As the dust settles...

So as the dust settles TB's sources reveal that there won't be a replacement co-option onto the National Management Executive as result of ABB's departure. There seems to be little point due to the fact that the NME is almost certainly now going.

As much as TB has a lot of time and respect for all of the elected officials of CF for their own different reasons, it a rare occurrence that a member quits and shows just how frosty NME relations are. TB understands that this issue was the first contact the NME had together since conference and there has been an almost freeze in communications. The resignation was specifically held from the NME until the last minute but seems TB's source stretch further and wider than elected officials. The reform fall out certainly goes deeper than anyone anticipated and future votes will now once again seemingly be a tie without the ABB swing vote. This could lead to a rather messy next meeting where these reforms need to hammered out and the executive evenly split.

TB wonders if any other elected officials are thinking ABB had the sense to get out now...

Tory Bear beats the Press release

Press Release

Conservative Future

Friday 10^th October 2008

Anastasia Beaumont-Bott is resigning from the National Management Executive

Anastasia Beaumont-Bott is today resigning her post on the Conservative Future NME. She immediately gives up her regional responsibilities as well as her voting rights on the Executive. She will keep her role within the CFSAN (CF Social Action Network) to assist with the important handover to the next Executive.

In a letter enclosed Anastasia sets out her reasons for stepping down.

Commenting on her resignation the National Chairman, Michael Rock, said:

"I have today accepted Anastasia's resignation from the Executive. Since her election in March, Anastasia has made an incredible contribution to the Executive and Conservative Future. In particular, her work with Social Action has helped to make a serious mark within the Party as to the influence of our organisation. I am happy though that she is going to stay with the CFSAN role until the handover next year, which will further ingratiate us within the Party and the wider conservative movement.

"Anastasia has also contributed to a significant phase of evolution for Conservative Future, which will enhance the effectiveness and reputation of our organisation. Her role within CFSAN will continue her personal commitment to CF. We have lost a very effective member of the Executive, but I entirely understand her reasons for stepping down and support her in her new endeavours.

"I want to thank Anastasia very much for all the hard work she carried out, the contribution she has made and the effectiveness of her efforts."

ENDS

For more information contact Richard Jackson (

rngjackson@gmail.com

)

Anastasia's resignation letter:

After giving it much thought these last couple of months, I have decided to resign from my position as a member of the Conservative Future National Management Executive. It is with great regret that I have come to this decision and I am grateful for everyone who voted for and backed me during my campaign.

I ran on a platform of change. I wanted to put an end to the lies, the bitching and the gossiping and transform Conservative Future in to a professional, responsible and united organisation which this party could be proud to call its future. Those around me warned me against becoming involved in Conservative Future – they warned me of the bad reputation it had within the party, but I stuck to my guns and insisted I wanted to help bring about change – remind us we were all on the same team, remind us what we were fighting for, and help introduce new forms of activism and campaigning through social action. Instead I have found myself at the centre of the very accusations, lies, and gossip which I campaigned to stop – some of them just plain silly, some of them more serious and upsetting to me on a very personal level, but all of which false. I have been shocked and appalled by the calculated level of gossip mongering that happens in Conservative Future and now no longer believe the change I once promised is possible.

In resigning, I want to be able to dedicate more time to my position as founder of LGBTory. We have recently been personally endorsed by David Cameron and I want to be there every step of the way, to watch the organisation grow, to watch our achievements unfold and to congratulate our members who I am so proud off and thankful for each and every day for their hard work and determination. I also wish to continue my work in social action. Social action has taught me the true meaning of politics and is probably what has kept me in Conservative Future for so long. I aim to continue my work there as a social action liaison figure and look forward to developing the many ideas which I am working on currently right across the country with local Conservatives. I don't want to wait for the day after a general election to make the changes our party advocates, and through LGBTory and Social Action, I hope to begin helping to make those changes today.

I thank Michael Rock and continue to offer him my full support as a fellow party member and as a confidante who I admire and respect greatly. I also thank those on the NME who I have grown close to as both colleagues and as friends, and thank them for their continued support and trust. Conservative Future could be an amazing organisation if we would only just let it, get over ourselves and remember we are all fighting for the same thing. The turning point came when I met a Conservative who told me he wasn't renewing his party membership because he didn't want to be a part of Conservative Future. Our behaviour is turning people away and I cannot be a part of that anymore. Please stop and think about what the public gossiping does to the image of our organisation.

I look forward to dedicating more time to LGBTory and social action and maintaining the close friendships I have made through my involvement with C.F. I am also at the beginning of my degree in Medieval Islamic History, and I dare say my resignation will be a welcome move by my tutors as I will be able to dedicate more time and effort to my studies, which by the way are going pretty good.

Lastly, I thank those who have reminded me what we are fighting for and who have made me realise what truly matters – you know who you are and your kind words will never be forgotten. Onwards and upwards to bigger better things!

