The Freedom Zone

At the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham (Sept 28/Oct 1st), the Freedom Association (TFA), along with other like-minded partners, created the biggest fringe event in the history of politics.  Taking a small conference suite, Austin Court, a stone’s throw from the ICC, we set up The Freedom Zone, a full two-day programme of fringe meetings, social events and exhibition stands (where our own Rupert Matthews was selling his books, and handing out free buns).
 
Speakers included David Davis, John Redwood, John Whittingdale, Douglas Carswell and Dan Hannan, as well as Ruth Lea, Simon Heffer, Christopher (Viscount) Monckton, and a host of others.  Dan and Douglas conducted a book-signing for their new book “The Plan” — their vision for the localist programme of a new Conservative government.  We also conducted, with a number of euro-candidates from across the country, a debate for Party members on “What should go into the Conservative 2009 euro-manifesto”, which I shall write about separately.
 
John Redwood on tax and the financial crisis was superb.  In a session on climate change, Viscount Monckton wowed the audience with a highly entertaining but rigorous and forensic dissection of thirty scientific errors in Al Gore’s disaster movie — and I chaired the session, and distributed my new DVD “Straight Talking on Climate Change”.  (For your copy, please send an addressed A5 envelope to me at 9 Prospect Court, Courteenhall Road, Blisworth, Northamptonshire NN7 3DG).
 
In addition to all that, we offered the “Big Bad Breakfast” from 8:00 a.m. each morning (bacon and sausage butties and scrambled eggs), and the coffee lounge was buzzing with visitors through the day.
 
This was a huge success (thanks to Simon Richards and Vicki Stevens of the TFA who drove it and managed it), and provided a forum for some of the key issues that matter to Conservatives but which (some felt) were rather tip-toed around in the main conference.  Not only a major achievement for TFA, but a blow in the cause of freedom.