What exactly does a political activist do?

As a seasoned political campaigner for the British Conservative Party I am often fielding questions about what exactly this involves. The description below is just that: the idiot's guide to politics, so to speak. Let us start with the basics. The Conservative party is currently the main party of opposition in the United Kingdom. We are also the oldest and most successful political party in Great Britain. Yet we have been out of power since 1997. We lost in 1997 because we were seen as out of touch with the public. We had been in power since 1979 and, as with any government, the public had grown bored. They wanted something new and were swept away with the promises of New Labour. Promises that have now seen to be based on spin, but that were believed by many in 1997. Since then we have suffered two more election defeats, although we have cut down Labour's majority and become the largest party in local government and in the European parliament. With a few legal exceptions, almost anyone can be a member of a political party. But there is a huge difference between being a member (like 300,000 people are) and being an activist. Members do not have to do anything. By paying