明らかにする／漏らすd: What it takes to be one of David Cameron's chosen few

What does it take to be a Tory 候補者? In a daring and candid diary, the former TV-am presenter 明らかにする／漏らすs all...教祖的指導力 classes, away days, 狼狽 の中で the old party faithful and Francis Maude's stockinged feet.

After three １０年間s in the マスコミ, first as a 地域の 新聞記者／雑誌記者, then as a news presenter for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, I decided last year to put my 指名する 今後 for consideration as a Tory Party 候補者 in Cornwall.

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Here is a diary of my intriguing 旅行.

January 2006:

The 普通の／平均（する） person spends 72 minutes of their lifetime in the 投票（する） box, 明らかに ? given what Tony Blair and his fat 大多数 have done with the 力／強力にする vested in them by 投票者s, I feel it's important to do something more than put my cross in the 権利 place.

My first 仕事, before 適用するing for a 明確な／細部 選挙区／有権者, is to get on to the 保守的なs' 認可するd 候補者s 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）. To this end, I 会合，会う a party 公式の／役人 on a 冷淡な January afternoon in the 砂漠d lounge of the 皇室の Hotel in Torquay.

I tell him I only want to 代表する a Cornish seat. Although I wasn't lucky enough to be born in Cornwall, it is where I moved when I was 19, married and had my first son.

It is where my heart lies and I care about it.

We discuss many things besides politics ? I am aware there are several buzzwords and phrases that 圧力（をかける） the 権利 buttons, such as 'love of Cornwall', 'businesswoman' and 'マスコミ experience'...

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The next 行う／開催する／段階 伴う／関わるs filling in 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の forms. I find it やめる challenging finding much to say about my 'political 業績／成就s' and 'public 作品' and nearly abandon the entire 企業.

No wonder 議会 is 十分な of career 政治家，政治屋s. Feel I've been far too busy working 十分な-time and bringing up two children to rack up party political brownie points.

March 2006:

Final 行う／開催する／段階 of candidature 是認 is a day of written 実験（する）s and interviews, group 演習s and practical 仕事s, run by ex-軍の party 公式の／役人s.

Love every minute of it, although am sure I'm 説 and 令状ing all the wrong things as I'm unaware of the party line.

We are 査定する／（税金などを）課すd in groups of eight ? an 利益／興味ing mix of people. Two are 隠しだてする about their real lives and one other is ? I'm later told by another 候補者 ? a 工場／植物 教えるd to listen to our informal conversations and 監視する our （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する manners at lunch time.

A few days later, I am told I have been 受託するd as an 認可するd 候補者. Now all I have to do is find myself a 選挙区／有権者.

April 2006:

After a gruelling interview at 保守的な （選挙などの）運動をする （警察，軍隊などの）本部, [CCHQ] I'm 招待するd to join the party's A-名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） ? a 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） of 候補者s, many of them women or members of 民族の 少数，小数派s, who'll be prioritised by 保守的な Central Office to 確実にする a broader cross-section of 候補者s.

Afterwards, much 政治上 incorrect reaction from 年輩の 地元の Tories who, although 抵抗力のある to 概念 of A-名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）, are 内密に intrigued.

'What did you do, dearie, take all your 着せる／賦与するs off?' asks one. I'm 内密に 元気づけるd he thinks it would have made a difference.

May 2006

Put myself 今後 for a 田舎の West Country seat. I don't want to 代表する it but it's useful interview practice.

In fact the interview, by a パネル盤 of 25 members of the 地元の 協会, is the most horrific experience of my life.

I'm asked pretty 基準 questions such as: 'What do you think are the main 問題／発行するs 直面するing the 郡?' but there's no 利益／興味 in my replies.

The dislike some of them 陳列する，発揮する に向かって me is almost 有形の. I explain how I will 支持する／優勝者 their 原因（となる）s and turn up at every event they want me to in a 企て，努力，提案 to 勝利，勝つ the seat.

To which one grumpy old man replies: 'We're looking for leadership 信任状, not for someone who wants to be told what to do.'

It's so grim, I burst out laughing. 明らかに 農業者s don't like women. They 港／避難所't met the ones I know.

September 2006:

My first party 会議／協議会 as a 委任する／代表. Find it all fascinating, if 全く terrifying.

The combination of new and old 保守的なs in one place is 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の. Everyone's so 熱烈な about the party.

I love them for their かかわり合い but think David Cameron 本気で does need people like me (she says arrogantly!) to temper the zeal at both ends of the party's spectrum.

By the end of 会議／協議会 I'm also 納得させるd the Tories are the sexiest party.

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A 広範囲にわたる generalisation, of course, but there is something clinically androgynous about New 労働.

