Monday, September 29, 2008

Some Tory Conference Thoughts

OK, having been to Tory Conference for a day (got blisters that crippled me), I have two simple comments to make. First, why the fuck, and yes I did use the word fuck, do they not have day passes for the event?

Seriously, I realise that you have to take security seriously, but surely it would make sense to allow those of us normal people, and by normal I mean working people, the ability to pop in for just one day on the off chance like?

Ifyou want to appeal to a wider audience other than sad political anoraks, then how about making it possible for people who have an interest in politics but who are not "anal retentive, never had a job morons" get in without having to pay quote so much money?

This is politics after all. The allocation of values for the masses. So shouldn't it be more accessible to the masses? Not to mention students of course. Take this weekend, the conference has been held in a Uni town, wouldn't it make sense to offer day passes?

The second comment is this. Why is it that I have an MEP yet there is no conference to tell me what the party has been doing in the EU? As my representative on matters which impact my life I have to sod off to various fringe events to hope against hope that one will give an indication of what is coming down the line.

Would it not make more sense to have an extra day at the beginning added to conference that is dedicated to the European Party representative rather than the National one? After all, things the MEPs do tomorrow are things that MPs will have to deal with in the EU the next week (shortened time lines is artistic license).

So let's start having a day of conference that is dedicated to the MEPs and an update of what they are doing. After all, in some cases, they actually exercise more power than the Prime Minister.

11 comments:

Bonetired said...

I totally and utterly agree. I wanted to go up tonight to be part of the Conservative Humanist's launch (Richard Dawkins). I was quoted some atrocious amount for a pass so - like you - I said fuck it. Really really pissed off about that

Shug Niggurath said...

The cynic in me thinks this is because they really don't want you to know what MEP's are all about.

A pretty useful idea though, they did have the devolution day after all.

Anonymous said...

Yes to the day pass, and you have to ask why there wasn't a blogger event that didn't cost as much as a full media credential, given that you and other independent bloggers don't have expense accounts with Associated Newspapers or the Guardian Media Group to pick up the tab.

I recognise there may not have been time, but I sat behind Francis Maude on the plane back from the Democratic Party Convention in Denver, and he recognised the need for UK parties to up their game as per the 'system of tubes'.

Big Tent in Denver was outside of the insane security perimeter, and hosted 600 bloggers. For $100, we all got free WiFi, free electricity, free food, free beer, free massages, a whole fringe stage, and other multimedia stuff (free use of TV cameras and recording equipment etc). The blogosphere was courted, rather than an afterthought.

Day passes are an obvious solution - separating MSM and blogger credentials is another obvious next step.

Anonymous said...

Or just leave the EC and have a Swiss/Norwegian type reltionship with it and save all that VAT?

Old BE said...

Wouldn't an extra day mean that hardworkingbloggerslikeyou would miss even more of the conference?

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the Tory party realise its better to have no truck with MEP's or the machiavellian machinations of the EU Commission.
The EU is after all a non democratic body, run by an elite for that elite.

Think of the vast sums of money that could be saved if we rearanged our relationship.

tory boys never grow up said...

A day of Tory Conference devoted to discussing European matters. Excellent idea - the depth of Tory thinking on Europe needs the maximum exposure possible. Somehow, I doubt that the current Tory leadership would agree with me.

Anonymous said...

The Bruges group fringe event didn't go according to plan:

http://www.westbournemouthukip.com/main.htm

Anonymous said...

re Morus: "you have to ask why there wasn't a blogger event that didn't cost as much as a full media credential"

The full media credentials were free, if you applied early enough.

For what it's worth, next time I'd suggest bloggers just apply for a media pass and see what happens. Just download the form of the website like other hacks and give your organisation as dizzythinks.net in the same box that other people write BBC or The Times etc.

I'd like to see them say "no" but offer you a different form to fill in with a fee attached . . .

Anonymous said...

So, you're a bit upset that the Tory conference doesn't make it easy for regular folks to join in?
I'd be surprised if you'd got this far through life and had been yet to realise that that's one of the basic concepts behind the Tories.
They're think they're better than you, they just don't want you to realise you're being taken for a ride.
Not that I'd vote for either of the top 2 parties at the moment. A third way, anyone? Or will we all just sit here moaning about the incompetence and corruption in our system while voting in one differently coloured party that results in the same tired old bull.

dizzy said...

So, you're a bit upset that the Tory conference doesn't make it easy for regular folks to join in?No. I think they should allow day passes.