In June 2005, a group of 23 Conservative MPs, MEPs, Parliamentary candidates and activists launched a manifesto - Direct Democracy: An Agenda for a New Model Party. This radical blueprint for a Conservative future tackled head-on the growing power of the state, and proposed specific measures for reinvigorating the politics and public services of this country.

Since then, localism has become one of the fast-growing causes in British politics. It aims to restore confidence in the democratic process. It envisages a Britain in which there is pluralism, diversity and variety, where decisions are taken closely to the people they will affect, where individuals are not coerced by state power. A Britain where towns and counties raise their own budgets and run their own affairs, where those who pass laws are directly vulnerable to the votes of those who are expected to abide by them.

The supporters listed below do not necessarily endorse each of the publications of the group, and its front-bench supporters have not necessarily signed up to each policy prescription in The Localist Papers

Our Supporters

Adam Afriyie, MP for Windsor since 2005 and founding director of an IT company

Richard Benyon, MP for Newbury since 2005 and farmer

Roger Bird

Fiona Bruce, Conservative candidate, selected by open primary, in Warrington South in 2005, solicitor and local councillor

Martin Callanan, Member of the European Parliament for North East England

Douglas Carswell, MP for Harwich since 2005, former policy adviser to the Conservative Party and investment manager
www.douglascarswell.com

Paul Carter, managing director, former adviser to the Conservative Party on business deregulation

Greg Clark, MP for Tunbridge Wells since 2005, former head of policy at the Conservative Party and chief adviser to the BBC on commercial policy
www.gregclark.co.uk/

Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire since 2005, former business consultant

Iain Dale, Conservative candidate for North Norfolk in 2005, founder of Politico's Publishing and eminent blogger

Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow since 2005 formerly banker and bookseller
www.philipdunne.com

Murdo Fraser, Member of the Scottish Parliament, formerly a solicitor

David Gauke, MP for South West Hertfordshire since 2005, formerly a lawyer

Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough since 2005, formerly an MEP and a farmer

Michael Gove, MP for Surrey Heath since 2005, and a Times columnist
www.michaelgove.com

Andrew Griffith, a media consultant and twice Conservative candidate for Corby

Robert Halfon, twice Conservative candidate for Harlow and chief of staff to Oliver Letwin, MP

Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon since 2005 and a Shadow Minister for Transport

Nick Herbert, MP for Arundel and South Downs, formerly director of the thinktank Reform, chief executive of Business for Sterling and a founder member of the Countryside Alliance

Daniel Hannan, MEP for South East England, and a columnist on The Sunday Telegraph and Die Welt
www.hannan.co.uk

Mark Harper, MP for the Forest of Dean since 2005 and chartered accountant

Nick Herbert, MP for Arundel and South Downs, formerly director of the thinktank Reform, chief executive of Business for Sterling and a founder member of the Countryside Alliance

Chris Heaton-Harris, MEP for the East Midlands, and a fruit and vegetable wholesaler

Adam Holloway, MP for Gravesham since 2005, a former soldier and television journalist

Ed Howker, freelance journalist, former director of communications at the Centre for Policy Studies

Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey since 2005, and founder of a publishing business

Stewart Jackson, MP for Peterborough since 2005, former business services manager

Syed Kamall MEP

Scott Kelly

Danny Kruger, formerly of the Daily Telegraph comment desk and now special adviser to David Cameron

Kwasi Kwarteng, financier, former Conservative candidate for Brent East and a Harvard Kennedy scholar

Julia Manning, Conservative candidate for Bristol East in 2005, optometrist and director of the Institute of Optometry

Ali Miraj, Conservative candidate for Watford in 2005 and chartered accountant

Brian Monteith, Member of the Scottish Parliament, former researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies and a public relations consultant

Brooks Newmark, MP for Braintree since 2005, formerly a venture capitalist

Jesse Norman, research fellow in philosophy at University College London, former director of Barclays de Zoete Wedd and policy adviser to the Conservative Party
www.jessenorman.com

Priti Patel, Conservative candidate for Nottingham North in 2005, and corporate relations manager

Mark Reckless, twice Conservative candidate for Medway, a former policy adviser to the Conservative Party and an economist

Ben Rogers, Conservative candidate for City of Durham in 2005 and human rights activist

Laura Sandys, founder of a political communications company and trustee of the Civic Trust

Janice Small, press and communications consultant and political lobbyist. She is seeking a Parliamentary seat.

Henry Smith, leader of West Sussex county council and Conservative candidate for Crawley

James Sproule, Conservative candidate for Streatham in 2005 and economist

Philippa Stroud, Conservative candidate for Birmingham Ladywood in 2005 and advisor to the Centre for Social Justice

John Tate, former policy adviser to the Conservative Party and consultant with McKinsey and Co

Theresa Villiers MP