Breaking News: Cooper Officially Announces He Will Not Re-Stand

The National CF Chairman has officially announced that he will no be re-standing in the up and coming CF Elections. 

Oliver Cooper Announced on Facebook:

"It's been a great honour for me to be National Chairman of Conservative Future for the last year. CF is the largest youth wing in the United Kingdom, and in the last year has become larger still: with 75% more university branches, with branches covering 40% more parliamentary constituencies, and with more members up and down the country than we've had at any point in our history. We also have a better image in the media, a higher profile internationally, and a stronger relationship with CCHQ than ever before.

"Most importantly, CF is having a greater impact on the campaign trail, from local and regional campaign days to the stellar success of RoadTrip2015. Our successes over the past year have been great, but the year leading up to a general election, is a new challenge, and these successes need to be built on with a new team. As such, despite so many people asking me to re-stand – which I still take as a form of flattery – I will not be seeking re-election as National Chairman.

"Both with gratitude for the past and confidence in the future, I'd like to thank everyone that's been involved in the last year to make our great organisation greater still. There will be elections over the next month to elect my successor and fill the other leadership positions; I will offer my unqualified support and assistance to whoever is elected, so CF can help make sure our country has a more Conservative future."

Cooper with CF Chair hopeful Alexandra Paterson.

In the opinion of #ThingsElliottSays Cooper has been the best CF Chairman in memory. This is further true for even some the grey bearded thirty year olds of Conservative Future. Oliver has been very successful in inspiring a lot of people and setting up a lot of branches across the country. 

But despite this giant leap forward made under Cooper there is still a lot to do. Apart from the gentleman that is Rob Manning, Oliver had to struggle with people on his committee who hated him for no reason other than paranoia. It is with relief these people are now gone and in all likelihood will not receive any office under a new administration. The focus for the new Chairman is to work with their much more agreeable committee which is prepared to actually do their roles. There role is to get out and campaign, especially as it is General Election year. We need to win in 2015, that is the objective.

Cooper has left behind a great legacy. But of course the most well known and perhaps the longest lasting will be him making CF #Sound and giving everyone an addiction to KFC.

Breaking News: CF Elections Announced

The CF Elections have just been announced. Nominations close on the 13th August. Ballots are sent out on the 18th August. The results will be announced in CCHQ on 22nd August at 6pm.

National positions of Chairman, Deputy Chairman (Political), Deputy Chairman (Membership and Fundraising) and Appointed Officer (Best Practice) are up for election. All regional chairman positions are also to be contested.

Candidate profiles need to be sent to CCHQ by 15th August and mustn't be over two hundred words (thank god).

The Returning Officer will be Stephen Philips OBE.

#ThingsElliottSays will keep you updated with all election news.

CFers Cry Out For More Road Trips

If there was a CF poll I'm sure the most popular activity for young Conservatives would come out as attending Road Trips. This political campaigning phenomenon works because it is fun. It is hard to turn down a free curry, free bar and party. People just want more and more.

#ThingsElliottSays spoke to Allrik Birch who said "road trips are a great way to meet new people, and introduce them to campaigning in a fun and social way - I've been to 5 so far and they really seem to make a difference. I intend to go to as many roadtrips as possible between now and the general election - we need to win in 2015, and this is the way to achieve that"

Road Trip in Enfield.

A similar reaction came from James Price "I can't wait for the RoadTrips to resume after their summer hiatus. I've been involved in various political groups for a while, but Road Trip is a breath of fresh air. It's also helped me get apathetic mates involved in Politics and the Tory Party for the first time, by mixing important issues with a lot of fun. I can't recommend them highly enough. We need more."

Road Trip to Chester and Cheadle.

CFer members can now get there wish. RoadTrip2015 has launched a survey which asks RoadTrippers where they would next want to go. This come as the Road Trip committee starts a mass expansion where weekend campaign session become very common.

