Gordon Brown can't delay much longer. The election starts officially tomorrow. Conservative candidates across the country are now in their final push. Over the next 31 days, many of them have the tough job of ousting Liberal Democrat MPs.
We've previously described Liberal Democrats as the bindweed of politics - once they've invaded territory they are very hard to displace. The Lib Dems have also taken on a more strategic significance.
Every pound and every leaflet could make a real difference not only to the local area, but to the country.
That's why, from today, we will be using the online fundraising tools on MyConservatives to raise £1,000 for candidates who have a chance of defeating an incumbent LibDem MP. Your generosity will determine how many candidates we help.
The first candidate we want to help is Philippa Stroud in Sutton and Cheam.Click here if you can help.
ConservativeHome's Tshirt store is now online!
Click here to buy your T-shirt. Other designs available!
ConservativeHome started up on Easter Monday in 2005. We've only stopped for breath on ten days since; Christmas Day and Boxing Day of each year. On our launch day The Times reported our ambition to combine "the concepts of a think-tank and online newspaper and [our] aim is to provide a forum for the revival of Conservative thinking and policies."
Five years later we are now owned by Lord Ashcroft and Stephan Shakespeare, ensuring we can plan ahead with confidence. In the event of a Conservative government we hope to expand coverage, and will launch ConservativeAccountability.com to record David Cameron's progress in meeting a variety of economic and social objectives, including:
- eliminating the bulk of the budget deficit;
- simplifying and reducing taxation;
- deregulating and growing the economy;
- rebalancing private and public sector benefits;
- planning for energy security;
- keeping Britain moving via road, rail, sea and air;
- reducing net immigration;
- ensuring a fairer distribution of political and economic power;
- delivering more transparency in government;
- expanding educational choice;
- localising the police and other public services;
- strengthening marriage and the family;
- rejuvenating philanthropy and genuinely independent voluntarism;
- protecting the natural environment;
- focusing welfare on the very sick, very old and very disabled;
- supporting diversity in media and culture;
- rebuilding the armed forces and the military covenant;
- freeing trade and fighting global poverty; and
- restoring historic liberties including returning powers from the EU.
More investment will also go into the International, Local Government, Parliament and Think Tank pages.
Today I thank Michael and Stephan for their backing. For Samuel Coates' deputy editorship in the early days. Sam is the finest of his generation. Jonathan Isaby, my co-editor and a walking Conservative encyclopaedia. Jonathan seems to know everyone in the party and plays good cop to my bad cop in editorial policy. He's led the campaign to Save General Election Night - a campaign that made more progress yesterday. And to Paul Goodman, currently a brilliant contributing editor and, I hope, a big part of ConHome's future.
Souvenir brochureMost of all, of course, thanks to you - our readers. I've prepared a souvenir booklet that sets out the mission of ConHome. You can download a PDF of it,
Tim Montgomerie
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