Step 1: Selection

I wanted to stand but first had to be approved and then selected. Standing for a political party means there’s a bit of process to go through: they have to be confident that you are legal, decent, honest and truthful, or at least as near to that ideal as possible. I had to complete a form wanting full background details and then be interviewed by a selection panel testing everything from quick thinking (how would you promote diversity in your area?) to commitment, both in terms of time and thought. It was like being back at school, and I had to leave the room and wait a day or so before learning that I had been accepted. It was an early test.

Step 2, election, will be a bit harder.

One of the questions was something like, why do you want to stand for the Conservatives. There is an argument that local Government shouldn’t be too political; that it’s important for councillors to work together effectively and it would be better if councillors were independent. I don’t buy that. It is much better to operate as part of a group simply because then you have more influence, you’re more likely to be on the decisive committees and so on. You can still work constructively with others if you have the right attitude. I am an instinctive conservative: I think that Big Government usually gets things wrong – unintentionally – and so I’m very happy to be a Conservative candidate.  Another question: what would you do if there was a conflict with party policy and something important for your area – or yourself? I said that I found that unlikely but if it happened I’d have to vote against the party – but only after a proper explanation and discussion of why I thought like I did.