Only the right context and the right approach will keep the Conservative Party young

Having the right informal context as well as an approach of active engagement is vital to keeping the Conservative Party younger, Consult Chairman Matthew Page has stated in a keynote speech to the Bow Group.

Consult Chairman Matthew Page commented that: "The ground should be fruitful because younger people are at the centre of driving the global economy, global business and global opportunities which we see around us. But many younger people lack the necessary informal context or environment in which to discuss issues or matters of policy that matter to them, and then associate these to politics.

The two words that best describe how we keep the Conservative Party young are active engagement; younger people need to be purposefully involved in well directed activity, whether it be advocating their role in policy development, training programmes which allow new skills and experiences to be acquired or the management of volunteers. Younger people need to be at the centre of the party and are vital to its modernisation and future election success; they are of imperative importance."

Read the full speech below...

Keeping the Conservative Party Young: What needs to be done?
By Matthew Page, Chairman Consult.

Introduction

Thanks very much Mr. Chairman. It's great to be here and good to see such a young audience here. An important objective fulfilled in holding a debate on keeping the Conservative Party Young!

I would just like to say that it's a great honour to be asked to address a debate on keeping the Conservative Party Young. Recently I just turned 30. According to the age rules of CF, that means I'm past it. And from here on in, I'm supposed to start losing my hair and marbles, although some would say that the latter started to happen some time ago.

So in keeping the Conservative Party Young, I say first of all lets encourage the members of our Party who are getting older to feel younger about themselves!

But have no fears. Even in this 31st year of potential anxiety and depression, I won't be applying to be on Big Brother 7 to engage better with younger people. Ill leave that to George.

Younger People at the Centre of Change

I want to say three key things in this debate. The first is not to make the mistake of dumbing down politics for the young to make it more accessible. Younger people do not want the CBBC equivalent of Newsround.

That's because younger people are at the heart of our ever changing society-the global economy, global travel, global communication, global opportunity. Younger people drive this autonomy and its opportunities forwards, and at an ever increasing faster rate. Younger people are at the heart of technology.

Younger people ask the same questions as everyone else. Why can't everyone have better access to good education? Why cannot healthcare be dependent on individual need and not targets?

And they realise that a mentality of everyone needs more of the same of everything lets down our poorest and weakest communities fastest. So younger people realise that everyone needs different things and different opportunities.

And in addition to being challenging and championing opportunity, younger people also ask why do we need more politicians and not hand power down to people and communities. So with these elements in mind, the ground should be fruitful.

Keeping the Conservative Party Young

The reality of the matter is very different of course. The majority of younger people do not have getting involved or engaged with politics top of their day to day wish list.

My own feeling is that younger people do care about issues and good causes. Talk to younger people about Education, Health, Third World Debt or the environment and you'll provoke comment. Last year I ran the Great North run for charity and at the forefront of runners were younger people.

And yet younger people are still not getting involved in the numbers they should. And so we have to ask the question. Why not? This strikes at the heart of this debate in determining both the challenges that face younger people getting involved, but also the solutions that have to be considered in getting more younger people involved.

So clearly the context that they have got for getting engaged with politics and political parties at the moment is lacking. It must be. And Ill tell you why we must get it right.

As a party we are only as strong as the people who want to come into the party and make up our future.

And in our democracy at the moment, there is a monumental communication breakdown between the electorate and the politicians elected to represent us. That is the perception.

So there needs to be far more dialogue between the politicians and the electorate on the issues, the design of policy and its implementation. This will address the concerns, especially of the young, that politicians are just self-serving careerists who do not deliver on their pledges.

Active Engagement

Ultimately active engagement is what is required to keep the Conservative Party young. Younger people don't want to be preached at, dumbed down or passively involved; they need to be engaged in something that is meaningful.

And that is where the remit of Consult comes in; advocating the role of younger people in policy development in engaging the next generation of Conservative voters through An informal yet purposeful context.

Why? Because the context of allowing younger people to have their say on policy is right when considering the apathy they have towards politics but the enthusiasm they have for policy.

