Interesting point, and I agree things like party conferences require you to be a real party member. But once they hold policy positions everyone wants to talk to them and, at least in the way the UK is still functioning, they will have to listen—and it’s tough getting anything in the radar without some previous engagement to back you up. So I think there is value in approaching early, if anything, to at least gauge what are they saying/thinking about any given issue.
Interesting point, and I agree things like party conferences require you to be a real party member. But once they hold policy positions everyone wants to talk to them and, at least in the way the UK is still functioning, they will have to listen—and it’s tough getting anything in the radar without some previous engagement to back you up. So I think there is value in approaching early, if anything, to at least gauge what are they saying/thinking about any given issue.