Thank you,

Anastasia Beaumont-Bott

So there we have it, ABB is gone. There were rumours flying around about this all through conference. TB once again beat the CF press guru adding further proof that torybear.com is your number one place for CF gossip. This release was due to sent out tomorrow afternoon but seems TB might have quickened things up a little...

TB is going to sleep on it before he passes comment or judgement on this development in the reform saga, he will say this though...

This is certainly going to have an impact on future NME votes and will there be a replacement?

At least the ducks of Richmond pond are safe...

+++It's official+++

TB has seen exerts of Anastasia Beaumont-Botts resignation letter:

After giving it much thought these last couple of months I have decided to resign my position as a member of the CF NME

I wanted to put an end to the lies the bitching and the gossiping and transform Conservative Future into a professional, responsible and united organisation that this party could be proud to call it’s future. Instead I have found myself at the centre of the very accusations lies and gossips that I campaigned to stop.

I have been shocked and appalled by the calculated level of gossip mongering that happens in CF and no longer believe the change I once promised is possible.

I don’t want to wait for the day after a general election to make the changes our party advocates and through LGBTory and Social Action I hope to begin to help make these changes today.

+++more to follow+++

+++ABB quits+++

TB can confirm London Spin speculation. Statement due tomorrow.

+++developing+++

Government steps in to avoid bankruptcy in family game of Monopoly

A game of Monopoly being played by the Henderson family of Watford took a surprise twist today when the Bank of England stepped in with a rescue package to save one of the key players, Mr Henderson, from what the Chancellor described as ‘almost certain bankruptcy.’

The deal, which had been thrashed out in the early hours between Alistair Darling and Mr Henderson, who was acting as the banker, means that each player will receive a £1 billion pound injection of cash, (although this may take some time to count out what with having to use up all the yellow one pound notes). The short-term borrowing deal led to furious protests from the rest of the Henderson family, who complained that it was unfair to use their money to bail out Mr Henderson so that he could go back to ripping them off.

As Mrs Henderson put it ‘He’s the one who spent recklessly at the start of the game. He was going around in a top-hat buying up properties like Old Kent Road. And now they’re worthless he expects us to get him out of the mess he’s in.’

NewsBiscuit

has more

Bob Friend 1938 - 2008

Just saw over at

Iain Dale

that SkyNew's finest Bob Friend died today after battling cancer aged 70.

Some of TB's earliest news memories had Bob at the helm and who can forget his cameos in Independence Day and Mission Impossible...

PMQs

TB is just catching up on the first PMQs of the new school year...

Dave rose above the party politics and offered Brown the chance to justify and explain the moves he is taking. Brown then spat in his face with a cheap shot showing just what a nasty little man he is. There is a marked difference in Brown's performance from the last PMQs before the summer but the only reason he got one over DC was the fact Dave wasn't on the attack. Was a stinging attack none the less... This is a new enemy, a new Brown - Mandy is back, how long until Campell steps up? The New Labour machine isn't going to go down without one hell of a fight:

After the events of the last week Gordon Brown may well be safe now until the next election and that gives the Conservatives a great opportunity to continuously go for the jugular and drag this idiot through the mud, safe in the knowledge that the Parliamentary Labour Party cannot conceivably get rid of their leader given their Soviet-style pledges of loyalty on Monday.

Let the games begin.. No mercy.

Well isn't this a happy thought....

Guido

has a warning...

"The big lie that we will hear this morning is that taxpayer's money will be "invested" and the government may even make a profit - like the Swedes did in the nineties. Except the Swedes didn't make a profit, Swedish taxpayers lost billions. One bank out of over 114 Swedish banks refused the deal. SEB, Sweden's largest bank controlled by the Wallenberg family, arranged a private sector recapitalisation and returned to profitability within a year. So could the UK banks. British taxpayers are going to get screwed like they have never been screwed before."

Great.

More BBC lies

Just spotted this on the

BBC website

:

"Mr McCain, who is widely viewed as having lost the first debate"

Sorry to make this a bit of a stuck record issue but it's getting ridiculous. Why doesn't the BBC just come out and endorse Obama. It's not like Brown or the government haven't already... why shouldn't the state sponsored, state controlled and state loving BBC?

TB hasn't paid for a TV licence in three years and is proud.. he urges you all to follow suite. Don't pay this ridiculous tax to be told what or how to think.

Anyone who watched the debate knows Obama fluffed it.

Congratulations

TB is very happy with the promotion of Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark to the Shadow Cabinet. Greg will be taking on Ed Milliband with the new Energy brief and will no doubt give him the run around.

Greg is one of the brightest of the 2005 intake and Tory Bear wishes him the best of luck...

CF says yes to NO2ID

Word reaches Tory Bear that Conservative Future, the official youth wing of the Conservative Party is set to officially endorse and tie themselves to the

NO2ID

pressure group. This is fantastic news and something that TB has been talking about to anyone who would listen for awhile. There will be an

event

to mark the occasion and it's great to see CF and the Party embracing and working with the other lynch pins of the broader conservative moment.

