Who is on the A-list?

As promised this is ConservativeHome's rolling update of those people who have been accepted on to the Conservative Party's A-List of parliamentary candidates.  Without access to the official list (which CCHQ isn't publishing) we cannot guarantee that this list is 100% accurate but all names are double-sourced or come from an impeccable source.  ConservativeHome's reasons for publishing the list in this form are set out here.  If you know of other people who are on the list please email tim@conservativehome.com.

Additions in the week beginning 15th May are in red.  Added on 1st June in purple.

PLEASE NOTE: THE DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH CANDIDATE ARE PRIMARILY INTENDED TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS.  THEY ONLY OFFER THE BRIEFEST OF INTRODUCTIONS TO A CANDIDATE'S QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE A-LIST.

1. Carolyn Abbot (Barnsley East & Mexborough PPC in 2005)
2. Tariq Ahmad (Croydon North PPC in 2005)
3. Amar Ahmed (Manchester Blackley PPC in 2005)
4. Clive Allen (Devon North PPC in 2001 and Somerton and Frome in 2005)
5. Louise Bagshawe (Author)
6. Harriett Baldwin (PPC in Stockton North)
7. Steve Barclay (Lancaster & Wyre PPC in 2001)
8. Gavin Barwell (Former Director of Campaigning at CCO)
9. James Bethell (A founder of the Ministry of Sound and Tooting PPC in 2005)
10. Nicholas Boles (Head of Policy Exchange and Hove PPC in 2005)
11. Karen Bradley (Former CCHQ policy officer and Manchester Withington PPC in 2005)
12. Angie Bray (Member of the Greater London Assembly)
13. Steve Brine (Runs Hampshire PR business)
14. Fiona Bruce (Small Businesswoman of the Year 2003 and became Warrington South PPC after winning open primary)
15. Sharon Buckle (East Midlands European candidate in 2004)
16. Dr David Bull
17. Conor Burns (Twice PPC for Eastleigh)
18. Martin Callanan MEP
19. Pam Chesters (Bristol West PPC in 2001)
20. Timothy Coleridge (Kensington & Chelsea councillor)
21. Damian Collins (2005 candidate for Northampton North)
22. Tim Collins (former Tory MP)
23. Mark Coote (Candidate for Hastings & Rye in 2001 and 2005)
24. Peter Cox (PPC for Exeter in 2005)
25. Caroline Dinenage (PPC for Portsmouth South 2005)
26. Antonia Dunn (PPC for Cynon Valley 2005 and Wandsworth councillor)
27. Jane Ellison (Pendle PPC in 2005)
28. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones (Entrepreneur of the Year at the Black Enterprise Awards 2005)
29. Dr Richard Evans (Hendon PPC in 2001 and 2005)
30. Suella Fernandes (Candidate for Leicester East in 2005)
31. Howard Flight (Former MP)
32. Vicky Ford (Birmingham Northfield PPC in 2005)
33. Jackie Foster (Former MEP)
34. George Freeman (Candidate for Stevenage in 2005)
35. David Gold (Candidate for Brighton Pavillion in 2001)
36. Zac Goldsmith (Co-Chair of the Environment Policy Group)
37. Ashley Gray (PPC for Cornwall SE in 2001 and 2005)
38. Andrew Griffith (PPC for Corby and East Northants 2001 and 2005)
39. Andrew Griffiths (Chief of Staff to Hugo Swire MP, PPC in Dudley North in 2001 and European candidate in 2004)
40.  Laetitia Gunn (Salford PPC in 2005)
41. Sam Gyimah (CBI Entrepreneur of the Future in 2005)
42. Hannah Hall (Candidate for Luton North in 2005)
43. Rebecca Harris (Special Adviser to Tim Yeo MP)
    
