Nominations have closed and the battle has commenced for the leadership of Conservative Future, the Tory youth wing.- Mark Clarke has the most professional website (blog coming soon), he is also at 29 the oldest candidate and has as his objective the whipping of CF into an on-the-ground electoral campaigning force for the party.
- Caroline Hunt, 24, has a blog and stuff and seems good fun. Guido asked her what she thought of the outgoing national chairman’s performance. She said she had only gone out with him briefly.
- Andrew Young, 23, also has a blog, he says he is running on his record, which seems quite geeky – he has had a hand in CF’s online multimedia stuff.
None would really be drawn on their ideological differences. They are all claiming they will run CF better. Last year the leadership election had a pathetic total of 494 votes cast. CCHQ’s inability to compile a list of eligible under 30 voters is incomprehensible. Guido asked the candidates what they would do about it, none gave a clear answer.
Guido found it hard to differentiate the candidates because they don’t do politics or policy, they only do process and structure. Hardly an inspirational rallying cry to Britain’s youth…
