Discussion and Debate at a Conservative Party Conference!

 The day Conservative Party members elected the Party Chairman!

Net Zero and a Constitutional Crisis

 

Net Zero and a Constitutional crisis!

 At the Gerrards Cross Conservatives dinner on 27 November 2025, John Strafford asked Dr. David Starkey whether, now that The President of the United States and the Reform Party oppose the policy of Net Zero and the Conservative Party is moving in that direction, can King Charles II continue to advocate a policy of Net Zero, thus interfering in the political process, unlike his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who always stayed neutral, and the King is therefore creating a constitutional crisis.?   David Starkey's answer was "Yes, it will create a Constitutional crisis and the Prime Minister will have to have privately, a firm word with him!".

Net Zero and Vested Interests! Question to Nigel Farage MP and his reply!

 

Film October 2023 by Aleksandra Turner

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14PN3Zqtkmt/

Reform are gearing up to fight the General Election

 

Reform are gearing themselves up to fighting a National ground campaign in the General Election.   They recognise that members are an essential element in this and motivating them is critical.   In marginal seats members are essential and in todays scenario every seat is a marginal seat.   Reform are even targeting traditionally strong Conservative seats like Beaconsfield.   Unfortunately the Conservative Party continues to treat its members with contempt.   Unless the Conservative Party embraces democracy within the Party, it will rue the day when it decided to take away all members rights.   I show below recent emails I have received from Reform:

Dear John,  It's been a busy month for our Beaconsfield constituency REFORM branch, and we are delighted to announce that we have some key events and dates for your diary between now and Christmas. Many more events are planned for 2026, and I can't wait to be able to share these with you.   We are a young branch that needs to be general election ready.  We need to build strong teams of volunteers in each area for canvassing, leafleting, fundraising, campaigning and event organisation. If you have a little time to spare, please email me.   TRAINING GIVEN  We are holding a one-hour volunteer training session on Sunday 2nd November 1-2pm in Bourne End. Your branch truly needs YOU! We need to ensure our constituency turns turquoise! Contact me if you would like to attend.  Here are some key dates for your diary and opportunities to get involved.   Reform UK Action Day – 25th October 2025 - volunteers needed  On this day, REFORM UK HQ wants every branch, that's more than 450 nationwide, out in full force! We rely on volunteers to help us engage with the public, recruit new members, and collect donations. CAN YOU HELP US ON THIS DAY? If so, please contact me with times of the day you are available. Let's make this the biggest one-day membership surge in British political history. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.   It's our mission to be visible and accessible to all our wards within our constituency. Please note the following event dates. Further information will be sent out soon: -  •⁠ ⁠Wednesday 26th November, 7.30-9pm - 'Meet & Greet' in Beaconsfield Town Centre. Come and meet your branch team. Further plans tbc.  •⁠ ⁠Sunday 2ndNovember1-2pm - Canvassing training in Bourne End. Followed by canvassing as a group between 2-4pm for those who can continue.  Gathering voting intention data is key to our success in any upcoming election. Can you spare some time to help us? Join our friendly volunteers to further our work.   •⁠ ⁠Thursday 11th December 7.30pm - Branch Christmas celebration. Details coming soon.   In addition to our regular branch meetings and events we plan on hosting smaller and informal socials across pubs, cafe's and restaurants in all of our constituency wards. Do you know of a suitable, ideally REFORM friendly venue near you? Please let us know.   If you are not yet a member and would like to be, or you can donate to help us buy necessary leaflets and materials, please click here.  Wishing you all a wonderful week. Kind regards Chair Beaconsfield Constituency    A few days later I received the following:

 Dear John,

 TODAY is our BIG Reform UK 2025 Action Day.

 Today marks the biggest coordinated campaign day in our party’s history.

We need every member, supporter, and volunteer out on the ground helping to grow Britain’s fastest-growing political movement.

 If you know someone - a friend, family member, or neighbour - who shares our values, forward them this email or send them this link xxxxxxx so they can join Reform UK today. Together, we can make history.

What’s Happening Today

✅ An incredible 450 Reform UK branches across the UK will be setting up stalls, tables, and street presence.  The aim of the day is to sign up as many new members as we possibly can.

 📱 Supporters will be encouraged to sign up at the stalls, but can also join or donate via the Reform Go app and the Reform UK website throughout the day.

                                            

  Live National Broadcast & £5,000 Branch Prize

To celebrate our Action Day, I will be hosting a live two-hour broadcast from our London HQ. I’m also delighted to confirm that Jeremy Kyle will be joining us as co-host from a Reform UK Bus on the South Coast and the fabulous Darren Grimes will be co-hosting from Durham. What could possibly go wrong?

 We will have reporters around the country, our fantastic MPs and activists and elected representatives all joining the broadcast.

We need to unleash your competitive spirit

💰 To add competition to the day, we are offering a £5,000 CASH PRIZE for the branch that signs up the most new members in a single day. It’s all to play for!

 📊 A live leader board will track the top-performing branches in real time during the broadcast.

