David Willetts soaks up the Cambridgeshire sun
Tory students Katie and Helen
Tories in East Anglia were given the opportunity to challenge the framework for future Conservatism when its fact finding Built to Last roadshow rolled into Cambridgeshire last night.
Numbers were disappointingly low, only 30 or so, but impressive for the distance some of them had travelled to hear Shadow Education Secretary David Willetts outline their plans. This included two students, Helen Moloney, 19, and Helen Roberts, 18, who came from Barnet, North London, and want to see much more deal to get young people on board.
Education was one of the hot topics up for debate, a very personal subject depending on the needs of your own child, but it was clear that parents want choice, smaller classrooms and good quality education too. The need for deregulation, keeping it simple and providing safer neighbourhoods was also spelt out.
Those present were clearly pleased to have this opportunity to express their views, but it would be good to keep the conversation going by setting up an interactive Built to Last forum, along the lines of the one run by Grant Shapps in his constituency, instead of being told to send in any additional thoughts on a card. This would particularly attract young people and Katie and Helen would soon be passing the word around.
If I’d known the two Helen’s were going to be there I could have brought a coachload!
A shame that the turnout wasn’t higher – there were well over a hundred at the Greater Manchester equivalent event at Salford Quays.
Only 30? That’s not so good. Why do you think it was such a low turnout? Perhaps because it was in Cambridge, making it a 2+ hour trip for those unfortunate to live in Norwich?
Maybe people didn’t know about the roadshow. I read about it on ConservativeHome and followed it up from there. No info was sent to me and I am a paid up member of the Conservative Party. I was told if I had been signed up to conservatives.com, I would have received an email. But the Conservative Party has my contact details and getting an active audience there to participate in this debate was crucial.
Having seen the list of people who were expected, most didn’t turn up, I have no idea why.