And the approach is right of actively engaging younger people in a purposeful agenda which has purpose and direction, but also gives down responsibility and autonomy.

Passion for Issues

And younger people are passionate about he issues that face them. How do we get our streets safer? How do we get better teachers into failing schools? How do we shape an NHS which reflects the needs of the patient?

But I think the contribution younger people can make is goes much further than that. What Ive noticed from Chairman as younger people have come to me with issues and set up projects in taking these further is that there is radical thinking and purpose to policy but which also promotes a social conscious.

For instance, in debating that the tube needs to be more accessible it also should be cleaner.

In debating licensing laws and how they will tie in with Conservative beliefs on personal autonomy and choice, one must also look at the problem of binge drinking and its integration with policy surrounding transport and policing.

In looking at schools and the problems surrounding teaching in the worst communities, one must consider how we back teachers to be able to instill the necessary discipline and ethos.

Lower Taxes for Lower Earners

Let's take taxation. We all know, as Conservatives that we believe in lower taxation. This reflects our belief in less government, the reduced role of the state as well as more choice and autonomy for the individual.

But certain arguments over taxation haven't connected with the electorate in previous campaigns, mainly because there has been a perception that the Conservatives would reduce public spending and that in proposing radical tax cuts we are simply looking after our own affluent supporters.

Lower taxes for lower earners is about challenging the notion that everyone needs more of the same of everything by giving those who most need it increased personal autonomy, choice and ultimately wealth. So is that not a proposal which as well as reflecting Conservative beliefs consistently, also promotes a policy with a social conscious and which directly contradicts the myth that the Conservatives only look after their own.

Yes, but also I believe it reflects the belief for lower taxation in a plausible and practical way which reflects a party aspiring to govern.. That is the true potential that younger people have in influencing policy debate. No gimmicks, absolutely plausible and adding value.

Management of Volunteers

Away from policy, the management of volunteers is critical to keeping the Conservative Party young. As an HR Manager, I realise the problems that Managers have in strategically managing their own staff through recruitment, training and reward.

The challenge of managing volunteers is far bigger and greater. For volunteers are not paid for their efforts, but ultimately the party is utterly dependent on them for delivering its strategy.

And virtually all younger people first come into the party as a volunteer. Whether at a campaign or event, many younger peoples perceptions will be shaped by what they first see and feel in the party.

And so therefore, the appropriate induction, engagement, training and recognition i.e. thank you, is absolutely vital to attracting and engaging younger people, but also it is about adding value to campaigning and every aspect of party activity.

Training is also vital, it is essential that younger people can feel that they have a career in the party and that there is a clear progression between different roles and opportunities. So a skills framework which helps outline the different responsibilities and experiences that are required in doing Area Chairman roles, a National Executive, being CF National Chairman, this would be invaluable.

Ideals and Voluntary Spirit

Lastly I said that younger people liked to think big and idealistically and this is important in shaping a positive campaigning agenda around schools, hospitals, the environment, crime, third world debt, so on and so forth.

But as important is the voluntary spirit and beliefs of our party. I said that earlier on, younger people are often at the forefront of charity events and good causes, and this is vital to our own belief of the values of compassion, drive and ambition coming from within the individual.

And this is what I believe inspires and motivates many younger people to become involved with causes, both political and non-political. I always remember the night, six years ago, when I went along with a voluntary group to give food to the poor living on the streets around Brixton Tube station and it was completely humbling. Poverty horrendous, conditions appalling.

And yet at the same time this was a completely inspiring experience, because here were a group of people doping this on their own back. Not because they had been told. Or instructed. Or sent a Whitehall memo. Doing it.

So, in conclusion, combining this voluntary spirit with a radical policy agenda of how we can help our children in our poorest schools, ensuring that patients are treated on their needs, as well as getting the right relevant context for younger people to express themselves and feel actively engaged with a purposeful agenda, if we get all these components to work together, then we will have a real chance of keeping the Conservative Party young for generations to come.

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