The Conservative Party will be using a new mechanism of selection for some candidates for the next General election and I am not so sure if I entirely agree with it. In some cases, it is clear that candidates at the 2005 General Election performed so well that Conservative Associations would like to readopt them but I can't help thinking that this system is also open to a certain degree of abuse if used as more than just an ad hoc principle of selection. Whilst I would wholeheartedly support the candidature of some of those seeking selection, I still think that they should have confidence in the membership.
It is not particularly democratic for executive officers of an Association to decide to readopt a candidate without opening up the selection to the whole membership. One of the benefits of membership is that you have the opportunity to select the candidate in your constituency.
This fast track procedure also prevents the open exchange of debate and prevents "new blood" who may wish to challenge for a nomination to do so. If certain candidates feel that they performed well in 2005 and feel that they should have another crack at unseating the incumbent MP, they ought to have no qualms about submitting themselves to the fate of the Party membership.
On the one hand, David Cameron advocates open primaries and on the other he allows fast tracking - I'm confused!
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2 comments:
Correct me if I am wrong and internal procedures have changed since I left the Party and an Association that was forever fighting over "fast-tracking" its 2005 General Election candidate...
Doesn't a General Meeting of ALL members of the Association in question have to be convened and a majority vote have to be passed to fast-track a former candidate for re-adoption?
Not sure fast-tracking is a Cameron policy, merely one of the Party's constitutional internal procedures.
In my experience, following an election campaign, especially a good one, the activists get very loyal and attached to their former candidate so fast-tracking is not usually very sensible because sentiment seems to over-rule the brain. In the cold light of day (well, two years after the last General Election) perhaps a lot less former candidates will be fast-tracked had not the Welsh Conservative Party decided on a policy of not selecting ANY General Election candidates before the Assembly Election was over.
John,
I was of the impression that a General Meeting did not have to be called but I maybe wrong - I'm no expert in these matters.
I understand why the Party took the decision not to select any candidates before the Assembly Election because of the potential conflict and the potential confusion of the electorate but it is clear that we will not be able to avoid this in the future. The future electoral cycle will mean that this cannot happen again and both the Assembly candidate and General Election candidate will have to operate in partnership.
Fast tracking may not be a Cameron policy but as our leader, I'm sure he has the power to change this rule if he wished.
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