"Me? Well, I'm just a backroom boy."

Has anyone else noticed the alarming similarities between Jack Straw and Francis Urquhart?

Out of nowhere the cabinet senior, who knows more about the inner workings of the Labour Party than any other, is poised to take the highest office in the land.

Like Urquhart, Straw has been the inner cog in the machine that oversaw Blair and Brown's leadership campaigns and has been known to "put the stick about" when the need arises.

The cunning operator who put people in power, now has the power to take it away.

Straw however is lacking the subtlety of Urquhart - the midnight briefings are all seemingly linked to him. TB imagines the grey suit is still in the dry-cleaners for the time being but come September will it be put on?

Remember the rule though Jack...

If student politics taught him anything he will know that the one that wields the sword never wears the crown...

WE♥BAGHDAD

Word reaches Tory Bear of a very exciting new Conservative Future Social Action project!

Social Action Officer Arabella Bonaparte got in touch to say...

"Just wanted to tell you about a social action project we are currently involved with - WE LOVE BAGHDAD”. The party are helping local residents in their community make a difference by listening, seeing and learning. In the past, social action projects have taken the form of a 4 day volunteer scheme during conference dates. But not this year. This year, we are approaching the project from a whole new angle. It has to be about teamwork, cooperation and most importantly the community.

The task is simple: to transform the city using a bottom up approach through working with the local community, local charities and local entrepreneurs. Baghdad h

as been devastated by the war but everything is going to be ok now that CF are pretending to care. We will be painting fences and planting flowers etc! It’s social changes as well and will go under the skin to find the roots of the problems and potentially find solutions. It's for projects like this that I think I first got involved with Social Action for. There's a great something that can be said about going in to communities and working with them. It's more than just words on leaflets. It's something more - you meet people, you make a difference and you go away feeling you have made life better even just for one person. And this is where you guys come in… we need to build up city destroyed by devastating conflict.

And so I am asking you…

Are you free in August?
Do you want to be a part of this first stage in WE LOVE BAGHDAD?
Can you travel to Baghdad?
Are you fully trained in urban combat?
Do you want to do your bit for Social Action?

If yes, come be a part of the already existing team working hard to bring positive changes in Iraq. It will be hard work, you will potentially get covered in dirt , you might even die, but it will be fun, you will meet lovely people and we will put on some lunches as a thank you for your trouble.”

TB understands that all those who travel to Baghdad will receive champagne at Conference.

CF diary no more..

The new look

ConservativeHome

is missing something...

As predicted...

Though many did, TB did not fall for what he correctly predicted to be a practical joke. ABB and Howlett are not in a relationship.

Nice try at fooling the bloggers kids.. you'll have to try harder than that though.

He Ventured Forth To Bring Light To The World

"Congratulations on all your success..."

TB would be very surprised if Obama said the same to Brown this afternoon. 28 secs into this video you clearly hear the likely next President congratulate the likely next Prime Minister...




Have a look

here

to see why it was a bitter-sweet meeting.

Strip back the glossy veneer and frankly fantastic campaign and you will see the true colours of this dangerous socialist.

Alwoight?

Can some who lives in/knows the area of Birmingham that conference is being held well please email torybear@googlemail.com.

Your counsel is greatly needed...

Cheers!

Pull the other one....

Following up on

tBg's confusion

, TB is astonished at amount of emails, texts and voicemails he has got today concerning this....

He is how ever inclined to suggest that this might be rather extended practical joke. At least he hopes it is, if this is anything to go by:

(click to enlarge)

Way too much information if does turn out to be true... doubt it will though.

Bye Bye election...

A recount and a nap later and the loons take it... majority of 365.

Here comes the spin!

Tories push Lib Dems into fourth.

Funny the Nat didn't mention independence once during his speech...

Woops...

Oh dear.

Who exactly is on this panel?

Hmmmmm

TB feels a little sick...His loathing for the Labour is fighting his disgust for the SNP. Hope they give GB a kicking but can't stand how smug they look.

They must all realise deep down that this is not a vote of confidence in independence but a no to Gordon cry.

Word from friend at the count is we have come third... sound.

The next Conservative leader.... (...in Scotland.)

Despite the fact that he knows he will be grumpy in the morning and useless at work, TB has decided to stay up for the Glasgow East by-election result...

Flying our colours on the BBC coverage is Murdo Fraser...

He is by far our brightest talent up north and should be put in as leader in Holyrood as soon as possible.

Caption Contest #1

A t-shirt is up for grabs for anyone who emails the video...

Come on TB knows it's out there...

Disraeli? Salisbury? Pitt? Peel?

The Southall Group , no sorry the Disraeli Club ... no wait The Salisbury Club, the CF dining, fundraising and lash society are holding their election for a treasurer.

The chairman (Cllr and general CF legend) Ben Howlett is holding the election via Facebook - it's well advertised and all members are allowed to vote... (maybe he should run CLWCF!) Send him a message to cast your vote before Sunday 12pm.

Ben said "The job involves collecting money at our monthly dinners and working out our profit to be given to CF. Maths skills is a plus."

TB recommends a basic grasp of VAT would also be appropriate eh?

There are three people up for election,

Stuart Turner
Clare Hilley
Ben Gray

Get in touch with them to find out who they are etc

TB's money is on Claire Hilley...

"I think I fancy Boris..."

When TB sees those ruddy red cheeks, blonde floppy hair, his knees go weak...

Budding young London Tories packed out the downstairs of an exclusive Whitehall watering hole with one intention and one intention only... The Boris photo op... Facebook profiles across the London network will no doubt be updated with pictures of a Boris back to his famous form.

