What does the CPF do?
The CPF is a national Party Group that gives Members of the Party an opportunity to participate in political discussion and have their voices heard on some of the most important policy challenges facing our country. The CPF is therefore a vital link between ordinary Members of the Party and the Government.
What is the aim of the CPF?
The CPF has an important role at the heart of the Conservative Party. With a direct line to the Prime Minister's Policy Unit and Government Ministers, a programme of regular national policy discussions, monthly members' surveys, newsletters, video conferences with leading members of the Party and roundtable discussions at 10 Downing Street, its members have a real say in the direction our Party is taking.
What is the Impact of the CPF?
CPF Members have played an important role in recent years, providing a number of ideas that have gone on to become Party and Government policy: 57% of commitments in the published 2019 Party Manifesto could be traced back to ideas proposed by CPF groups. There is a genuine recognition at the top of the Party that the views of members need to be sought and heard.
And that’s where CPF Members come in
We want you to think through the challenges that Britain will face in the years to come. What will the state of Britain be like in five years? How will the Government’s current structural modernisation programme change Britain – and what new challenges will emerge as a result? What are the likely economic, social, security and environmental pressures, which we will face in five years?
Some of the areas we must now look into include:
- an ageing population, health and social care;
- the causes of poverty and homelessness;
- disability and inclusion;
- youth issues;
- changes in technology and innovation;
- opportunities of the digital age;
- our skills and training base;
- geographical differences in our nation;
- sustaining our democracy and our values;
- increasing pressures on natural resources and on the environment;
- challenges from emerging economies;
- new security challenges – both national and international; and
- looking at the role of a Global Britain.
The CPF Programme
The CPF aims to publish five national discussion briefs each year, in January, March, May, September and November. Papers are published at the start of the month and the deadline for submitting responses is at the end of the following month.
Since re-launching after the last general election, CPF has collected policy suggestions from about 250 different groups, representing around 300 constituencies and over 3,000 members and supporters – all of which were summarised and sent to the Prime Minister's Policy Unit and to members of the Cabinet. These, in turn, all received a formal ministerial response and ongoing policy development behind the scenes.
Through this work we very successfully fulfilled our remit of helping the Conservative Party to identify the problems we will face during the next Parliament and, crucially, to address how we can secure a better future for Britain and for hardworking taxpayers.
How can you get involved?
By joining our local Tonbridge, Edenbridge & Malling Conservative Association CPF group you will be able to contribute to these discussions.
How does our local TEAM CPF Group work?
- Our CPF Group contributes to the strength of the Tonbridge, Edenbridge & Malling Conservative Association.
- It is open to our Association’s members, supporters and potential supporters.
- It meets throughout the year to discuss the topics in the national discussion papers.
- It occasionally decides to debate other important local-based, issues.
- Meetings are usually held in a room within the constituency.
- During the coronavirus pandemic, meetings were being held remotely via Zoom.
- Meeting generally last 1 ½ hours.
- Our Group reports back to the CPF with a written summarised response.
- A summary of the views on each paper goes to the PM’s Policy Unit and relevant Minister.
- A Ministerial reply is subsequently prepared and circulated to CPF Groups.
For further details
Please email tonbridgeconservatives@gmail.com and you'll be directed to the Chairman of the CPF, Dennis King.