Stephen Canning Hands Over Eastern Region To Cllr Tom Hunt

Stephen Canning the Eastern Region Chair, but better known for his leading roles in Towie and Made in Chelsea, has today officially handed over the Eastern Region CF website, twitter, Facebook and newsletter to Tom Hunt.

Stephen is standing in the up and coming CF elections and wants to make sure that he gains no unfair advantage over anyone wants to stand against him as Deputy Chairman (Political). Stephen ran for this position last year but narrowly missed out, he is thus having another go this August.

Stephen handing over control of the Eastern Region Facebook account.

Stephen has a lot of experience in politics. As well as running Eastern CF he is a well respected councillor in Braintree where he chairs the youth strategy board. Stephen is a management consultant and also a very keen marathon runner. He also announced today he will be running in the London Marathon for Tommy's, the baby charity. You can donate to his run here. 

Tom and Stephen in Braintree.

Stephen has handed over the running of all the Eastern Region accounts to my good friend Tom Hunt, who ran as an MEP in the European Elections earlier this year. Tom has said to #ThingsElliottSays "I will be assuming temporary control of Eastern Region CF's social media accounts and newsletter until after the upcoming CF elections as Stephen will be standing in the election and would not like to gain an unfair advantage."

Good luck Stephen in the CF Elections.

Tom Hunt Campaigns Across The East

After the success of my last post, here is another photo round up about what my friend Tom Hunt has been doing in his campaigning efforts as 5th of the list to be a Conservative MEP in the East. Tom has really made huge efforts to get around the whole region from the North Norfolk coast to the London commuter towns. Let's see where he has been.

A few days ago Tom went to Bishops' Stortford where he came across Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe. Of course he went into canvass to see if the sweet shop owners are on side and I'm pleased to report they are. I love these sort of shops so let's hope Tom has saved me some liquorice torpedoes.

Tom also went Borehamwood with Geoffrey Van Orden MEP where they spotted in a car park one of the famous Conservative posters for the European Elections. Remember it's only the Conservatives that can deliver the country an in-out referendum on Europe. Be sure to vote for that on Thursday.

Having taken a break from appearing on Towie as 'man in background', Stephen Canning joined Tom Hunt as he campaigned in Braintree. There was a lot of support of the ground from the Braintree Tories and hopefully this will thus be a strong area in the elections. How very Reem.

Tom is not one to shy away from a debate and promote the fact that the Conservatives want either a heavily reformed EU or for us to leave. He thus took on other party representatives in a debate at King's College, Cambridge. Doesn't the UKIP man look grumpy.

Tom also went to his home town of Ely to campaign in the town centre with both Geoffrey Van Orden MEP and David Campbell Bannerman MEP. Tom is a councillor in Ely South Ward where he works very hard. He hopes that his constituents will come out and vote for him again in the EU elections.

Tom has also been near to where I live in Gorefield where he and all the other MEP candidates spoke to residents about the EU and answered questions. This was at the time of the Roman Bank by-election, won by cool Conservative Sam Clark. This event was enjoyed by all and afterwards the Euro-candidates gave Sam a hand and did a bit of campaigning for her.

Tom was back with David Campbell Bannerman with a street stall in Hitchin market place. I guess by this time Tom has handed out tens of thousands of the Euro leaflets. I hope that they convince enough people to back the Conservatives in up and coming elections to keep the pressure of the Eurocrats.

Tom then went to Rochford and Southend with James Dudridge MP. Other notable campaigners include Andrew Thorpe-Apps who has been doing a lot of good work in the south of the region. Also there's a guy in tweed I recognise from Nottingham. Not quite sure what he does in the Conservative Party, probably just a very keen activist. Maybe he'll get a role on the NUCA committee next year, who knows?

Back with Geoffrey Van Orden wearing out the leather on the streets of Thetford. Tom has been to all the edges and now the centre of the Eastern region.

Tom was joined by Mark Prisk MP to campaign in Ware, Hertfordshire. I wonder who 'Keith Ian' is.

And finally Tom visited Welwyn Garden City which was built by Ebenezer Howard in the 1920s. Tom enjoyed some chicken tikka and rice in a break before he ventured out on the campaign trail again.

As you can see Tom has been very busy. It would be a shame not to vote for someone who has worked so hard. I really want to see hard work rewarded so please vote Conservative this Thursday.

Voting Time For The Euros

Today I sent off my postal vote for the European elections and surprise, surprise I voted for the Conservatives.

A very long list of choices.

With such large constituencies for the Euro elections the ballot paper was over a foot long. Parties such as the 'harmony party' we're appearing on the ballot to try make a break through into politics. Another interesting new party is called 'An Independence From Europe'. This party is filled with all the cast offs from UKIP who now hate the party for a large number of reasons. Furthermore the party is first on the ballot paper, a cunning use of 'an' when it wasn't really needed. I bet UKIP are very happy with this.

