Tim Montgomerie

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Tim Mongomerie

Tim Montgomerie in 2012
Born (1970-07-24) 24 July 1970
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Occupation Conservative activist, Blogger, Writer
Nationality British
Alma mater University of Exeter
conservativehome.blogs.com

Tim Montgomerie (born 24 July 1970) is a Conservative Party activist and columnist for The Times. He is best known as the co-founder of the Centre for Social Justice and as creator and Editor of the ConservativeHome website, and has been described as "one of the most important Conservative activists of the past 20 years".[1]

In February 2012, The Observer said that "In the eyes of most MPs, Montgomerie ... is now one of the most influential Tories outside the cabinet."[2]

Early life and career

Montgomerie was born into an army family in Hampshire in 1970.[3] He said in a Guardian interview[4] "his teenage Thatcherism was tempered by discovering evangelical Christianity at 16".

Montgomerie went to study Economics and Geography at the University of Exeter in 1988, where he ran the Conservative Association with Robert Halfon, Sajid Javid and David Burrowes.[4]

Conservative Christian Fellowship

At Exeter University, Montgomerie and Burrowes also started the Conservative Christian Fellowship (CCF) in December 1990, supported by the Christian Coalition of America.[5] During this period, he argued that the Conservative party should form closer links with churches on issues such as homosexuality and Section 28, saying that the party should "expose the unbiblical and the libertine".[6]

He served as Director of the CCF from 1990 to 2003.[4]

Bank of England

Montgomerie worked briefly in the 1990s at the Bank of England as a statistician, where his responsibilities included the Russian economy and the study of systemic risk in financial systems.[7]

Conservative Party Central Office

From 1998 to 2003 Montgomerie was speech-writer for two Conservative Party leaders, William Hague and then Iain Duncan Smith. He also had responsibilities for the Conservative Party's outreach to faith communities and the voluntary sector.[4]

In September 2003, Montgomerie became Iain Duncan Smith's Chief of Staff, only two months before Duncan Smith[8] was ousted as party leader. He had become a main influence behind Duncan Smith's theme of compassionate conservatism.[9]

Montgomerie has been used as an expert on internet campaigning by Conservative Central Office.[10][11][12]

Centre for Social Justice

In 2004, with Iain Duncan Smith and Philippa Stroud, he established the Centre for Social Justice to take forward the work that Smith had begun as party leader.[4]

Following the tradition of people such as William Wilberforce, the Earl of Shaftesbury and Richard Oastler he aimed to make the condition of the poor a priority. He established a social action project called "Renewing One Nation" which helped Iain Duncan Smith appreciate these issues.[1]

ConservativeHome

Montgomerie (left) at a Policy Exchange event in 2012 with Mark Pack of Liberal Democrat Voice

On 28 March 2005, Montgomerie launched the ConservativeHome website prior to the 2005 British general election campaign.[13] With John Hayes MP he also set up conservativedemocracy.com, which aimed to co-ordinate grassroots opposition during Michael Howard's attempt to abolish the 'one member one vote' rule in the 2005 Conservative leadership election.[14]

The Independent described him as "emerging as a major player in Tory politics."[15] He is critical of the A-List and believes that Conservative Party Leader David Cameron is in danger of alienating working-class Tory voters,[16][17][18] and has pressed Cameron for specific pledges on tax cuts.[19] After the 2010 General Election campaign Montgomerie wrote a report that was critical of David Cameron's election campaign, entitled 'Falling short'. MediaGuardian listed him at number 90 in their 2010 list of the most powerful people in the media.

Montgomerie continued to co-edit ConservativeHome with Joseph Willits, Matthew Barrett[20] and former Tory MP Paul Goodman until he took a job as comment editor on The Times.

Internet television

Montgomerie was a director of the internet television channel 18 Doughty Street which began broadcasting in October 2006 and went off air in November 2007. While at 18 Doughty Street, Montgomerie hosted its 'Campaign HQ' programme, which developed the channel's internet political advertisements after allowing viewers to vote on a choice of (usually) three different proposals. Previous adverts included attacks on taxes, state funding of political parties, and London Mayor Ken Livingstone. The latest, "A World Without America", with an end scene depicting the Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa, was co-produced by 18 Doughty Street and the website BritianAndAmerica, and had 50,000 views within its first 24 hours of publication.[21]

Personal life

Montgomerie is single and lives in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Daniel Finkelstein The coup behind the Tories’ clap for poverty Times Online, 13 October 2009
  2. ↑ Tim Montgomerie, the man who takes the Conservative pulse, The Observer, 12 February 2012
  3. ↑ http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2010/03/interview-conservative-party
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 23 October 2012 Tim Montgomerie: pushing for a rightwing Tory party – with a heart. Andy Beckett. guardian.co.uk
  5. ↑ Marvin Olasky A new fab four World Magazine, 22 July 2006
  6. ↑ Nick Cohen Onward, Christian Tories New Statesman, 1 May 2000
  7. ↑ Conference Chairs / Facilitators / Presenters Speakers Specialist
  8. ↑ Blue heaven: now, at last the Tories have a prayer, The Guardian, 8 September 2003
  9. ↑ Gaby Hinsliff, chief political correspondent (13 October 2002). "Devout whiz-kid seen as Tory saviour". London: The Observer. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  10. ↑ Tories to use US internet tactics to target BBC Financial Times
  11. ↑ Tory activists may get blog spot BBC News, 8 June 2006
  12. ↑ Battle of the conference blogs BBC News, 15 September 2006
  13. ↑ Bloggers ready for general election debut, Sunday Herald
  14. ↑ Ben Macintyre. "Davis has eyes on 'common ground'". London: Times Online. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  15. ↑ New Model Tories: Tory tribes The Independent, 24 September 2006, accessed 17 October 2006
  16. ↑ New Leader Tries to Update Conservatives’ Image New York Times, 3 October 2006
  17. ↑ Tories vow to learn over A-list BBC News, 31 May 2006
  18. ↑ Tories 'failing to recruit women' - BBC, 14 July 2006
  19. ↑ "Cameron set to avoid tax giveaway". BBC News. 1 October 2006. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  20. ↑ Joseph Willits joins ConservativeHome World Magazine, 22 July 2006
  21. ↑ 18 Doughty Street

External links

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