Brian Jenner is the Conservative prospective councillor for Kinson North in Bournemouth. He shares some of his insights after several weeks of hard work. 1) Canvassing must be fun If you want to retain keen volunteers, there has to be a payoff. You’d be amazed at how enthusiastic the 20-30 year olds are. Get lots […]
Brian runs a blog on the subject of speechwriting. I was reading a book by Alan Ayckbourn the other day and he said he was interested in the question, ‘Why do some people in society conclude they are fit to govern? Some are born with the conviction they are natural leaders. While others it never […]
Brian Jenner runs a blog on the subject of speechwriting. Nietzsche said, "Insanity in individuals is something rare — but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule." As usual he was on to something. Why, in recent British history, have political parties lost the plot to such a degree after electoral defeat […]
This is Brian’s fifth Platform piece for ConservativeHome. Brian runs a blog on the subject of speechwriting. I have a pet theory. I’ve noticed that the effectiveness of a political organisation is directly proportional to the sexual energy generated at its meetings. It’s rare to find many women between the ages of 25 and 40 […]
Brian runs a blog on the subject of speechwriting. Read David Cameron’s speech to Demos and sing hallelujah – here is a convincing analysis of where it all went wrong. Understand the problem and you can begin to solve it. Oliver Letwin‘s words at Policy Exchange weren’t too bad either. But where’s the sense of […]
Brian Jenner edits the community website for Paddington & Bayswater, www.newspad.co.uk If you can’t beat them, why not make a fortune at their expense? Maybe this was Michael Heseltine’s thinking five years ago, when Haymarket, his publishing company, launched a magazine called, ‘Regeneration & Renewal’. It’s the in-house magazine of the urban regeneration industry, 50% […]
David Cameron has said we need it and he’s right. It’s time for an intellectual revival. That means reading some books. Those books have got to be fun and make being moderately right-wing exciting and socially acceptable. Books that can help members communicate what being a ‘New’ Tory means to friends and neighbours. The way […]
Brian Jenner is a member of Bournemouth West Conservative Association and has been involved in urban regeneration for the last six years. As a member of the Anglican church I am familiar with the prayer for ‘all that builds up our common life.’ What is our common life? And what’s so good about it? Only […]
Brian Jenner, a speechwriter, journalist and Conservative activist, sets out the case for a new conservative social organisation based on creativity, friendship and fun. Browsing through Facebook this week, I had a sense that a dramatic change is on its way. Looking through the friends of some prominent Conservatives, I was struck by something. They […]