h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is an interesting concept. I am mad for politics, so I have been enjoying the articles on Unitedkingdomese government I have seen so far. I am an American, so please bear with me, it seems that there are several unfamiliar things going on here so I have lots of questions.

Is a paid party member someone different from an MP?
Is it a responsible post (I think you-all call it 'having a brief'), does it merely mean you are putting your money where your mouth is and have an ID card in your wallet, or is it somewhere in-between?
Might one wish to be an unpaid party member?
Can one vote for MPs at all without money, or are you required to pay a fee to particular party if you wish to vote?
Are there typically lots of paid party members: who bears the cost of the no-confidence vote when the election becomes so general?
If the Conservative party is out-of-power/not currently the government, where is such an election held?

Here´s the answers your looking for (presented in a cut-out and keep format)

1. Yes. You pay to join the Tory Party (or Labour, or LibDem) as a show of your support for them. You don´t automatically become an MP when you do so (that usually takes a lot of hard work).

2. Being a paid party member isn´t a responsible post by any means. You´ve just gotta... well, pay! Most get involved in the party in some other way though, locally or nationally.

3. You can wish to be an unpaid party member, by voting for the party in question, but they won´t know about it.

4. If you wanna vote in the leadership election for the Tory Party (different to a General Election remember!) you have to be a paid-up member of the Tory Party.

5. Party Membership numbers change dramatically over time. The largest Opposition party usually as the most members (I suppose we Brits like to back the underdog!)

6. The vote of no-confidence and the leadership election are done at Tory HQ and don´t really cost that much, though it´s paid out of party funds.

Hope that answers everything!

Oberon2001

Thank you! This helps me understand better the way in which your entry was written.

How much does it cost to be a member of the Tory party (as of 24-July-2003)?

Typically, in the US, there is a local nominating committee. No one outside of this gets much say in party leadership. The committee may suggest several candidates, and that is the source of primary elections in the US. That's why the general election of the Tory party leader caught me by surprise.

It costs 22 pounds (though less if you´re under 22) to join the Tories (for more on them go to http://www.conservatives.com ).

How do primaries work in America then? Who is able to vote in them?

Oberon2001