44. Chris Heaton-Harris MEP
45. Kay Hemmings (Daventry Councillor)
46. Pippa Hill (Ex-publisher)
47. Kevin Hollinrake (Yorkshire estate agent)
48. Kim Humphreys (PPC Camberwell & Peckham 1997, PPC Dulwich & West Norwood 2005)
49. Maria Hutchings (Disabled Rights Champion)
50. Margot James (Tory Vice-Chairman and PPC for Holborn & Pancras in 2005)
51. Syed Kamall MEP
52. Fiona Kemp (Candidate for Truro & St Austell in 2005 and GP)
53. Pauline Latham (PPC for Broxtowe in 2001)
54. Andrea Leadsom (Local councillor and banker and PPC for Knowsley South in 2005)
55. Phillip Lee (PPC for Blaenau Gwent 2005 and GP)
56. Cllr Brandon Lewis (Leader of Brentwood Borough Council)
57. Katy Lindsay (Hull East PPC 2005)
58. Alan Lockwood (Sedgefield PPC in 2005)
59. Jack LoPresti (Bristol councillor)
60. Dorothy Luckhurst (Blaydon PPC in 2005 and Ayrshire North and Arran in 2001)
61. Kit Malthouse (Former Deputy Leader of Westminster Council)
62. Julia Manning (Health professional, Bristol East PPC 2005)
63. Paul Maynard (Adviser to Liam Fox and Twickenham PPC in 2005)
64. Cordelia McCartney (PPC in Lewisham Deptford in 2001)
65. Anne McIntosh MP (Vale of York seat 'disappears' because of boundary changes)
66. Amanda McLean (senior charity worker and Oxford West and Abingdon PPC in 2005)
67. Melanie McLean (Businesswoman and Islington South and Finsbury PPC in 2005)
68. Esther McVey (Businesswoman and PPC for Wirral West in 2005)
69. Mark Menzies (Selby PPC 2005) 
70. Jeremy Middleton (Member of the Conservative Party Board and by-election candidate for Hartlepool in 2004)
71. Ali Miraj (PPC for Aberavon in 2001 and PPC for Watford in 2005)
72. Emma Moffett (Businesswoman and voluntary worker)
73. Julie Moody
74. Wendy Morton
75. Beverley Nielsen (recent Midlands Business Woman of the Year)
76. Hannah Parker (Former Chairman of Conservative Future)
77. Priti Patel (Former Candidate for Nottingham North)
78. Mark Pawsey (Nuneaton PPC in 2005)
79. Andrew Percy (Hull councillor, teacher and former Normanton PPC)
80. Maggie Punyer (Harrogate PPC 2005)
81. Kulveer Ranger (Former Candidate for Makerfield)
82. Adam Rickitt (Actor and Singer)
83. Caroline Righton
84. Alexandra Robson (New Hammersmith & Fulham councillor and Wolverhampton NE PPC in 2005)
85. Julie Rook (Dover councillor)
86. Amber Rudd (PPC in Liverpool Garston 2005 and Chairman of Travel Intelligence)
87. Laura Sandys (Chair of OpenDemocracy)
88. Jane Scott (Leader of Wiltshire County Council)
89. Lucy Shersby (Battersea PPC in 2001 and media executive)
90. Pamela Singleton (Pudsey PPC in 2005 and Pontefract and Castleford in 2001)
91. Anna Soubry (Gedling PPC in 2005)
92. Jason Steen (PPC in Liverpool Wavertree 2005)
93. Andrew Stephenson (Macclesfield councillor)
94. Mel Stride (Social Entrepreneur)
95. Philippa Stroud (Director of the Centre for Social Justice and Birmingham Ladywood PPC in 2005)
96. Judith Symes (Brighton Kempton PPC in 2005 and Bootle PPC in 2001)
97. Elizabeth Truss (Former Parliamentary Candidate and PPC for Calder Valley, 2005)
98. Simon Walker (media company executive and member of John Major's Downing Street Policy Unit)
99. Sayeeda Warsi (Tory Vice-Chairman and Dewsbury PPC in 2005)
100. Heather Wheeler (PPC for Coventry South in 2001 and 2005)
101. Susan Williams (Leader of Trafford Council)

NO COMMENTS WILL BE POSTED UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN CHECKED BY THE EDITOR OR DEPUTY EDITOR.

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Comments

[Voice from the South West]

Is it me, but at first glance of this list it would appear the vast majority of those on the list who stood at the last election - Ali Miraj, Nick Boles, etc - actually saw their share of the vote fall from 2001. For all the hype over Boles' campaign, if he'd been actually able to retain his share of the vote he now be the MP for Hove, albeit by a tiny margin.

Why then is the A-List dominated by, well quite literally, losers?

[Derek]

I suppose this is as good as an apology to Howard Flight for the way he was treated before the last election, though it would have been better if he had been given one earlier as it now seems as though in our party you are discarded one minute and then invited back the next. How can we prevent another incident like that from happening? I can see no easy answer, other than for our leader to think long and hard to get his decisions right.

I am delighted to see Howard Flight being given another chance - despite being rejected by Conservative Home readers, though I was not one of them!

[Andrew Woodman]

As 2 of the 3 rejected candidates have got on the list, does this prove CCO fails to listen to the grassroots?

[verulamgal]

Delighted to see that Chris heaton-harris is on the list

[Gladys Emmanuelle]

I wonder how truly "representative" the list is.

