Today is a great day for democracy, and I am pleased to say it is the Conservative Party paving the way for a new system of selecting candidates for parliamentary seats.
Around 25% of the electorate in Totnes have voted in an open primary and decided Sarah Wollaston is going to be the next Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate. This was advocated by those involved in the direct democracy movement and more recently by Douglas Carswell and Daniel Hannan in their book, The Plan.
Although I do not believe David Cameron has swallowed the full 'plan' pill, he does seem to realise if you engage the electorate in the selection of candidates, you are more likely to get them out on polling day.
This now needs to go further. Trying to get people to stand for council seats can be like getting a lawyer to waive their fee; not impossible, but very difficult. The Conservative Party's message across the country needs to be one of inclusion; that no matter who you are, there is a place for you in the party. We need attract the best, most able people and let those voters who choose to register with the party a chance to decide who their Conservative candidate(s) are going to be. The closed shop, quid pro quo needs to end. By being open, good candidates will come forward.
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