The 自由主義の 民主党員s seem too ineffectual to be sexy. The Tories, on the other 手渡す, seem to put it out there and be up for it and are certainly hot to trot in Bournemouth.

I wonder if the hedonistic atmosphere in the hotel 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業s and marquees is a counterbalance to the 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d 審議s in the 会議／協議会 hall.

There's something earthy and sexually 確信して about the party. The women are women, the men are men and the gays are gay!

October 2006:

The Cornish seats are important because the party knows that to 勝利，勝つ the General 選挙 they will have to make inroads into the South West.

An 'Away Day' is organised for 見込みのある 候補者s and 地元の 協会 officers of 的 seats to 明らかにする／漏らす the （選挙などの）運動をする 計画（する）s.

Everything is shrouded in secrecy. Before I can even read the 手はず／準備 I have to enter a 安全 code on a special section of the party's website.

The 発生地 is a gleaming ドーム that 似ているs a 宇宙船 that's 衝突，墜落-landed into the middle of the English countryside.

Everyone else seems to know each other and most seem very young. Who are they? A 特に （軍の）野営地，陣営 young man 迎える／歓迎するs others with showbiz 空気／公表する kisses.

His man-捕らえる、獲得する is stuffed with papers and he and his 側近 are in ジーンズs and tight, trendy open-neck shirts.

It feels as though we are backstage somewhere and that at any minute Christopher Biggins might burst through the curtains.

'Do you think we've been 誘拐するd by 外国人s?' an 年輩の gentleman, next to me, mutters under his breath.

Dressed in a tweed 控訴, he looks genuinely alarmed at where he has 設立する himself on a 罰金 autumn morning when he surely should be out cubbing.

At that moment the 黒人／ボイコット curtains along one 塀で囲む are swept aside and there before us, 位置／汚点／見つけ出す-lit on a small 壇・綱領・公約 is one of our 目だつ 女性（の） MPs: Angela Browning.

The day continues in an impressively 行う／開催する／段階-managed fashion, 最高潮に達するing in a 素晴らしい 贈呈 from David Cameron and his team.

I can see his detractors finding plenty in this to take a pop at, but he and the 重要な （選挙などの）運動をする team are exceptional.

Cameron is more blokey than he appears on TV, and charming. He seems able to 勝利，勝つ over even the most dyed-in-the-wool members of the party.

November 2006:

The seat of St Austell and Newquay is advertised. It's a new 選挙区／有権者 in the centre of Cornwall and the 問題／発行するs that 影響する／感情 the whole 郡 are most evident here.

It has the lowest 給料 in the UK, yet the second highest house prices.

The 現職の MP is the Lib Dem Matthew Taylor, but he has 発表するd he will step 負かす／撃墜する at the next General 選挙.

The seat is regarded as a 最高の，を越す 優先 by the Tories. I want to 代表する it and my 策略 to be selected change.

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My husband 示す, who's fully behind my 立候補, 陳列する，発揮するs perfect Denis Thatcher behaviour at a drinks party ? 完全に at 緩和する with the older gentlemen and 極端に sociable ? and I make a defining and important 購入（する） of a を締める of pheasants.

I'm finding the dynamics of the 保守的な Party 利益／興味ing. にもかかわらず the new 見通し personified by Cameron and his modern 保守主義, the 運命 of the Party is in the 手渡すs, hearts and minds of a 完全に different group of people.

People like me may all be keen now to join his ギャング（団） but we weren't there during the 'dark days'.

Apart from a few younger 行動主義者s, it's the 60, 70 and 80-year-old die-hard Tories who are still in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the dwindling and 減らすd 協会s, which 最終的に select the 代表者／国会議員s. (I 現在／一般に have a 97-year-old volunteer.)

Central Office is 責任がある the 候補者s' 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）, so the 協会s are 直面するd with a type of 候補者 they don't recognise as one of their own.

The 組み立てる／集結するd 裁判官s at my 選択 含む a couple of majors, a 指揮官 and a lord.

All of them, I 恐れる, would have preferred to see an articulate pin-（土地などの）細長い一片d barrister rather than me and my fellow competitors: another woman and a pleasant chap with a long ponytail.

The 選択 パネル盤 seem, at best, bewildered; at worst, 狼狽d.

Apart from a couple of smiling 直面するs, they look unforgiving. I 位置／汚点／見つけ出す several 長，率いるs shaking in 不信 when I'm clapped.

This makes it all the more difficult to discern which of the 年輩の gents is 責任がある sending a text to my 動きやすい phone, 説: 'Gr8t 脚s? U gt my 投票（する）.'

