Thursday, May 07, 2009

Advert: One Day Conference INSIDE A CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT


Total Politics & ComRes have combined to organise a one day conference on 9 July titled

INSIDE A CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT: HOW WILL DAVID CAMERON GOVERN?

You can download the full conference brochure and booking form HERE, and you can book places HERE.

MORNING SESSIONS

Keynote speech by Rt Hon Francis Maude MP

  • The Electoral Challenge
  • Cameron's First 100 Days
  • Learning from Blair's First Term
  • Learning from Past Conservative Governments

Morning Speakers: Andrew Hawkins (ComRes), Tim Montgomerie (ConservativeHome.com), Fraser Nelson (The Spectator), George Eustice (Fmr Press Officer to David Cameron), Derek Scott (Fmr Chief Economic Adviser to Tony Blair), Ferdinand Mount (Head of Policy, 10 Downing Street, 1982-3)

Lunchtime Keynote: Rt Hon David Davis MP - The Key Policy Challenges Facing David Cameron

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

  • How Will the Media Treat the Tories?
  • The External Influences on a Cameron Government

Afternoon Speakers: Rt Hon David Davis MP, Steve Richards (The Independent), Benedict Brogan (Daily Telegraph), Michael Prescott (Weber Shandwick), Neil O'Brien (Policy Exchange), Elizabeth Truss (Reform), John Glen (Fmr Director, Conservative Research Department), Lionel Zetter (Public Affairs Consultant), Jonathan Isaby (ConservativeHome.com)

The conference is sponsored by Weber Shandwick and Ellwood & Atfield.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is this sort of thing normal?

Looks incredibly presumptuous to me.

no longer anonymous said...

This assumes we win. I don't like hubris.

Philipa said...

I can't imagine this will be very informative. Will a Conservative manifesto be revealed? In my humble experience these things are good with inspirational words that don't actually mean anything but the gloss of jolly good intentions donchaknow. Not like those dreadful other people who are resoundly trashed. What is also glossed over is the reality that the Conservative party don't intend to anything significantly different to those dreadful other people.

Matthew Dear said...

I wish you'd say "how WOULD David Cameron govern."

Complancency makes me so, so nervous.

Not a sheep said...

"How Will the Media Treat the Tories?" - The BBC will rain down disdain, hatred and vituperation in equal quantities.

Wrinkled Weasel said...

I was very interested in going to this until I looked at the prices. In order for me to attend, I would have to either come up on the sleeper or book a hotel. Either way I would not get much change out of a Grand.

Can you provide a live video link for us plebs?

Bookseller said...

One of the things that I had hoped might come out of the economic collapse was a reduction in the number of idiots willing to fork out £300+ a pop for this sort of arrogant, hubristic speculation.

Cath said...

This is exactly the kind of presumptive attitude the public have come to hate. Stupid stupid stupid.

Anonymous said...

Presumption makes me very very uncomfotable too. That did for Kinnock "We're Alriiiiiiight" (repeat several times)......

Unknown said...

Like some of the above commentators, I would have loved to attend...until I saw the prices. Crazy. Evidently you don't want 'normal' people to attend.

How about you get Weber Shandwick and Ellwood & Atfield to stump up some more cash, and reduce those prices?

woman on a raft said...

Agreed. "Sheffield Rally"

You could recycle the 'Honey I Shruk The Economy' line, though. The late John Smith used it there.

Iain Dale said...

Jesus people, from the way you are talking you'd think this was being organised by the Tory Party. Let me spell it out. It's a commercial conference, not a rally!

Iain Dale said...

Andrew, Like I said, it's a commercial conference. This is actually a low delegate rate compared to most companies that organise this sort of thing. If you have ever run a conference like this you would appreciate why the rates have to be at such a level.

Unknown said...

Fair enough, Iain. I think a lot of people (like myself) just looked at the sheer number of high-ranking Tories attending and assumed it was endorsed by the Conservative Party. My apologies.

Non runner said...

Wouldn't David Davis be better suited for a conference titled "Outside a Conservative Government"?

Wrinkled Weasel said...

Well actually Iain, I do understand why the rates are what they are.

Dr Weasel attend these things all over the world and they are expensive. The only difference is, it comes out of the public purse. (don't carp, people, Dr W was awake at four in the morning trying to reassure some embryonic junior house doctor that because their patient had been in contact with a sombrero, it did not automatically mean they had mexican flu)

It still remains the case, that for little money, a live video feed could be set up. How about it?

Matthew Dear said...

"It's a commercial conference, not a rally."

Come along now old bean, there are inumerable senior MPs speaking and everybody involved is closely tied to the Party. It doesn't matter who is organising it, or what for - like me, most people will see the title "how WILL David Cameron" and go "ooooooh!"

That being said, I'm not trying to denigrate it, nor to beat you up! It looks great. I may even come :-)

Anonymous said...

I was hoping we would have a Conservative Government by then!

Anonymous said...

Please have a student rate!

strapworld said...

Francis Maude? The Common Purpose trained man? Steve Richards that apologist for Labour?

Goodness pass the smelling salts!

Iain, They have not included what the internet can do i.e. blogging. I am truly amazed.

But I do agree with the first two anonymous comments. It does look rather like SHEFFIELD.
Quite, quite ridiculous.

I have been exremely impressed by Clegg recently and he is playing it well.

I do hope this does not come back and bite Cameron.

Verity said...

Anon@12:04, No Longer Anonymous@12:08, Philipa 12:14 and others voicing similar sentiments, SNAP! This is pretentious Sixth Former stuff and it's terribly irritating on every level.

Strapworld, unlike you, I do hope it comes back and bites Cameron and I was surprised to read your post given that it was you who memorably dubbed Cameron and his close colleagues The Blair Tribute Band.

Stan said...

I know how David Cameron will govern - the same way this current administration has governed for the past 12 years.

What I want to know is when will the Tories rediscover conservatism.

Mind you, I do have to admit that there is a certain delicious irony to the fact that the Tory Party is ready to make the final move in it's long journey to social liberalism just as social conservatism is about to make a comeback.

Give them another 15 years and they might get back in touch with the British public.

Manfarang said...

Does Brian Rix have anything to do with this?

Skint but worthy said...

How much to attend?! Forget it. Would have loved to have gone but not a these prices mate.