WAR of words has broken out between the usually humdrum site ConservativeHome & its contributor Iain Dale and the Bow Group after its Chairman was lambasted in an article that concludes the Group - "Seems to have disappeared up its own backside" - after a series of emails "undermining" the government.
The Conservative Home article sensationally attacks Bow Group Chairman, Ben Harris-Quinney, stating his - "Main aim seems to take the government to task for its stance on gay marriage and his main weapon is to persuade 30 rather elderly Tory constituency chairmen to deliver regular letters to the doorstep of Number 10. Former Bow Groupers are said to be horrified at what has happened to a once august and respected organisation."
Mr Harris-Quinney has defended the organisation calling the article an "Unfounded attack against the organisation and those involved."
The Bow Group Chairman went on to say - "(The article) has a vulgar, aggressive tone provoking alarm and distress, which is not what we have come to expect from ConHome contributors. [sic]"
Harris-Quinney goes on to cite a "poverty of debate" saying - "The new Conservative tone was image, sound bites, public relations and personality".
"Somehow the fact that the Bow Group has dared to do its job, of holding the Conservative Party to the account and investigating policy with unwavering rigour, is seen as disloyalty in a time where genuine debate and freedom of conscience is a pseudo criminal act, within and without the Party", - the Bow Group Chairman added.
A spokesperson for a right-wing think tank told tbg today that "The Bow Group is in crisis."
11 comments:
Iain Dale is an idiot who clearly just wants the Government to push through SSM, and will join the ranks in sniping at the swivel eyed loons who ask questions that are a little too awkward.
Iain Dale is just another gay with everything light blue type who's part of the SDP within the Tories. The Bow Group have every right to hold the Tories to account, but frankly with types like Dale about most good activists have joined ukip or sit at home doing something else as they've had enough.
The conservative party is dying on its feet, laughable at best with real issues floundering due to the liberals and likes of Dale maintaining huge spending, yet huge energy is put into gay issues to ram through SSM.
Since 2010 the coalition has squandered opportunities to make real cuts, so when the storm hits us, we're still broke with real pain to come...Cameron is buggering about with gay marriage, laughable
Dale can dish it out but he can't take it back. Remember his row with the Daily Mail? http://iaindale.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/hateful-daily-mail.html
He may be angry at BHQ because he doesn't back the gays but it doesn't mean he should attack him.
As much as I dislike Iain Dale I agree with him. I withdrew my membership of the Bow Group as soon as Ben Harris-Quinney became the Chairman as the way that his slate conducted themselves during the election period was appalling.
They barred any member who did not support them from attending the AGM and over 50% of the members withdrew their support. I noted at a recent event that only 12 attendees came. In my day we managed to get over 100 people.
Under Ben's chairmanship they also held an event debating gay marriage where the police were called that the Spectator magazine covered.
The sooner this rabid mob leave the better.
Ben Harris Quinney should not be lecturing Cameron on mandate for Gay Marriage. What little mandate he had at the Bow Group expired in October 2012. How can he justify not holding elections??? We are fast approaching June 2013!!!!
This shows outside the gay obsessed Westminster village just what people are thinking! http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3644/britain_wants_its_guns_back#.UaXCbqfmiL8.twitter
Westminster which has more gays per square meter as they've seen politics as a way to ram it into the rest of us...is sooo out of touch. Gays need to pipe down and remember with equality comes responsibility and err silence as you'll be the same as the rest of us, get on with running Britain can we?
I have been to (pretty much) every Bow Group event for some time. The last time only 12 people turned up was under the Chairmanship of Annesley Abercorn for an event with Dominic Greive. The Bow Group's recent Thatcher wake event had over 2000 people attending.
That was a joint event with the Freedom Association and hardly the best subject to point score on.
Mr Abercorn's chairmanship included events solely organised by the Bow Group with prominent figures in the Conservative Party attracting hundreds in attendance. The Bow Group at the time didn't latch onto another organisation's event and pretend they organised it. I also note that under BHQ's chairmanship, not one single Minister or Cabinet member has addressed the Bow Group - so much for being influential. BHQ's Boe Group have alienated everyone except for the likes of that great statesman, Peter Bone!
Whilst a number of ministers have come to Bow Group events recently, and in the past year Sir John Major was appointed as President, I don't think a think tank relies on cabinet ministers or grandees. In fact, debate is often more vibrant among thinkers and commentators, than those just out to toe the party line. Cabinet ministers or not, the Bow Group has had some fantastic events this year.
Ben Harris-Quinney is just a self serving self publicist. The Bow Group has become an enemy of The Conservative Party and its leadership thanks to him. Any influence The Bow Group once had in the Conservative Party has been totally lost thanks to Ben Harris-Quinney.
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