So why am I voting for the Conservatives? As many you will know I do not like the European Union in its current state. In fact if I had a choice I'd definitely leave the EU now. I'm not really worried about immigration, although there are some problems there, what I worry about is trade. We are essentially in a European cartel which barely trades with anyone outside of Europe. Not a good idea when the European economy is shrinking faster than a mock Nick Clegg in a Labour party political broadcast. The future is global trade and we need to embrace that if we want to continue to have a high standard of living in this country.

Thank god then the Conservatives will let me have a say on Europe. I, like a very large portion of the population, have never had a vote on a signal thing about the EU. It's time I am allowed, with the rest of Britain, to tell politicians what I think. We should back this referendum en masse to make sure it happens. A vote for UKIP in the Euros is not going to make sure Dave has this referendum even more. He wants to and will do it. All it will mean is worse MEPs in Brussels which will be brilliant when it comes to trying to re-negotiate and maybe leave the EU. A worse position for Britain all around.

I've done a fair bit of campaigning for the Euros with two of my friends who are both 5th on the Conservative list to become MEPs. Tom Hunt, in the East, and Brendan, in the East Midlands, have been very active in trying to get people to vote for the Conservatives.

Tom out campaigning in Peterborough.

Brendan at the pub in Wollaton.

So what are the Conservatives chances of doing well in these elections? Well don't get your hopes up, despite my impassioned plea a lot of people will still be voting UKIP. Why? It's a protest and people never care about European elections very much. People in an office very far away make decisions not many people have influence over so its seen an election that doesn't really count (although considering the up and coming referendum it really does this time). The Conservatives have been third in most of the polls. However, recently things have got better with an ICM poll putting us first on 27%, I was very surprised. Maybe Labours terrible EU campaign and a bit of a re-invigoration of what the Tories are doing is making a difference?

Perhaps then things are picking up. I doubt we'll win but it does seem the message of only the Conservatives can offer you a referendum on the EU is working. Please go out there and vote Conservative to bring this goal closer.

Euro Campaigning in Peterborough

Yesterday Alex, the NUCA Treasurer, and I travelled to Peterborough to help our friend Tom Hunt, the 5th Conservative MEP Candidate in the Eastern Region. We were also joined by Stewart Jackson MP and many of the Peterborough Conservatives for a full days campaigning for the Euro Elections. 

Wisbech is quite near Peterborough, but this is the first time I have met Stewart Jackson MP who I believe to be one of the best campaigners in giving us a referendum on Europe. Stewart was a main player in the 2011 EU referendum debate and one of those who lobbied extensively for the Conservatives to offer the people a say in a vote on Europe. I'm happy to say he was very successful. The people of Peterborough certainly admire him for that and the amount of contact they have with him.

But we were there to specifically deliver leaflets for the European Elections to explain one thing. It's only the Conservatives that can deliver in giving you a say in Europe with an EU Referendum by 2017. This point is very important because I for one think, and have done for ages, that we all need to have a vote to decide our countries future. No other Party can do this. UKIP will be lucky to get one seat in 2015, Labour have ruled out a referendum saying it is 'unlikely' they'd have one if elected in 2015 and the Lib Dems want closer integration. 

Tom delivering a leaflet.

Tom was very clear in his support for the EU referendum in his selection as the 5th MEP candidate saying at the moment he would probably vote to leave. People like Tom and current MEPs like Vicky Ford will really push forward the national interest in Europe, all other parties go to Europe to get closer integration or sponge off the gravy train.  

We spent a lot of our time on the 'Cathedral Estate' in Peterborough.

I had a good day leafleting in Peterborough. Overall we pushed information through 1,000 houses; a lot to do in one day. But this works out to be 0.002% of the 5 million electors in the Eastern region. Tom has told me that the hard working Conservative MEP candidates have been campaigning for many months and have leafleted 100,000s of houses so far. Keep up the good work. We were also treated to lunch by Cllr John Peach from Peterborough council, I thank him a lot for that.

I'll be voting for the Conservatives and Tom Hunt in May 2014 and I hope you will do as well.

Out and About with Euro Elections Candidate Cllr Tom Hunt

My good friend Cllr Tom Hunt who is the youngest person standing for the Conservatives in the European elections has been a very busy man. He has probably done more travelling than Marco Polo in the last few months in trying to hear the views of people in the Eastern Region. He really does put the effort in. So what are just some of the things he has been doing recently.

Tom has been to the Jonas seafood crab factory in Cromer, North Norfolk with Vicky Ford MEP. Tom has told me that 'Reform of Common Fisheries Policy is key' and something that he would focus on if he were to be elected to fight the Brussels elite. The best thing about this picture though in my opinion is Tom's hat.