For example I bet you could count the number of Comprehensive school educated "A listers" on the fingers of one hand, after most of the fingers have been cut off.

Conservative Home should be doing this sort of analysis.

[Rob G]

Tim: Two suggestions.

1. Would it be possible to publish names of those who were successful on the GoldList blog but aren't on the A list?

2. Could you identify additions to the list--it seems to have got longer since you first published it but it is a bit tedious having to read the whole list to see who has been added.

[malcolm]

I think we have the worst of all worlds here.By not publishing the list the party gives the impression that it is somehow ashamed of some of its choices.The news will eventually leak out and some decisions will be widely praised and some widely criticised which inevitably will be given extra publicity by our enemies.
We have seen this happening already and it will take a very brave constituency to appoint one or two of the high profile names on this list.
I am also worried about the effect on those very hard working people who have been rejected.I know one or two and must admit I'm very suprised.Iain Dale and the others have shown a remarkable lack of bitterness but they must surely feel rejected and our party will suffer if these people cut back on the huge commitment they currently give to us.
Nothing that has happened in the last 24 hours has convinced me that the A list will bring any benefits at all to our party (though I wouldn't wish to criticise those on the list most of whom I don't know) but there has been a lot that leads me to think it will become something we will regret in time.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

I've spotted three people who, without a shadow of a doubt, should NOT be on any "A List". It's tempting to name names but I don't think that's a good idea...

I am, however, pleased that Howard Flight made it.

[Andrew Woodman]

I agree verulamgal, along with Martin Callanan. Two very sound Tories. At least that is a bright spot.

[Editor]

RobG: On your (1) I'll try but it may not be possible for a while until we know more about who IS on the list.

On your (2), I'll highlight additions from now on...

[Biodun]

I wonder how truly "representative" the list is.

Indeed.
Once you start using quotas, you're sliding down a very slippery slope.

For instance, 10% of the list is made up of ethnic minorities, but so far they all seem to be of Asian extraction.
Could this be because all the "diversity advisers" like Rehman Chishti and Sayeeda Warsi are Asian?

As a black woman, do I now have a legitimate grievance as there is no one the 'representative' list that represents me?

It's all very disheartening. Down with quotas!

[michael mcgough]

Good to see a couple of MEPs on the list but not earth shattering discloures only omissions.

[Donal Blaney]

The Party needs candidates who have come back from humble backgrounds and overcome adversity in their political and personal lives. Conor Burns is a Catholic Unionist from Belfast who overcame a political knifing by CCO when he was a student activist and two local election defeats in Southampton to contest Eastleigh twice. Although he was twice defeated in Eastleigh, he reduced the LibDem majority both times. He will undoubtedly get a safe seat in Hampshire.

[Chris Palmer]

I don't expect you will be in Mr Cameron's goodbooks after this Tim.

[Bel]

As a black woman, do I now have a legitimate grievance as there is no one the 'representative' list that represents me?

That would appear to be the case.

I agree. Where will it all end with quotas?

I also do not understand the secrecy surrounding the list. We are not a secret society, and as the party has deemed these candidates worthy of A-List status, why shy away from publishing their names for all to see?

It strikes me that CCHQ has chosen secrecy so as to avoid criticism. It won't work. The names will be revealed one way or the other. CCHQ should not be afraid of criticism. We are not a religious cult sworn to allegiance to one deity against whom we should never be heard to utter a word.

[frank aylesford]

The one thing I'd like some analysis on is how may political insiders have got through - I think the Cameroons are packing the list with some identikit career politicians. It's an irony to me that the only way to get chosen if you're white, male and middle class is to spent your whole life in politics with no experience anywhere else and that if you have been successful elsewhere you might as well forget political ambition

[Sean Fear]

"We are not a religious cult sworn to allegiance to one deity against whom we should never be heard to utter a word"

Jack Stone, for one, would dispute that.

[Editor]

Bel: We need to be cautious as there may be a black woman (or two or three) amongst those not yet identified as being on the A-List. As I comment we only have successfully identified about a third of those that are on the list.

I accept your wider point about quota based systems.

[Alex]

Well done for publishing it list. Hopefully, by doing so it will allow public scrutiny of those who are likely to be future MPs, but so provide them with the spotlight their need in order to win more marginal seats.

Although I am completely opposed to the concept of quotas, I do think that this system is better than all-female shortlists etc.

There is also the possibility that it might empower local activists, as they will be aware of who are possibilities and lobby their local associations accordingly.