A member of the shadow cabinet will be at the "ceremony" and unsurprisingly given the current Chairman's core base and his political beliefs, it will take place at the bastion of freedom that UCL has become.

Excellent news and well done to those that made this happen.

Why we need a cut in corporation tax. Now.

Press Release:

Facebook to Establish International Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland

Company Set to Broaden Operations to Better Serve Users

DUBLIN, Ireland – October 2, 2008 –Tanáiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment, Mary Coughlan TD announced today (2 October 2008) that Facebook, the world’s leading social networking site, is to establish its international headquarters in Dublin.

Dublin will be the centre for Facebook’s international operations and will provide a range of online technical, sales and operations support to Facebook’s users and customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Even Dave's promise of a cut of 3p is many months off.

TB wonders why they didn't choose the UK.

Hat-Tip - Guido

Scottish Tories raise the game...

TB just spotted this on

ConservativeHome.

This postcard is being sent to young voters in Scotland's target seats to raise the awareness of the SNP's continuing implementation of the nanny state.

TB was in the gallery to watch Murdo Fraser's

barnstorming performance

in the parliament the other day that saw the idea defeated by nearly two votes to one this is an excellent sign of

a that the Party in Scotland is getting into gear. Students from all political parties turned out in the morning to rally outside parliament against this measure and they threw their weight behind the Tories. It's amendments and moments like this that show just how powerful the Conservative grouping in Holyrood really is. In a minority government situation, twenty odd votes make all the difference and have a very strong voice.

With the right campaign, the party in the north could really begin to turn things round in the next 18 months. The Scottish seats have some of the youngest and brightest candidates in the country selected. It was a pleasure to meet so many of them at conference and again last night at the excellent dinner put on at Edinburgh's New Club to honour the combined service of over eighty years clocked up by former leader David McLethchie MSP and Edinburgh councillor Alan Jackson. The potential is on the ground and now Scottish Central Office must continue this good start and keep up the momentum.

The election in Scotland must not be fought slagging off the SNP. The election must be fought on the grounds that the only way to get rid of Labour nationally is to vote Conservative. This message must be rammed home, but like this leaflet shows, there is no harm in having a crack at the nats...

TB technical problems.

TB is trying to edit massive swaths of video and it seems his laptop is getting grumpy. The newly designed site is nearly ready and the video content will defiantly be up on that.

Watch this space - sorry about the delay.

Caption Contest

The return of the Prince of Darkness...

TB just got thinking about Mandy's return to the cabinet. He joked outside Downing Street that it would be "third time lucky". Luck had nothing to do this. This is a calculated and well thought out move on the part of a very desperate man.

Brown hates Mandy, he felt betrayed by him and the loathing was very public. He must be in a truly desperate state to feel that having this scorpion in his cabinet somehow made his position stronger. For Brown to need his enemy then surely the end is nigh...

No wonder Mandelson said he felt "proud" - Proud of his victory over an enemy... and rather chuffed no doubt with a cheeky peerage on the side!

TPA guest blog

Apologies for the lack of blogging today, TB has been sorting out his life after spending five days in the tory bubble. Can't quite believe Mandy is back in the Cabinet- surely it's worth putting a tenner on him having to resign again? Although Dave said he had no intention of tweaking the front bench, these new developments have spiced things up a bit. There is a spare spot on top table and TB reckons it's time for Greg Clark to be promoted.

Will spend the weekend editing conference videos and have some up very soon. In the mean time TB did a guest post for Tax Payers Alliance blog today so have a read...

"Despite the fantastic irony of it, why when I walk past a high street shop do I see CCCP t-shirts in the window and Che Guevara emblazoned across the chests of a brainwashed youth? Why do we celebrate an ideology that evokes massive state controls and influence over our lives rather than celebrate the freedom of a society that allows such an expression of personal views."

You can find the whole post

here

.

As predicted...

This

is what happens when you give Labour candidates passes to conference...

Just out of interest...

One of the reasons given for reforming the Conservative Future structure and elections was the fact that last year's cost over seven grand... How much was behind the bar at the CF 10 year anniversary bash because that was a long night!?

Not to say it wasn't a great party...

Hague, cake and at least one significant hatchet buried over a friendly chat.

Freedom

The Freedom Association had their annual anti-smoking ban party on Tuesday. The Freedom Zone had some fantastic events of the last few days but as

Donal Blaney

found out when he was asked to leave, the actual smoking ban was very much in place...

Donal and YBF put on some fantastic events throughout conference... The media training on Saturday was such a good idea - nearly a hundred young conservatives left fully trained in dealing with exactly what they would be facing for the next few days - exactly how to deal with a camera and microphone being thrust in their face.

Anyone who has even the slightest interest in getting involved with the conservative movement should make

ybf.org.uk

their first stop.