After the recent Floods in December, Tom went with the leader of North Norfolk Council and Vicky Ford MEP to inspect the damage and come up with a plan to help people.

Tom visited the European Parliament to meet the British representatives at the European Young Farmers Congress. East Anglia has a lot of farming and it is good to encourage more young people to take up the job and feed the nation.

The ever active Tom has also been across the region campaigning in local markets with stalls such as this one. No doubt he is hammering the message home that only under the Conservatives will you be able to decide whether you want to be in the EU or out. This campaigning day was with Lucy Frazer who is the new South East Cambs PPC. 

Tom went to the Rochford and Southend CF Soap Box night with Geoffrey Van Orden MEP and Jackie Doyle Price MP. Also there was YBF heartthrob Rory Broomfield from the Freedom Association and Alex Bright, NUCA's own treasurer.

Tom here is showing solidarity with Essex University CF who have campaigned to repeal the ban on flying the Union Flag on top of their university library. Essex SU voted to ban the flag because it apparantly symbolised Britain's colonial past, of course that's just Leftie nonsense. Click here for more on this story.

Tom also visited the University of East Anglia's freshers fair to promote the Conservative message on campus. The photo is taken with Chloe Smith MP and two members of the CF group. Tom has been to every university freshers fair in the East.

And finally here is Tom with Dave, who visited Norwich in January. I love Tom's tie by the way; let's hope it becomes a feature of the campaign trail.

Make sure you vote for Tom and the Conservatives in the European Elections later this year.

MEP Adivce, Keep Away From the Smurfs

If you keep up to date with #ThingsElliottSays you will notice the support for Cllr Tom Hunt, who is now a candidate to be an MEP. Whatever you do Tom, don't play Smurf Village on your Twitter. Another of your fellow MEP candidates has been caught out.

 At least the Smurfs are blue, Smurftacular.

Exclusive: #ThingsTomHuntSays

#ThingsElliottSays has got an exclusive interview with Cllr Tom Hunt who has been selected 5th on the list of Conservative MEPs in the East. Congratulations Tom and I hope he appreciates the support we gave him (see http://thingselliottsays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/vote-cllr-tom-hunt.html ).

Tom is "going to work very hard' over the next year to make sure the Conservatives come top in the region poll." His first campaigning stop will be UKIP Ramsey then Wisbech as he will be "on the offensive, winning back the voters that left us."

If elected to be an MEP Tom will firstly "relentlessly call for any association with ever closer union to be ended." He would also kick of the renegotiation process with Europe straight away and wants to focus on social employment law. Tom says "Blair got rid of our opt out in 1998, I want it back. Social employment regulations should flow from a national culture, debated nationally, not plunked down upon a country in an identikit way." On a separate note Tom also says "though not EU linked, because its drive by the same ideology, we should pull out of the European Convention of human rights, scrap the human right act, and have a new bill of rights in keeping with our national culture."

 Tom will be tirelessly working if elected to be an MEP to try stop the EU from interfering with our everyday lives.

Tom thinks that the referendum on the EU, only proposed by the Conservative Party, will be 'critical' in helping to win the EU elections. "Its not just about Europe, its about the political elite trusting the people. Our relationship with the EU goes right to the heart of the disconnect between peoples and politics. Ultimately, our relationship with the EU is about "who governs", surely the people should decide who governs
that's why we have elections after all."

On the vote itself Tom says that "unless, written in stone, there is a complete end to our association with ever closer union and further integration' with 'significant return of core competencies, I would vote to leave."

Make sure you vote Conservative during the EU elections so Tom gets a chance to make sure Britain comes first.

Conservative MEP Selection Results

Here is a list of people selected by the Conservative Party to fight the EU elections and their order on the ballot paper. This list is constantly updating so will have gaps.

North West

1. Jacqueline Foster MEP
2. Sajjad Karim MEP
3. Kevin Beaty
4. Deborah Dunleavy
5. Joe Barker
6. Daniel Hamilton
7. Chris Whiteside
8. James Walsh

North East

1. Martin Callanan MEP
2. Cllr Ben Houchen
3. Andrew Lee

Yorkshire

1. Timothy Kirkhope MEP
2. Alex Story
3. John Procter
4. Carolyn Abbott
5. Michael Naughton
6. [To be confirmed]

London

1. Syed Kamall MEP

2. Charles Tannock MEP

3. Marina Yannakoudakis MEP
4. Caroline Attfield
5. Lynne Hack
6. Sheila Lawlor
7. Glyn Chambers
8. Annesley Abercorn

South East

1. Daniel Hannan MEP (yay for Dann Hannan)
2. Nirj Deva MEP
3. RIchard Ashworth MEP
4. Marta Andreasen MEP
5. RIchard Robinson
6. Graham Knight
7. Julie Marson
8. George Jeffrey
9. Rory Love
10. Adrian Pepper