December 2006:

The other 女性（の） 候補者 and I …に出席する the final 選択 過程 ? an open 最初の／主要な public 会合, to which anyone on the 選挙区／有権者 選挙（人）の roll, whatever their political affiliation, is 招待するd.

Make 素晴らしい own-goal during questions when my mind goes blank about important 問題／発行する of 私的な 財政／金融 率先 (PFI).

It transpires that I 勝利，勝つ some 投票（する）s for 説 I don't know the answer and after a nail-biting secret 投票（する）, I 勝利，勝つ. I am 任命する／導入するd as the 見込みのある 議会の 候補者.

Christmas 2006

In breaking the news to friends, I try not to take their 逆の reactions too 本人自身で. One 簡単に splutters, 'Amazing,' before 落ちるing into a stunned silence.

Another, whom I've known for years, asks: 'How could you? I didn't have a 手がかり（を与える） you were a Tory ? we'll never be able to talk about anything serious again.'

A third tells m e she had to make sure our 相互の friend was sitting 負かす／撃墜する 'before I told her the news.'

示す and I are beginning to feel like the dinner party cabaret for Winter 2006/7.

Have perfected a thank-you 公式文書，認める to our Leftie and Lib Dem friends 説: 'So glad we still have a place at your （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する にもかかわらず 明らかにする／漏らすing our political 傾向s ? do hope you'll ask us again.'

January 2007:

I'm struggling to 工夫する some 肉親，親類d of 決まりきった仕事 to を取り引きする the enormous 地元の 問題／発行するs 同様に as the welter of emails from CCHQ.

One night, the call from CCHQ has a 特に surreal feel. I'm sitting at the kitchen （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する peeling potatoes for supper when my 動きやすい phone chirps with a text giving a telephone number and password.

I dial before switching the phone to （衆議院の）議長 方式 to carry on with my cooking.

Moments later a cheerful 発言する／表明する says: 'Hello.' It's David Cameron, 議長，司会を務めるing a 会議／協議会 call with 候補者s from ごくわずかの seats.

He is looking for feedback on a 政策 he's just 発表するd, but in の中で the serious stuff there are jokes and some 穏やかな blaspheming.

As the month wears on, the enormity of the 仕事 ahead begins to 沈む in.

存在 a 候補者 is like a two-year 職業 interview without any 支払う／賃金 or expenses.

What's more, I have 約束d to knock on every door in the 選挙区／有権者 in the next two years ? more than 40,000 世帯s ? but it's going to take me longer than I 心配するd because so many people want to talk to me.

So much for apathy の中で the 選挙民.

I get angry with tattooed skinhead BNP 支持者s, weep about lonely, 孤立するd old ladies and am shocked at the absence of hope in places where there is little work, no 輸送（する） and かなりの ill health.

I 遭遇（する） many unhuggable hoodies on the streets. Keep stopping them to ask w hat they would like their MP to do, which alarms them no end.

At the other end of the spectrum I spend time 会合 and 迎える／歓迎するing in Fowey, which is picture-postcard Cornwall.

Here people still 言及する to themselves as Rashleighs or Treffrys, 競争相手 Royalist and 議会人 families that fought in the English Civil War.

It's straight out of Poldark and 最高潮の場面s Cornwall at its best ? stories, fables and history with rawness and romance.

However, with a 伝統的な Lib Dem 投票（する） it is 代表するd by MPs neither in 力／強力にする nor 対立 and has been left behind by 連続する 政府s as an under-基金d, ignored, socially 奪うd backwater.

If I get in, that will change.

Am introduced to the 重要な members of my 協会 and （選挙などの）運動をする team.

It's 負かす／撃墜する to me to 増加する their numbers and bring in people with particular 技術s.

I feel like Tigger; 十分な of winning 計画（する）s and 戦略s, but quickly realise I have to トン 負かす／撃墜する my 行為／法令／行動する until more people are onboard.

Here are some choice 引用するs: 'I'll have to call you 支援する ? you know what a 乳の breakfast can do.'

'We can't 会合，会う after 4.30pm, Caroline, people have to get home to have their tea. It's not good to eat late.'

'Sorry, I 港／避難所't read my emails, the grandchildren didn't come 負かす／撃墜する at half-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語.'

February 2007:

Induction day for 候補者s at CCHQ. The 会議／協議会 room has 16 desks arranged in a U-形態／調整, 直面するing three 大規模な 審査するs 陳列する，発揮するing the new 保守的な logo ? a 広範囲にわたる English oak tree.

Sarahs, Emilys and Davinas 手渡す out 指名する badges and coffee. They are all pretty and purposeful with 猛烈な／残忍な handshakes; the sort of girls who won us the war from Bletchley.