How You Can Take Part

Whether you’re a long-time supporter or new to our party, we want you involved today:

Join your local branch at their street stall or community event.
Bring a friend, a neighbour, or a family member and get them signed up.
Share photos, videos, and updates throughout the day using #ReformActionDay.

 Today, let's show just how widespread support is for Reform UK across the country. We want this day to be as successful as we can make it, so please get involved in any way you can and let's have a great day!

 Best,

 Dr David Bull

 Chairman

 Reform UK

 

COVID Freedoms Lost!

 COVID Freedoms Lost

Speech by John Strafford and response by Joy Morrissey MP

Conservative Party Conference 2021

Donald Trump and USA democracy!

 At a meeting of the Farnham Conservatives, where the guest speaker was Kevin Richardson, a former Mayor from Chicago.   I told him I supported most of what Donald Trump is doing but I often didn't like the way he express himself!   Thanks to David Moore for organising!

Rt Hon Kemi Badenock MP What a Surprise!

 What a lovely surprise to receive the following yesterday on my birthday!

 Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP

Leader of the Conservative Party

Dear John,

On behalf of the entire Conservative family, I would like to wish you a very Happy Birthday.

I also want to take this moment to thank you for continuing to support our party. Members like you play a critical role and even more so as we renew our party to take us from Opposition back into Government.

But for today John I hope you enjoy your special day.

The Way We Were! Conservative Party Conferences!

 Do you remember what Conservative Party Conferences were like?                                                                      A Trip down Memory Lane.

Reform Party Rule Changes. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!

 REFORM PARTY ISSUES NEW RULES

Last year the Reform Party introduced a Constitution which was passed by the members of the Party in General Meeting.   The Constitution was 17 pages in length.   Since then the Party Board, on which a majority of the members are appointed by Nigel Farage issued the Rules for the election of Party Board members (just three of them, so they do not form a majority) and the Rules for Branches/Constituency Associations, (22 pages long) without going back to the members for their approval!   Thus the Dictatorship of Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuk who control the Party continues.   This is not the way a democratic political Party works!   Members have no say on policy and organisation is effectively controlled by the Leader who has a majority of his appointments on the Party Board.   Eventually the members will realise this and start to walk away from the Party.   In May 2025 the Party claimed to have over 230,000 members.  According to the Rules for the election of the Party Board this is now 227,000.

The Reform Party are repeating the error which the Conservative Party has made, (the Original Conservative Constitution was 55 pages long, today it is over 150 pages long) creating a vast bureaucratic organisation controlled by the elite.

Not all is bad in the changes which have been introduced by Reform:

Rules for the election of the Party Board

First of all congratulations, the three members of the Party Board are to be elected directly by the ordinary Party members in a nationwide ballot.   This is in stark contrast to the Conservative Party which has no members directly elected to their Party Board by ordinary Party members.

The bad news is that under the rules each candidate must

 1.1.3.  pay a £100 non-refundable application fee and,

 1.1.4. like anyone standing for election for the Party, pass the vetting process.

The vetting process at the moment is very extensive including, we are told, psychiatric testing, so much so that it is said that it will be simplified!

The question is: Who judges the results of the process and are they accountable to the members?

Branch/Constituency Rules

Here the position is mixed.   There are some very good detailed rules which the Conservative Party should look at and incorporate within its own Constitution.   However there are also some rules which strengthen the dictatorial control of the Party by the Party Board and ultimately Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuk!

Rules:

4.13 Branch Officers must sign an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) and will complete Party-approved GDPR training prior to their confirmation and prior to gaining access to any Party systems.

The wording of the NDA is not given but generally Non Disclosure Agreements are used by very powerful people to stop not so powerful people speaking out.   For transparency the wording of an NDA should be shown so members can judge whether it is reasonable.

4.15 A National or Regional Director may at their sole discretion, replace and/or remove any interim Branch Officer for any reason they consider pertinent.

Nowhere in the Party’s Constitution does it mention National or Regional Director so presumably these have been created  and appointed by the Party Board without reference to the membership so who are they accountable to?

5.7 is a strange requirement and indicates that the Party hierarchy do not trust the members!

National/Regional Directors are not elected, they are appointed, At any time they can come in to a branch and take the position of chair to control meetings.  This is control freakery at its worst!

6.18 If branches call emergency meetings to discuss a problem the National or Regional Director can cancel these meetings at any time.   Once again we see a complete lack of democracy and distrust of ordinary members.

 

ALL SPEAKERS MUST BE APPROVED. Reform don't trust their branches organising speakers, they must be approved now by HQ.   This is extraordinary.   Once again the lack of trust by the hierarchy is highlighted by this clause!

15 Waiver

15.1    The Party Chairman, Vice Chairman, National Directors, and their duly authorised appointees, may at their absolute discretion, revoke, suspend or waive any Branch Rule at any time with or without notice.

This says it all   For the avoidance of any doubt we the Party hierarchy can do what ever we please and the ordinary Party member has no recourse.   This is called dictatorship.   It isn’t democracy!

