin of the afternoon comes at the suggestion of the chances of getting David Davis to take over Justine Greenings role as CF’s MP were she to be promoted. Freedom is high up on the Rock agenda and he accepts that as it is “it’s a territory that the party can’t really go… That’s why we need get the independence. We’re the next generation; we need to plan for the next twenty years. There’s nothing worse than a Party troll!” Michael is adamant the “the next generation” is a libertarian one and the structure of CF has to reflect this. He has completely uncomplicated views on tax and government but isn’t the sort to bore you to tears with his opinions on flat tax and cutting red tap.

So what next for Michael Rock? It seems the safe seat in the shires and a couple of rug rats are not on the agenda for anytime soon. He’ll be doing the PAB – but only because the Approved Candidate list will be closing soon, “just so it’s there” he claims. “There is no way in the world I would be able to even think about a seat while I am still Chairman.” Rejecting the idea of moving to a random constituency he dreams of fighting his hometown but still genuinely thinks he is too young to be an MP. Lighting a Marlboro, forced outside by the state he so opposes, Michael looks to the future;

“You can be very influential in politics without being an MP… no kids yet - I'm not that desperate for new members!"

Watching Rock disappear back to work through the crowds of Oxford Circus TB reckons this unpretentious and perceptive man will not only go far, but leave a lasting radical impression, on what is essentially a reactionary organisation.

The Boy did good.

Up against Labour PPC Chuka Umuna (Streatham) Michael David Rock held his own and did CF proud.

That YBF TV training clearly paid off!

Well done to whichever idiot BBC hack decided that Britain's largest youth political movement was called "Conservative Futures" as the the News24 banner referred to us as until halfway through the program.

TB phoned News24 to inform them of their error but was transferred to OffCom, sorry where exactly does the licence fee go?

Rock on TV...

CF Chairman Michael Rock will be bashing some lefty on BBC News24's Question Time Extra program tonight at 11.30 (directly after the main program finishes.) Be sure to tune in...

Fingers crossed for his sake that it will go slightly better than this:



The former campaign manager isn't to confident though:

Charming...