Campaign Groups welcome…
Conservative Home has an interesting post HERE on the fact that campaign groups are filling the vacuum left by the Tories. Tim mentions The Taxpayers Alliance, Migration Watch and a new anti-European think tank, Speak Out.
To say these groups are filling a vacuum is unfair, and also slightly misses the point, I feel. I think there has been a recognition on the right for a while that the Conservative Party cannot carry the Conservative message on its own. This has long been recognised in America, where the rise of campaign groups has been well established and where they help maintain much wider support for important issues like tax reform and reduction. When I worked for Michael Howard, we tried, unsuccessfully, to mimic the Wednesday morning “think tank fest” that happens in Washington DC every week. I for one would hugely encourage more campaign groups to be established to campaign for Conservative issues. After all, Labour has had the trade unions do it for them for years!
UK Daily Pundit said on October 10th, 2006 at 11:43 am:
It also makes it easier for the ‘don’t knows’ to vote for and support the Conservatives if a campaign group outside the party is fighting their corner on a particular issue.
Peter North said on October 13th, 2006 at 1:17 pm:
Typical conservative blog. Plenty words and nothing of substance.