The Application Process
See Also: Introduction
The application process:
The first step in the application process to join the Approved List of candidates is to e-mail your Regional Director with a copy of your CV: they will then consider you for an interview.
Following an interview with your Regional Director they will provide you with an application form to return to the Candidates' Department at CCHQ if they are happy for you to proceed to the next stage. At this stage you will also need to provide details of three referees.
Once your application has been received by CCHQ they will take up references before considering you for a Parliamentary Assessment Board (PAB): this is a day long assessment by MPs and senior Party volunteers who will make the final decision about whether to add your name to the Approved List of candidates. (Please note there is a £250 fee for attending a PAB and you must have been a member of the Party for at least 3 months before you can attend.)
In order to find out the name and e-mail address of your Regional Director please e-mail candidateenquiries@conservatives.com. Alternatively if you would like some further information you can call Lucinda Roberts in the Candidates' Department on 020 7984 8156.
Preparation:
- If you have not already done so, make contact with your local Conservative Association.
- If there are any elections in the offing, be sure to volunteer to help during the campaign.
- Consider becoming a Council candidate.
- Consider your commitments to local voluntary community organisations and charities. Your involvement in these areas indicates a commitment to public service.
- Think realistically about the role of a candidate. Is it the right time for you as far as your professional and private life is concerned? Are you prepared to travel to a far flung constituency and how much time can you devote to fighting a seat?
- Understand the role and job of an MP.
- Consider any training needs you have as many of the skills needed by an MP can be taught, i.e. public speaking and presentation.
As a starting point you may want to consider getting involved in a City Seats Initiative (CSI). A CSI is a group of allocated constituencies in a City area which are working together with a group of candidates and volunteers to maximise the Party's exposure in the constituencies.
Candidates on the Approved List who are working within a CSI team will not be selected for a specific CSI constituency until later in the year and in the meantime all candidates and volunteers will work together to cover the whole group of constituencies.
The strategy will be to improve canvassing information, membership, and income, whilst raising the profile of the Party and identifying areas in which the team can get involved in Social Action Projects.
The principal aims are as follows:
- To raise the Party's profile in major cities where its presence is weak
- To support under resourced Associations in urban areas
- To encourage City wide co ordination of the Party's resources and volunteers
- To encourage those who are currently applying to go on the List and those local people who may be interested in applying but have not taken that important first step
If you are interested in getting involved in a CSI team then please e-mail candidateenquiries@conservatives.com, indicating your preferred location from the list above.
See Also: Introduction