[Richard]

So a failed Coronation Street "actor" who as far as I am aware has never done anything for the Conservative Party gets on the list and someone like Dominic Schofield does not get on the list! Did Cameron not see how awful this Rickitt chap was on Question Time?

The Labour Party may have been silly to invite lots of failed celebrities round to Number 10 for drinks, but to their credit they at least kept them away from their candidates list!

[Stephen]

The list looks like a good step in the right direction. I'm particularly pleased that Conor Burns and Mark Coote have made it. Conor has an excellent track record of service for the party and is an extremely good speaker. He will make a powerful addition to the Conservative benches.

[SJ]

I agree with Richard that the failure to include Dominic Schofield is disappointing. He did a cracking job in Battersea in 2005 coming within a whisker of winning. Will be interesting to see the full list if it comes out officially...

[South London]

It seems that the chief concern is that the A List is dominated by either women or insiders. The former are like poverty, and will always be with us. Almost every candidate would agree that the party needs to be more representative, but in deciding that the rebalancing is to be taken out on a single generation of candidates is causing a good deal of, understandable, resentment.

Cameroon has decided that in balancing long and loyal service against an immediate change of image as reflected though the media, the latter is more important. That is his call. How loyal or hard working such Jannie-come-latelies will be is open to question, but it is a question that will only be answered in the fullness of time. The first priority is going to be getting those on the list to fight the marginals which are going to be selecting over the next few months.

As for the enthusiasm and commitment of the great rejected? Having beaten the local ex-chairman to fight a seat last year, I can only note his enthusiasm for campaigning waned to the point where I even wonder if he voted for me on 5 May. There is always a danger in telling a lot of highly talented and ambitious people that there services are valued, but any hope of further progress is near hopeless. A good deal of tact is obviously required, to date it would seem to have been in short supply.

[Donal Blaney]

Is that Elizabeth Truss, the ex-LibDem?

[Dan Paterson]

Brilliant to see Cllr. Andrew Percy on the A list, he is damn good man and will be a brilliant MP.

[SimonNewman]

I guess the names on the list are unobjectionable, and it's good to see Howard Flight on the list after the disgraceful way he was treated at the general election.

However. I am a recent convert to the Conservative party, I joined after Cameron's election and at the local election I was inspired to campaign by three very strong Conservative candidates in my ward, Tooting in Wandsworth. With the efforts of me and others, we overturned big Labour majorities and two of our candidates Susan Richards & Alex Jacob were elected, while the equally excellent Matthew Maxwell Scott narrowly missed out. I think all three would make great MPs some day. As I've met Wandsworth councillors and activists, I've met many great people, male and female, white and minority, middle class and working class. Many would make great MPs. However I am concerned by these reports of all-woman shortlists, of candidates being parachuted in to winnable seats, as Tooting is likely to be at the next election (James Bethell halved Sadiq Khan's Labour majority). It's people like me, the grass roots (new grass, in my case), our willingness to put in the effort for strong candidates we believe in, who can win outside traditional Tory territory. I am not going to be inspired by a candidate who was not the best person for the job, but was parachuted in to fit some desired profile - that smacks of New Labour. Very often, female and minority candidates are the best people - one of our excellent new Tory councillors I campaigned for is both - and the party should do everything possible to find the best talent wherever it lies. But sometimes the best person is an upper middle class white male, and that's ok too. The Conservative party should never be about quotas and a totalitarian Diversity policy. We are the party of liberty and meritocracy, and must remain so. That's how we'll win.

[Ted]

Editor

A list of those who didn't make it would be interesting - how did the Tory bloggers do? We know Jonathon Sheppard & Iain Dale didn't make it..is pattern repeated for all those using the new media?

[Andrew Ian Dodge]

I am pleased to see the disgracefully treated Howard Flight on that list. However some of the other people make me rather wonder what they are playing at. I suspect many constituecies will not appreciate many of these people forced down their collective throats. I see a Gwent-like situation coming very soon.

[Derek]

Ted's suggestion is an interesting one. We may not know the full list for a while, so we cannot be sure that someone is not on it.

[Anne Palmer]

It really doesn't matter WHO is on the list, it is what the Conservatives, (should they ever get into power again), want for the whole country. The big question is therefore whether, knowing that the EU wants to speak for this country with its one voice in everything, defence,foreign police, tax, all social matters, immigration, asylum, police, control of our forces, control of OUR borders, justice and home affairs, and ofcouse the environment in fact in time everything our nation state once used to do for itself. Already we are being called 'EU Nationals' and EU citizens. The Regions are being set up very quickly for the coming federal state, and what, I wonder, is the Conservative party doing about that? The EU Constitution is a true Constitution and through that we would become European Union citizens in the true sense and not just what we are now, 'pretend' 'EU' citizens.

