Standing for the Conservative Party
Needing to win over 200 seats to secure a majority means the Conservatives will be looking for the strongest candidates.
In the 2019-24 parliament, College Green Group helped over 150 people pass through the Conservative Party’s assessment or seek selection as Conservative candidates. Over 40 of our clients stood for election and 4 were elected as new Conservative MPs. We know the process inside out and our preparation plan will help you get approved, get selected and get elected.
Selections for individual constituencies are starting in autumn 2026. There is an online application, panel interview and then hustings, before local members vote on who gets to be there candidate for the next General Election.
To be able to apply for any seat, you must pass a detailed approval process. This begins with an initial application , followed by due diligence. If you get through these, you will face a two-stage ‘assessment centre’. You are assessed and can fail at each stage.
The core of the approval process tests your suitability to be an MP, across the key responsibilities in Westminster, in a constituency and as a party member and activist. Under the Conservative Party’s new leadership, there is a stronger emphasis on political principles and values. Our support helps you to define and refine how you demonstrate your Conservative values.
The initial application form asks four crucial questions: Why are you a Conservative? What strengths do you have? Has your integrity been challenged? Have you demonstrated good judgement? We can help you craft you responses to these question to get you past this first stage.
At the due diligence stage you will need to provide referees and the Party will complete a digital vetting. We can advise you on who to ask to be a referee, review your online presence and help with any other aspect at this stage of the process.
Assuming you progress to the Assessment Centre, there are two stages. At the first, you will complete a 60-75 minute long competency interview and undertake a 45 minute inbox exercise. We believe this is the most important part of the assessment. Ideally, we would spend six hours working with you, one-to-one, to prepare you properly. Clear this hurdle and you will progress to the second stage.
In the second stage of the Assessment Centre you will do a collaboration exercise and a Question Time style hustings exercise alongside three other applicants. Then you will complete a further online judgement test and a series of psychometric tests.
Whether you were on the list for an earlier election, previously an MP, or are a new applicant, we can guide you through every stage of the process to get you ‘on the list’.
Just over 70 seats will select their candidates before the 2027 May elections, with constituencies with vacancies being advertised from September 2026. Local members will be interested in why you should be the candidate for their constituency, and how you think you can win.
In advance of applying for any seat you need to start building your profile within the Conservative Party. This is where our knowledge of the key personnel and structures of the Party allow us to guide your networking and campaigning.
Having an active online presence helps members to learn more about you and helps you to present yourself as a credible future candidate. We can equip you with a personal website, social media platforms and detailed research into individual constituencies.
You want to get elected to do something about the cause or policy you are passionate about. So, you need to be or become an expert. We can help you develop your links to the media and think tanks Conservatives most align with and craft articles with you in your specialist policy area.
Once seats are advertised, focus shifts to the specific constituencies you are applying for.
Time will be precious so our individual seat research can help you quickly identify the key issues in the area. We can then help you craft bespoke applications, prepare your opening statement for the panel interview and bulletproof you for the questions that follow. For the final stages where candidates are chosen by the members, we will help you prepare for what could be multiple in-person and online hustings.
Once chosen as a candidate we can provide support for your election campaign. We can help you develop your winning strategy, build and train your campaign team and integrate traditional and digital campaigns across multiple media.
Use the form below to book an online meeting to talk through how we can help you.