An open letter to the South West Norfolk Conservative Association from Tim Montgomerie, Editor of ConservativeHome.com.
The readers of ConservativeHome.com have been following your selection process with great interest and I hope you won't mind me writing this open letter to you as I think your decision about the future of Elizabeth Truss will have consequences for the whole party.
ConservativeHome.com is a website that aims to champion the views and rights of grassroots members. Our first campaign was in 2005 when we coordinated resistance to the attempts by the leadership to end party members' say in the election of party leader. More recently we have protested against the idea of All Women Shortlists and are reassured with the clarification of policy announced by David Cameron last week. Central Office interferes far too much with candidate selection and I know that you are unhappy at CCHQ's 'meddling' in your own process to choose a successor to Christopher Fraser MP. I do request, however, that your anger at CCHQ does not result in the deselection of Liz Truss.
First of all, I think a deselection would be harmful to the Conservative Party's national reputation. That's not just my view. It's the view of an overwhelming majority of other grassroots Conservative members across the country. On Tuesday ConservativeHome conducted a special poll of Tory members on Europe. The results are here. At the end of the survey we asked a question about Liz Truss and 81% of the 2,056 people who voted said that the Conservative Party would be damaged if you deselect her. 44% thought the party would be "very damaged" and 37% "quite damaged". The anti-Tory press will have a field day. However unfairly, they'll accuse the party of sexism and candidates far beyond Norfolk will be affected.
Second, I happen to know Liz Truss and think you made an excellent decision in choosing her as your candidate in the first place. ConservativeHome has published some of her work while she has been at the Reform think tank. It's on these pages. She is a hugely able candidate. Intelligent. Independent-minded and well-regarded across Westminster. From my conversations with her I know she is a big champion of grassroots Conservatives too. For example, she opposes All Women Shortlists. She - like every Conservative - wants to be chosen because she is the best person for the job and never just because she is a woman.
Thanks for taking the time to read this letter,
With best wishes,
Tim Montgomerie
Editor of ConservativeHome.com