Farmers’ party called off over bad behaviour
♦the annual party for young farmers has been dropped after the raucous behaviour of 6,000 members at this year’s event in Blackpool. Heather Black, chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, yesterday confirmed that the 2019 meeting would be called off, for the first time in 50 years.
“The poor behaviour generated poor publicity so we have decided not to have an annual convention next year,” she said. In an official statement the federation wrote: “Following a meeting of the board of management of NFYFC it was agreed the Federation would no longer hold the Annual Convention for its members.”
SIR – Conservative MPS, “democracy’s gatekeepers” as Lord Hague calls them (Comment, August 21), are completely out of touch with the Conservative grass roots. Their decidedly undemocratic selection of Theresa May as leader has been a disaster and lost them many members.
Any sign of new membership should be welcomed and the Tory establishment should be brave enough to embrace democracy in their choice of a much needed new leader. Peter Crawford
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
SIR – How does William Hague have the cheek to suggest that Tory activists are disconnected from the wider electorate when thousands of us across the country are out on the streets day after day, speaking to people in our areas and gaining their views about everything from drains to Brexit?
To me, the problem is that the Tory leaders don’t want to hear what we have to say and that Theresa May values no opinion other than her own. If the Tory hierarchy had listened to us for the past two years about Brexit we wouldn’t be in the mess we are now. Wendy Gorst
Deputy Chairman Tormohun & Ellacombe Wards Torbay Conservative Association Torquay, Devon
SIR – Lord Hague says that Labour’s changes in internal election rules led to the election of Jeremy Corbyn, leaving democracy “fundamentally weaker”.
Has he forgotten that it was his rule changes that led to Theresa May becoming prime minister without anyone voting for her in the final ballot, because Andrea Leadsom withdrew? Is that democratic?
Subsequent events proved that she has made the party “fundamentally weaker” and unelectable. Richard Morris
Lutterworth, Leicestershire
SIR – Lord Hague says he opposes a change in the system of electing a Conservative leader because he is against “decisions easily swayed by the fashions of the moment”. He seems not to understand the growing frustration among grass-roots supporters at the absence of leadership and vision at the top of the party.
This is no fashion of the moment, but a groundswell that began even before last year’s disastrous general election. It will continue to grow until a meaningful change takes place. Nigel Milliner
Treworthal, Cornwall
SIR – Lord Hague’s arguments have one aim: to keep Boris Johnson out of No 10. Can MPS not now be trusted even to put forward Mr Johnson’s name in a leadership contest, despite his being the preferred choice of Conservative members and voters?
How democratic is that? Hilda Ford
Corsham, Wiltshire
SIR – We need more democracy not less. It would be better to abolish the three-month delay before a new member can vote for a new leader. Ian Travers-smith
Maidenhead, Berkshire
SIR – William Hague, who tried and conspicuously failed to defeat Labour, is trying to block Boris Johnson, the one man who surely can. Christopher Gillibrand
Llandysul, Cardiganshire
SIR – If entryism gets us Boris, bring it on. Leslie Singleton
Pleshey, Essex
SIR – Lord Hague is signalling that important issues must be decided by those “who know best” and that the general voting public are unfit to make decisions for the country.
The recent increase in Conservative Party membership shows that people want more say when the parliamentary party is in shambles. Patricia Bateson
Bressingham, Norfolk