The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Conservative Party is “closed to new members”

Secret survey by CCHQ reveals a reluctance to accept new members among local Conservative Associations.

By Duncan Robinson Published 11 March 2011 12:23

The Conservative Party is a far more exclusive club than previously thought. Mark Wallace has got hold of some rather alarming research that shows a rather lacklustre attitude from local Conservative associations towards those wanting to join the party. In a "mystery shopper" test, more than half did not receive a response to their application, while 10 per cent were told that the association was "closed to new members".

Apparently Andrew Feldman reported (at a meeting this morning) on a study CCHQ has carried out into the effectiveness of local Conservative Associations. In a "mystery shopper" exercise, CCHQ wrote to over 300 associations under the guise of being a person who wanted to join up, and asking how to do so.

Over half of the letters received no response at all, which is bad enough. Weirdly, a handful who wrote back said the applicant would need to pass a membership interview before they could join the Conservatives. Most worryingly, though, around 10 per cent wrote back to the pretend applicant saying they were "closed to new members".

While Labour is practically giving membership away for free, the Conservatives are a more discerning bunch. Still, at least it shows ideological consistency. The party's membership policy matches its immigration policy: we're full, you can't come in!

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11 comments

Sat, 2011-03-12 04:18 — JanC (not verified)

Look here, they simply want to make sure they admit the right sort of person. Never does to have types who might have, well, you know, odd ideas. There are some who just wouldn't fit, or their partner (married) might be a bit of an embarrassment. But you know on the whole they're very welcoming to suitable people. And, they are thoughtful because they wouldn't want some well-meaning type to be allowed in and then feel, well, out of place. No no not class, that doesn't worry them. Of course a large garden in a nice neighbourhood helps - garden fetes etc

Fri, 2011-03-11 13:45 — Dave C (not verified)

Much as it sticks in my craw to defend the Tories, here goes:

"Over half of the letters received no response at all,... "

1) You receive an application from outside your constituency so you forward it to the relevant one. You don't acknowledge the application as you assume the correct constituency will do that.

2) The applicant apparently lives in your constituency. You arrange for someone to knock on their door and find no-one of that name lives there. The 'application' dies at that point.

"a handful who wrote back saying the applicant would need to pass a membership interview before they could join the Conservatives"

If these were parties with clubs where you get the cheap booze, then interviewing people to join these is common practice (just like a gold club). Perhaps the local parties and/or mystery shopper were confusing a club application with a party application.

"closed to new members"

Try as I might, I can think of no excuse.

Fri, 2011-03-11 13:55 — Ian (not verified)

Weird, walked past the local association and they had a massive blue banner outside trying to recruit new members. Guess they must have read this report!