Introduction to the CPF
"The CPF plays a key role in ensuring that Party members have the opportunity to help shape Government Policy. We need to make the most of all of the talent that exists within our Party, and harness our members' enthusiasm." (Prime Minister Theresa May).
The CPF is a national Party Group that gives members the opportunity to discuss the major policy challenges facing Britain. With almost 250 active groups across the country, a fantastic voluntary team and strong professional support from CCHQ, the CPF has a vital role at the heart of the Conservative Party. With a direct line to the Prime Minister's Policy Board, its members have a real say in the direction our Party is taking.
CPF Members played an important role during the 2015 General Election, providing a number of contributions towards the manifesto we were successfully elected on, and the work of its members out on the ground in our target seats made a real difference to the outcome.
As we implement our Conservative manifesto and start formulating our vision for 2020, it is as important as ever that we demonstrate how only the Conservatives will make the difficult decisions needed to secure a better and brighter future for Britain.
What is the CPF?
The CPF is a national Party Group that gives members the opportunity to discuss the major policy challenges facing Britain. It is chaired by George Freeman MP, who also chairs the Prime Minister's Policy Board. With active groups in every region, the CPF is a fantastic way for Members of the Party to have their voices heard on some of the most important issues facing our country.
Over the course of the last Parliament, the Forum published over 30 discussion briefs and collected over 19,000 opinions from members and supporters in nearly 250 different groups – all of which were summarised and sent to Conservative members of Cabinet. These, in turn, all received a ministerial response. In addition to this, we engage with our members through various regional and national events, such as CPF conferences.
Through this work we very successfully fulfilled our remit of helping the 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. Many CPF groups also contribute to debates on local issues and actively participate in campaigning in their constituencies.
The CPF’s history can be traced back to the Conservative Political Centre of the early post-war years. This made a significant contribution to the development of election-winning policies that delivered thirteen years of radical Conservative Government from 1951 to 1964. Building on this heritage, our aim is to create a truly national Forum, accessible to all regardless of age or location that has real influence on Party policy.
There is a CPF professional team in CCHQ to support you, so please feel free to get in touch if you are interested in joining or forming a CPF group or if you would like to know what you can do to help to ensure we build on the success of 2015 and continue to elect Conservative representatives at both local and national level.
The next CPF Discussion Paper
"The Challenge and Opportunities of the Digital Age" will be published at the start of September.