Hamish Fulton has recently been accepted on to the approved candidates' list. He has no political experience and only applied to be a candidate after the list was re-opened in late May. A lifelong Conservative voter, here he explains why, after careers in the Army and in business, he now wants the chance to have a third career in Parliament.
David Cameron’s call for new candidates in the early summer, following the so-called MPs' expenses scandal, didn’t fall on deaf ears here. Or it turns out with thousands of other would-be parliamentarians. In my case though, it had less to do with the furore surrounding the now famous duck houses and moats, and more because it struck a chord, deep down, that I’d not connected with for a long time.
Once I was a young Army Officer freshly out of Sandhurst, aged 19. Eleven mostly older and much more experienced NCOs and soldiers were now my sole responsibility, at least in military matters; and all of them looked to me for a semblance of leadership and direction. As it turned out, I made many mistakes and wrong turns but in the end things clicked. Serving one’s fellow human beings, especially in a very public service such as the Army, resonated deeply with me. Not only was I acutely aware that they relied on me for leadership and direction, but also that my actions and decisions could, ultimately, affect their very lives.
Later in business, in London and running my own company, I find the same things apply. Making a profit is one thing, but leading and managing and empowering employees is just as crucial to overall success. So too, as Chairman of Trustees of a local school, you learn very quickly that serving the interests of parents, children and their teachers requires all your wits, and a pragmatic approach to problems, as well as leading on strategic issues: the financing and construction of new buildings and facilities for example. Never mind the fundraising!
So, you arrive at 50 plus, divorced and with two teenage children, and you think: I don’t do anything for anyone any more. Well, not outside my own immediate family and friends. And even then it's mostly just for myself, because my kids have almost flown from the nest anyway. It’s just me me me, and that’s just not good enough. Not at all.
Conservatism is about values; and it's about we Conservatives demonstrating those values and putting them to the best use. In the Army, as a parent, as a business leader, and as a school trustee, the platform is obviously there to do this. But I’ve been looking forward to doing more, on a bigger scale. After all, I’ve had nearly three adult decades to practise.
I’m not interested in climbing the greasy pole. I want to make a real difference. I want to make a full time, live-in commitment to a constituency. And I can, because I’m fortunate enough not to have any other nine-to-five distractions. I want to serve again.
So, I hear this call for diversification, and new faces. David Cameron is leading a revolution by encouraging politically untried new blood. And I’m on the phone straight away, answering the call. Of course, much will depend on the selection process to come. Can I persuade them I’ll make a good MP? Can I even get an interview at a local constituency party? I don’t know yet.
So far I’ve just written in, sent my CV and references, and I’ve passed the Parliamentary Assessment Board. There is much more to come. I know this. But it feels good to be doing something again which I hope will make a difference. A difference to others. No more me me me.