Conservative Party Democracy Area and Region!

 

Conservative Party Democracy - Area and Region!

On Friday 1st August Stuart Andrew MP sent the following statement to every Conservative Party member: 

Building a thriving and internally democratic Party is important, to ensure that we run our own affairs robustly and transparently.

Hear hear! Does the Party Chairman agree?

 As well as your local Association or Federation we also have elected volunteers covering larger Areas and Regions, who support the work of local activists by targeting campaign support where it is most needed, putting on local conferences and other big events, sharing best practice, and helping resolve contentious matters.

 This is the time of year when the Area and Regional elections take place, and all party members are eligible to stand.

Stuart, it is all very well talking the talk but you do not walk the walk! See below

 If you are interested in standing for one of these roles, either now or in the future, why not get in touch with our senior volunteer team – just email: national.convention@conservatives.com 

 Make sure you let them know which constituency you are from. 

And what will they do about it? Promote you? Appoint you? I wonder what? I set out below the process by which Area and Regional Officers are elected:

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

At the Ward/ Branch AGM to which all Party members within the Ward/Branch are resident one or more representatives are elected to the Executive Council of their Constituency Association.

Party Constitution

6.1.3 [One or more – which number must be defined] elected representatives from each ward, The Association may list the wards in order to vary the number according to the size of the ward. if the ward is covered by a single branch, that branch may elect the representative(s) at its AGM;

 The Executive Council then elects two representatives  to its Area Council

Party Constitution:

Elections to the Area Council

48          The Executive Council of each Association or Federation shall elect the required number of members, in accordance with its Rules, to represent it on its Area Council, in addition to the Chairman of the Association or Federation (who shall be an ex-officio member of the Area Council).

Each Area Council shall comprise

28.2      Two representatives from each Constituency covered by an Association elected by the Executive Council of each Association in accordance with the Rules of the Conservative Party Associations, as contained within Schedule 7. Where the Association is subject to Schedule 7a, two representatives per constituency should be elected by the Executive Council under the same rules that pertain to the election of “Constituency Officers”.

The Area Council then elects the Area Management Executive

Party Constitution:

Area Management Executive

29          Each Area Council shall meet once a year and elect an Area Management Executive (in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 5) which shall act as a co-ordinating body between the Board and Associations with a view to enhancing the performance of Associations in each Area and co-ordinating activities and the efficient management of resources within each Area.

The Area Councils then elect the Regional Officers for the Region of which they are part of. 

Party Constitution:

38          The Regional Officers shall be elected in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 5, by those members of the Area Councils in the region in which they are situated.

So summing up as an ordinary Party member I

Attend my Branch/Ward AGM to elect the members of my Association Executive Council.

My Association Executive Council elect the representatives to the Area Council.

The Area Council elects the Area Management Executive.

The Area Council elects the Regional Officers

This process is known as pyramid democracy.   It was made illegal in the Trade Unions in the 1980s by the Conservative Government because it was too easily manipulated by those in power.

The Area Management Executive and Regional Officers should be elected and accountable to ordinary Party members at an Annual General Meeting to which all Party members in the Area/Region are resident!   That is Democracy!

Ps Stuart, Congratulations on your appointment as Shadow Health Secretary!

Conservative Party - Hope for the future!

 

Speech given to the New Forest Conservative Association 13th June 2025

Good advice from Popular Conservatism about the Conservative Party!

 In a newsletter today Popular Conservatism says:

We consulted the Conservative Party's constitutional guru, John Strafford, who pointed us to this post on his website. 

 John has spent decades of his life campaigning to make the Conservative Party more democratic and whilst we are not telling you how to complete the survey, we do urge you to take a look at John's post before you do. 

Battle For Monte Natale Could the British Army fight it today?

 Speech given to the New Forest Conservative Association on 13 June 2025 questions the capability of today's British army.

Remember Margaret Thatcher

 The following speech was given to the New Forest Conservative Association on 13 June 2025 by John Strafford.   It recalls a speech made by Margaret Thatcher at the Conservative Party Conference in 1968.

Selection of Conservative Party Parliamentary Candidates!

 The following video is an extract from a speech given to the New Forest Conservative Association on 13 June 2025:

What is in a name? Includes a trip down Memory Lane!

 The following speech was made to the New Forest Conservative Association on 13 June 2025:

What is in a name?   Includes a trip down Memory Lane!

Winter Fuel Allowance - a Conservative Answer!

 The following speech was made at the COPOV Forum on 31 May 2025

Margaret Thatcher's vision when she became Leader of the Conservative Party!

 Extracts from Margaret Thatcher's speech at the 1975 Conservative Party conference, shortly after she became the Leader of the Conservative Party.   She didn't wait four years before setting out what was needed!

Why I published Our Fight for Democracy!

 

How the book "Our Fight for Democracy" was published!

 How the book "Our Fight for Democracy" was published! Speech at the New Culture Forum Literary Festival; on 24 May 2025