A Road Trip officer has told #ThingsElliottSays "With every RoadTrip we have held so far, demand and interest have increased within the the Conservative family. Regular RoadTrippers and newly joined activists alike are now encouraging us for more dates and locations. Fortunately, the next RoadTrip is on its way. We want to hear from our activists to help us continue this journey and tell us where they would like RoadTrip2015 to visit."

Post Road Trip meeting photo.

Fill out the survey here.

Exclusive: Nigel Set To Come Save YI Chairman

Nigel Farage is booked to make an appearance at the YI conference in order to save the bacon of the organisations chairman, Jack Duffin. The YI Chairman has recently been under attack by his members for his dictatorial ways, many of them are asking for Duffin to resign.

If you look at the YI conference agenda, which recently had to be re-worked due to many MEPs pulling out, you can see there is a gap between 11:00 and 11:15. This could obviously be filled with Duffin giving a Nuremberg style speech to his loyal followers. But it is more likely that this slot has been reserved for someone special.

Speculation in YI has been growing about who will fill this TBC slot. Of course the obvious choice is Nigel Farage as he has been to many YI conferences before hand and is UKIP's charismatic leader. This has now been confirmed as true by one of #ThingsElliottSays' YI sources, this one in particular has links to the organising committee of the conference. The YI source said "Nigel is confirmed as coming to the YI conference. He will have to come and save Duffin's chairmanship as there is a lot of disquiet about him; not many are willing to speak out atm but this still feeds Duffin's paranoia. The blogs have put pressure on him too. If Nigel pulls out then it shows how much faith he has in Duffin. Zero."

'Sinister' Duffin has been told to resign by his members.

#ThingsElliottSays has also heard from Cllr Sam Fletcher that there will be a protest organised outside of the YI conference. The protest will be made up of the usual UKIP haters but also crucially several ex-YI members. How many more of these people are likely to turn up now that they know Nigel Farage is coming? I wonder.

Exclusive: Controversial Gareth Shanks To Rejoin CF And Stand As National Chairman

The widely known and controversial Gareth Shanks is set to rejoin the Conservatives so that he can stand as National CF Chairman. Shanks is both an ex-YI and ex-CF member who has been controversial in his hard-line opposition to Israel and vehement trade union activity against Government cuts.

#ThingsElliottSays was tipped off by several highly reliable sources that Shanks was about to rejoin the Conservative Party to stand as National CF Chairman. When #ThingsElliottSays asked Shanks about this he replied "I've taken a bit of a break on CF for a while and done a lot of thinking, but all I can really say is my mind is made up one way ... the Tories need a strong youth wing to push things forward, that has to be the start. The basis of any winning general election campagin [sic] is a united and strong youth wing, can the current chairman prospects do this, I don't think so. But what I can say is I've had a lot of CF members saying that CF needs a new approach."

Shanks at the last Party Conference.

#ThingsElliottSays then put it to Shanks that he has virtually said he will rejoin CF and stand as the National Chairman he then replied "Well then you virtually know already then". Based on this and numerous very reliable sources I think we can all see the truth.

Shanks has been a controversial figure over his views on Israel and Palestine. Shanks told #ThingsElliottSays he has been doing "Just union work lately [and] helping to run some Palestine demos". He also told #ThingsElliottSays that if he was in charge of CF there would be "none of this pro Israel YBF sh*#e."

Shanks has campaigned on a number occasions against Government cuts.

Gareth shows a number controversial views about government cuts, capitalism, Israel and the Commonwealth. You can see all these on his very active Twitter account here.

What is the actual point of the commonwealth? Aside from being some post colonial club
— Bladshevik (@WeAreTheClash) July 28, 2014

Gareth Shanks further went onto talk about how the Conservatives polling problems stem from issues over Gaza. He said to #ThingsElliottSays "I think if more people got behind Cameron instead of running off and backing elements of the social cons or the libertarians the Tories would be clear in the polls. All this infighting in sad really, and labour are going to walk in due to it. I mean look at Gaza. Crowing from neo-cons over the war crimes committed by Gaza show the out of touch Tory attitude which could lose them the next election, 52% of Brits think Israel is in the wrong, with only 20 odd thinking they're in the right."