Lots of 贈呈s from officers and MPs. Angela Browning 陳列する，発揮するs splendid lowering of her トン when she says: 'We are going to 勝利，勝つ this 選挙.' 解決する to use that.

The men 完全に divided between 関係 and no 関係, even some in ジーンズs.

The whole Tory 着せる／賦与するs thing is beginning to get to me. Feel I look all wrong.

Cliched Tory woman wears florals and pastels, which I don't, but my マスコミ-boring 黒人／ボイコット feels too scruffy most of the time, 加える I feel definitely too plump for 目的.

There's no 需要・要求する for the 同等（の） of Fern Britton in British politics.

Thoughts on other （衆議院の）議長s: G, is a bruiser and party heavyweight who says: 'You WILL get elected'; A, from 戦略 department is clever, bookish and very attractive. Dressed in a pullover, he について言及するs his ひどく 右翼 mother with a mock shudder.

Shireen Ritchie, chairman of the 候補者s' 委員会, the film director Guy Ritchie's mother and Madonna's mother-in-法律, is petite, polite and direct.

Madonna has said she's the only woman who 脅迫してさせるs her and I can see why ? she is comfortable in her own 肌 and seems to be able to sum people up in an instant.

J, in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 兵たん業務, is straight out of wardrobe at Channel 4. Thin, gay (I think), ジーンズs, T-shirt, Nike sport 最高の，を越す. Sits 負かす／撃墜する, a bit bored and irritated by us. Very un-保守的な. Of course, take to him すぐに.

I also 会合，会う Francis Maude [former party chairman] and am rather surprised when he takes off his shoes and 残り／休憩（する）s his stockinged feet on the 議長，司会を務める next to me. Curious behaviour.

Perhaps this is the next 行う／開催する／段階 of the no-tie 政策.

Much talk of 漏れるs and lots of self-flagellation about how the party has got things wrong in the past. Time to move on chaps. Go to M&S and buy 安全な, plump Tory woman 控訴.

April 2007:

A 井戸／弁護士席-connected party 支持者 tells me the Tory leadership is still worried there won't be enough 女性（の） c andidates at the next General 選挙.

She says women appear 'too earnest' and '欠如（する） 教祖的指導力' when they appear before 選択 パネル盤s and asks me whether I would help with some '教祖的指導力 coaching'.

I laugh. Whether I have 教祖的指導力 or not is a 討議する point, but I don't think it's something that can be taught. I don't think women have いっそう少なく 教祖的指導力; they're just not turned on by the status and 力／強力にする of politics as men are.

May 2007:

At the count for the 地元の 選挙s, I get my first taste of the dog-eat-dog fight を待つing me when the leader of the 自由主義の 民主党員 group in my 選挙区／有権者 comes over to introduce himself.

He says 静かに ? and with a 殺し屋 smile ? that I am not to take 本人自身で all that will happen between now and the General 選挙.

The menace is implicit. I also receive a letter from a Lib Dem 郡 議員, on the 当局's 長，率いるd paper, 説 he ーするつもりであるs to 'Laugh me into obscurity.'

But I remain undeterred. I am 決定するd to do 権利 by the people in St Austell and Newquay and ーするつもりである to take this （選挙などの）運動をする very 本気で.

July 2007:

The summer season is just about to kick off in Newquay.

地元のs are divided between those dancing to the tune of soon-to-be-（犯罪の）一味ing cash 登録（する）s and those putting their hard hats on and taking up 包囲 positions.

The 全住民 of the town will swell from 20,000 to 120,000 over the next six weeks.

With Cornwall the only 郡 in the land without 24-hour, 十分な-time 解雇する／砲火／射撃 cover, 地元の firemen 勧める me to ask the 当局 to publish their 危険 査定／評価 報告（する）／憶測 on the town's nightspots.

地元の Customs officers have tipped me the wink about goings-on at 地元の ports ? they tell me 職業 削減（する）s mean there's no need to 'watch the 塀で囲む, my darling' [as Kipling's A Smuggler's Song goes] becau se the 'gentlemen' are walking straight through Nothing To 宣言する, bold as 厚かましさ／高級将校連, with their contraband.

I have another surreal day of contrasts out on the stump.

I pass a 女／おっせかい屋 party from London, already steaming drunk, 落ちるing off the train. Then, a 軍用車隊 of Aston ツバメs passes 長，率いるing away from a 地元の bay where polo has been played.

I can tell summer has come when out door-knocking because of the smell of barbecues and because so many people are in wetsuits on their way to or from the beach.

A year ago I would have done the same, but there are another 35,692 世帯s to go, and I'm still 決定するd to visit every 選び出す／独身 one.