Christopher Shale

Shale’s memo was highly critical of Tory image

Sandhurst-trained Chairman of David Cameron’s constituency Party Christopher Shale was found dead, apparently by his own hand, in a portaloo at the Glastonbury Festival this morning. His outspoken strategy documents about inadequacies in the Conservative Party’s image had been leaked to the Mail on Sunday this morning.

In what is bound to become yet another staging post along the road to greater press responsibility when it comes to stealing documents and publishing leaks, David Cameron spoke of his “devastation” on hearing of the death of Christopher Shale, head of the Prime Minister’s local constituency party and a close friend.

Mr Shale had only recently drawn up a plan to attract more potential members to his local party, admitting in a document seen by the Mail on Sunday that there were huge flaws in the Party’s image locally. The MoS splashed the story in its print editions, but has dropped it now in favour of the ‘suicide’ story. According to the MoS story, Shale wrote that “collectively we are not always an appealing proposition”. He criticised the association’s fundraising efforts, saying: “Over the years we have come across as graceless, voracious, crass, always on the take.”

He concluded that people don’t join because they “think we’ll beg and steal from them. And they’re right”.

Shale added: “When we are together we are not always a group of people to whom many of our potential members are going to be magnetically drawn.”

The Prime Minister released the following statement:

“Sam and I were devastated to hear the news about Christopher. He was a great friend and has been a huge support over the last decade in west Oxfordshire.  A big rock in my life has suddenly been rolled away.  Christopher was one of the most truly generous people I’ve ever met –  he was always giving to others, his time, his help, his enthusiasm and above all his love of life. It was in that spirit that he made a massive contribution to the Conservative Party both locally and nationally.  Our love and prayers are with Nikki and the family. They’ve lost an amazing dad, west Oxfordshire has lost a big and wonderful man and like so many others Sam and I have lost a close and valued friend.”