Israel reject Hamas 10 year ceasefire and the British based pro Israel war hawks don't seem to be shouting as much when Hamas 'reject' stuff
— Bladshevik (@WeAreTheClash) July 27, 2014

Leading young conservative Stephen Hoffman has told #ThingsEllliottSays that if Shanks was to stand for election "he will get annihilated. This guy is unsuitable. This is an election year and he has no leadership experience, no campaigning experience, is a serial party deserter and has a history of disgusting statements. He should be as far away as becoming CF leader, as I am from going on the moon."

North West London CF Chair Charlotte Kude has also been very disapproving of Shanks' views. She has said to #ThingsElliottSays "Obviously some of the behaviour towards Palestinians is appalling but Israel has a right to defend itself. They're a western democracy surrounded by authoritarian Arab states that want its destruction. We should stand for whichever system we think best promotes and respects individual freedom and the answer is pretty obvious."

Shanks and Owen Jones, a big opponent of Israel.

Exclusive: 'Big Gun' India To Stand As Deputy CF Chair (Membership)?

Rumours are going around that India Brummitt is standing to be Deputy Chairman (Membership) in the almost inevitable up and coming CF elections. #ThingsElliottSays has heard others call India 'one of the unsung Big Guns' of campaigning. Furthermore, if she were to stand and win she would be the complete opposite of the incapable loud-mouthed nobodies who have previously held the Deputy Chairman (Membership) role.

India has previously been Deputy CF Chairman of South West London and is currently Wandsworth CF Chair. India also holds the important Deputy Chairman role for the Conservatives in Earsfield, a key ward successfully held by the Tories in the recent local elections. More recently however she has been one of the key leaders on the RoadTrip2015 committee and been personally responsible for the large part of 600 activists which went to help out in the Newark by-election.

India on the far left at a recent Road Trip meeting.

#ThingsElliottSays contacted India to ask her about the rumours of her candidacy but she would not confirm or deny her candidacy as Deputy CF Chairman. India said "I've relished the opportunity to be involved in leading the RoadTrip2015 campaign days right across the country and loved meeting young Conservatives from all around and I'll keep doing this."

#ThingsElliottSays then followed this up by contacting Eastern Region CF Chairman, Stepehen Canning*. He has yet to hear this rumour but told #ThingsElliottSays "Were there to be an election and were India to run she'd be a fantastic asset to the organisation. Her card has been marked for a long time as a hardworking, dedicated CF'er and I'm sure she could bring a continental shift to the role."

India, Canning, Cooper, Kude and some doughnuts.

#ThingsElliottSays will keep you updated with this story.

*More famous as posing as a dry cleaner in Made in Chelsea.

Exclusive: Yorkshire Backs Paterson For CF Chairman

#ThingsElliottSays can confirm that the Yorkshire region of CF are backing Alexandra Paterson to the national chairman of Conservative Future.

A document has been sent to #ThingsElliottSays laying out Yorkshire and Humber's plan for the CF elections. In it Yorkshire CF show there support for Alexandra Paterson and 'anyone else who can bring mass campaigning to our marginal seats'. Alexandra is well known for her campaigning efforts. Because she lives in Manchester Alexandra is one of those who has had to travel the furthest when comes to being on a Road Trip, but despite this she is a very well known face in the hard-core Road Trippers.

#ThingsElliottSays spoke to Yorkshire CF chairman Chris Rowell about the document he was sent. Chris confirmed the existence of the document and also told #ThingsElliottSays that "Yorkshire and Humber CF shares similar concerns and frustrations with many in CF about the current state of affairs and would happily support anyone who can help us work together to a victory in 2015. Alexandra is at this moment the only person we would have confidence in to get us the activists to win our marginal seats. I really want Ed Balls to lose in Morley and Outwood."

Chris Rowell enjoying a pint.