THE Conservative Party has in the past been accused of not listening to the electorate. Such criticism has been justified at times.

In this association we have, within the last month, demonstrated that we have learned that lesson. Two independently chaired Listening to Britain meetings have been held to gather people's views on a wide range of topics.

On October 23 farming and the rural economy were the main issues raised at a meeting in Farndale while in Strensall, on November 27, the economy, Europe, law and order and the NHS were the top items raised by those who wanted to express views about the course of future party policy.

The results of both these listening exercises will now be consolidated and passed to Conservative Central Office to be analysed along with those from other constituencies across the country.

I thank all those who replied to the association's initial questionnaire or who attended one of the two meetings. Their contributions will help William Hague formulate Conservative policies for the future.

Murray Naylor,

Chairman, Ryedale Conservative Association,

Town Street,

Old Malton.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.