South West

1. Ashley Fox MEP

2. Julie Girling MEP

3. James Cracknell

4. Georgina Butler

5. Sophia Swire

6. Melissa Maynard

East 

1. Vicky Ford MEP

2. Geoffrey Van Orden MEP

3. David Campbell Bannerman MEP

4. John Flack

5. Cllr Tom Hunt (well done to Cllr Tom Hunt for making it on the ballot)

6. Margaret Simons

7. Jonathan Collett

West Midlands

1. Philip Bradbourne MEP
2. Anthea McIntyre MEP
3. Daniel Dalton
4. Michael Burnett
5. Sibby Buckle
6. David Price
7. Dan Sames

East Midlands

1. Emma McClarkin MEP (very well done Emma, looking forward to seeing you on the campaign trail)
2. Andrew Lewer
3. Rupert Matthews
4. Stephen Castens
5. Brendan Clarke-Smith

Wales 

1. Dr Kay Swinburne MEP
2. Aled Davies
3. Dr Dan Boucher
4. Richard Hopkin

Scotland

1. Ian Duncan
2. Belinda Don
3. Nosheena Mobarik
4. Jamie Gardiner
5. Iain McGill
6. Stuart McIntyre

 These are the people who, with the people's mandate, shall fight for the UKs interest against fools, ex-Euro Communists and over regulation.

Weekly Poll Lowdown

So we had the European Elections early on #ThingsElliottSays and the results are below. The Conservatives did very well in increasing their share from 2009 and so did the Green Party who have romped into 2nd place. A bad day for UKIP who went down and the Lib Dems who lost a lot. The independents will be disappointed with no votes.

How will you vote in the European Elections in 2014?

Conservative	31%
Labour	21%
UKIP	10%
Lib Dem	4%
Green	23%
Independent	0%
Unsure	10%

Total votes: 48

So how would this translate into seats, the European Elections are done by regional PR so this is easy to calculate although will not reflect a true picture because of regional variation. This would account for some odd loses from the Conservatives when gaining % in the vote.

Party	Seats	Gains/Losses from 2009
Conservative	23	-3
Labour	16	+3
UKIP	7	-6
Lib Dem	3	-8
Green	16	+14
Independent	0	-1

I'm quite surprised by the lack of UKIP support because I personally think they are in with a good chance of winning the EU elections next year. The Greens did remarkably well too and I think that this results from the fact students are not so massively for Labour, there is nowhere else to go if you're left. Alternatively it could just be lots of Tories having a joke on my poll.

Nigel Farage may be confused by lack of support in the #ThingsElliottSays poll but is in with a fair shot of coming first in 2014, He will at least be second again. 

This poll was launched because it is voting time in the Tory Party for the ranking on the list of candidates of the elections to the European Parliament. If you live in the Eastern Region you have to vote for Cllr Tom Hunt on your ballot paper. Tom is a great campaigner throughout the East and one who is genuinely Eurosceptic. He has also bravely come out and said that if there were to be a EU referendum today he would vote to leave because it is currently not in our favour.

But what is my general advice on voting for Conservatives across the country. Well always pick a good campaigner. With such a large region to cover an MEP needs to pick more campaigns than small local to help as many people as possible in a huge region. A good campaigner is someone who has often travelled to all areas and not just stayed near to where they live.

Another trait which I would look for is someone who is genuinely Eurosceptic. It is very hard to imagine someone in the Conservative Party who is not in the least bit wanting reform of Brussels, the only one that comes to mind is Ken Clarke out of the 100s of members I have met. There is however a small band of these ever closer union Conservatives and they seem to be attracted more than most to become a MEP. It is very hard to judge who these people are because everyone will put in 're-patriation' of powers into a piece of literature just to be selected. A safe bet then to make sure you get someone who is secretly a would be Lib Dem member is to select first those who are plainly Eurosceptic.

Sadly a few Conservatives like Ken Clarke are just ignoring the facts on Europe.

There are two MEPs that you should definitely be voting for if you're in their region. Dan Hannan, for being one of those voices who knows a lot about what is going on in Europe and how it will be changing in the next few years. He presents the best case of why we must at least take a strong Eurosceptic stance in the Tory Party. Also vote for Emma McClarkin who also takes an equally national interest stance. I have met Emma a few times and she genuinely works hard for the people of the East Midlands as well as giving Europe flack over making our country worse than it should be. I will be voting for Emma next year in the East Midlands in Nottingham and she will be getting my full support for re-election.

Emma McClarkin on the Brussels trip, make sure you vote for her.

Vote in the new poll on the sidebar.