Iain Dale decides not to stand for parliament again
I was sorry to read that my old University friend Iain Dale has asked for his name to be removed from the list of parliamentary candidates. I understand his reasons, which he explains here, but this is a loss to the Conservative Party and potentially to the country.
For what it's worth I think that both the party and the country generally are becoming much less ageist: plenty of constituencies are willing to select younger candidates but the prejudice against candidates over the age of fifty is much less strong than it was fifteen years ago.
Partly that is because many people are maintaining their health and vigour a lot longer and the selectorate have noticed.
Parliament needs candidates with a range of ages, backgrounds, and life experience. So do local councils. And all parties need more people to come forward.
(Hint - there are elections for Copeland and Allerdale Borough Councils next year. If you're a resident of West Cumbria and think you have something to offer, or are fed up with what you're currently getting from the council and want to stand to make a fuss about it, why not put your effort where your mouth is and approach whichever party you are closest to and talk about the possibility of standing ?)
For what it's worth I think that both the party and the country generally are becoming much less ageist: plenty of constituencies are willing to select younger candidates but the prejudice against candidates over the age of fifty is much less strong than it was fifteen years ago.
Partly that is because many people are maintaining their health and vigour a lot longer and the selectorate have noticed.
Parliament needs candidates with a range of ages, backgrounds, and life experience. So do local councils. And all parties need more people to come forward.
(Hint - there are elections for Copeland and Allerdale Borough Councils next year. If you're a resident of West Cumbria and think you have something to offer, or are fed up with what you're currently getting from the council and want to stand to make a fuss about it, why not put your effort where your mouth is and approach whichever party you are closest to and talk about the possibility of standing ?)
Comments
Seriously, Iain Dale has contributed a lot to Conservative politics and the wisdom that comes with experience still has a lot to offer the country and the Party. I sometimes feel about young politicians the way I used to feel when I was an undergraduate, about medical students, that some amazing metamorphosis had to take place to turn them into doctors. I was just relieved I did not have to trust the student politician with my appendix!
Clearly I respect Iain Dale's position, it is his life and you can only give so much to a project before it is time to move on. I hope Iain continues blogging. His blog is informative and of use to budding politicians. The elder can still instruct the younger (and the older.) Best of luck.
By the way, hard luck Christopher and all the best for the future.
Yes, on the exact letter of what Iain blogged when the BBC exit poll goes out he should have run naked down Whitehall. He wriggled out of it - wrongly according to the letter of what he said - on some feeble excuse such as that the Lib/Dems did even worse than a prediction he derided as too pessimistic for them!
Just goes to show you should be careful what you promise!