Thanking Conservative Future for the fantastic effort that they put in during his campaign to become Mayor of London, the cash was behind the bar and the flesh was being pressed.

Arriving a characteristically 40 minutes late, BJ split the room like some sort of 20th century Moses... Half of the hacks instantly dived on the "devilishly handsome man," while the other slightly cooler CF players held back munching on the canapes. They were clearly way too sound to let on that their idol had just brushed past their artfully distressed jeans and jacket combo.

Hearts were fluttering throughout the room, a small queue of pretty young CF girles formed whenever the poor lad stopped. Fighting the heat of a packed basement - or "dungeon" as he called it, Boris ripped off the tie off as he entered - he claimed later to be dressing down to meet George Osborne for supper.

...and then as soon as the Boris tornado arrived, he was gone. A certain rather gorgeous brunette made Tory Bear blush with her comment in his wake that "I don't care what it takes, I mean to have that man!"

A bloody good night seems to be had by all. In the post Boris haze, TB couldn't help laugh at the ever keen ABB corner "the second most important man in the room" for one of her no doubt intense chats.

For those girlies left standing the late arrival of MarClar was almost too much. The famous candidate, interns in tow, was cursing the fact he missed Boris for the second time that night- having crashed the GLA Summer Party under the guise of still being CF Chairman, (you better get on to that Rock!?) It didn't stop him handing out his own branded merchandise though... TB has yet to see a more dreadful business card...

The pen will come in handy though...

Finally got a real job...

Another busy week for Tory Bear- will be at work without the internet so blogging will be light.

Normal service resumes soon.

Upcoming posts will be something on the NME meeting when the minutes are finally released and TB will be getting lashed at the Boris "Thank You CF party" tomorrow night...

In the mean time send any goss, stories or pics to torybear@googlemail.com

DJ sets and blue rosettes...

ToryTV

is a new political channel on the VEOH network. Currently showing some great documentaries about Thatcher and the history of the Party ToryTV is a welcome addition to the Party's online presence.

TB has been chatting to its founder Paul Nizhinsky about his fascinating political journey and where next for ToryTV...

Hailing from Dodsworth, a small former mining village outside of Barnsley, South Yorkshire Paul, 23 set up the channel after becoming increasingly frustrated about the lack of political content available on sites such as youtube. He hasn't always been a tory and kindly agreed to chat to TB about how he got to this point...

"I've been a party member since February 2007. After a very illuminating s

ummer between my second and third years studying Fine Art, I realised that everything I believed in (Marxism) was a big load of shit and little more than an extension of my own personal failings. I sorted myself out, stuck it out 'til the end on my stupid degree, and haven't looked back. Since that time I've lived in Sheffield, Leeds, and Barnsley so I've had little time to get stuck in with a particular association, though I did attend a wonderful dinner with Edward Leigh MP at Hallam. My (socialist) friends followed the cab there and, after speaking to Leigh outside, learned the awful truth. I suppose my own lefty past could be one of the things that drives me to make these videos more readily available."

When he isn't running the tv channel Paul is a budding electro DJ and fan of

Warp Records

-

"give [them] a try, it will change your life! They started in Sheffield at the back end of the '80s and have been cultivating the best experimental electronic music from around the globe ever since."

Anyone else up for the "new right club night" we discussed?

Q.Who are your political heroes?

A. "Heroes is a term I generally try to avoid because people have a tendency to get very presumptuous when you use it, but there are of course people I admire and respect. Boris is an easy one. You can't help but like the man and he's a wonderful example of someone not letting 'the men in the grey suits' dictate his character. As well as why you should never give in - that man's been fired so many times it's unbelievable! He's an enthusiastic historian and a journalist by trade (well, was), which we have in common/I aspire to. I'm probably going to upset many people by also saying Nigel Lawson! He's essentially a City man and, as with Boris, I do have something of a soft spot for Spectator editors. I disagree very strongly with his views on Europe and how this dictated his attitude to the ERM in the late '80s, but I feel many people let this overshadow his achievements as Chancellor in Lady Thatcher's second term. And although she was right on Europe, Lawson's actions after 1987 did set in motion the chain of events leading to White Wednesday. "

Paul seems like an extremely sound guy with a lot of ambition to take ToryTV places. TB urges anyone who is keen to see more political content online, especially since the 18 Doughty Street is no more, to get in touch with Paul. He mentioned to TB a desire to see his own content generated and TB has a sneaking suspicion this is going to go far... Spread the word about the channel and check out the great content already available.

Anyone looking for a Tory friendly electro DJ should also contact

supergodmasterforce@gmail.com

Vote early, Vote often!

Iain Dale is putting together his Guide to Political Blogs 2008/09. This year it's for

Total Politics

.

Please vote for Tory Bear!

Details of how to submit your vote can be found

here

.

NME Meeting

The NME met for over four hours yesterday in CCHQ...

More info when TB gets hold of the minutes...

James Skinner wins Bristol and Gloucestershire contest

Still working through the emails...

Know this isn't exactly massive news but when you look at the last round of CF elections that had just one contested AC election, it's good to see a well fought run off.

Congratulations to James Skinner who beat Laura Rose Saunders in the election to become Area Chair of Bristol and Gloucestershire.


UPDATE 00.15:

Thank you to the reader who got in touch to point out section 9.1.3 of the CF Constitution:

"9.1.3 if a casual vacancy arises for a CF Area Chairman, the NME may appoint a
new Area Chairman to serve until the next annual election;"

Anyone got an answer to why there was an election then?

Good to know there are other people who spend their Saturday nights worrying about these things too.