If the above is not addressed quickly, it will be too late for any conservative planning.

[Andrew]

What price the prospect of Howard Flight being selected to fight the seat Michael Howard is departing from in Folkestone?

[Susan Robson]

Delighted to hear that Mark Menzies has made it through the hoops. Did a great job in Selby last time around. Excellent with the media & face-to-face with the punters. Should go far. Likewise Mark Coote (Hastings & Rye 2001 & 2005). These guys have demonstrated loyalty, commitment& sheer hard graft all through the wilderness years. Cruel that some other first-class candidates have been deprived, by omission, of their reward for the same.

[frank aylesford]

On reflection, having heard who has not got on (and can't reveal), am sickened with cynicism of this list. The Party has ignored the merits of commitment and outside success. Instead image is paramount as is the cult of the political insider. Oh how we long to be governed by those who have never even tried to run a whelk stall (not!)

I for one will now not vote Tory. Dave is little different from Tony - perhaps even more image obsessed if anything. All the Tory party is now about is getting Dave elected - and that's a negative factor rather than a positive one for me.

[Rob D]

Liz Truss, ex-Lib Dem, yes.

[Derek Johnson]

Like many others, I am delighted to see the rehabilitation of Howard Flight continue. He's a 1st class original thinker and should never have been treated in the way he was.

At first glance, I am pleased with the calibre of people who have emerged this morning.

However, I do share Tim's initial concerns about the apparent absence of those people who will be able to go and win the urban heartlands of the Midlands, and the North.

Here in the West Midlands, I know of a few extremely effective people who applied, but have been rejected.

I sincerely hope that if and when the remainder of the list is divulged, that as well as the party insiders and the policy wonks, that there are also some provincial Conservatives with proven track records of serving their communities on it.

I do hope that talk of a possible Blaenau Gwent scenario ceases immediately, admittedly there have been changes in policy substance and style which at one time or another have made all of us uncomfortable, but it is essential that David Cameron and his team are allowed to continue renewing the Conservative Party's relationship with the British electorate.

There is one hell of an incompetent, and at times nasty, party in government, and we owe it to the people of this country not only to remove it, but replace it with men and women of calibre drawn from ALL parts of this Kingdom.

[Brian Jenner]

Liz Truss is an excellent candidate - vivacious, intelligent and not dogmatic. So what if she was a Lib Dem at university?
Aren't people allowed to change their mind? Unquestioning loyalty to the Conservative Party over the past ten yeas has not been necessarily a virtue.

[Sarkis Zeronian]

Someone above asks "Why then is the A-List dominated by, well quite literally, losers?"

Answer? If it weren't then it would be a list of MPs and not candidates. Work it out!

[Henry Grogan]

Unlike a lot of your correspondents, I'm wholly in favour of an A-list, in priciple. My problem is - what's the point of such a list if (as reported in today's Telegraph) a loophole allows target seats to consider local candidates as well? If a local candidate is good enough to be considered at all, surely he should be on the A-list anyway?
The new selection rules may impose a limit of 1 non-A-list candidate per short list - but so what? If a constituency association is keen enough on some local duffer to include him in the first place, you can be sure he will win the selection, no matter how talented the other 19 short-listed candidates.
What will David Cameron do if the first dozen or so target seats all select their local worthy, rather than one of his A-list candidates?

[Anonymous]

I can't believe that Dominic Schofield is not on the priority list. As a member of the Battersea association I had plenty of opportunity to see Dominic in action. Although Dominic and I are from different wings of the party he was an exceptionally good candidate. He worked extremely hard (and smart) was excellent on the doorstep, handled casework brilliantly and was superb at hustings. Dominic is extremely articulate and an excellent debator. He produced an excellent result in Battersea with a very respectable swing (despite a CCHQ campaign that did us no favours).

On top of that he has been a Westminster councillor, and has experience in CCHQ and the private sector.

If someone like Dominic cannot make the list then I am deeply worried that the process for selecting the list is fatally flawed.

[GM]

Is Priti Patel the same person who was a one-time organiser for the Referendum party, when it was standing candidates against Tories?

[Sarkis Zeronian]

Regarding political allegiances, they can indeed change. Were our own Cecil Parkinson and Eric Forth youthful communists? I'm glad we didn't bar them from being MPs.

[moralz]

Dominic Schofield certainly has his cheerleaders! Of course if he had accepted the fastrack process for Battersea after the general election he wouldn't now have to be on a priority list...

[Sean Fear]

"If a local candidate is good enough to be considered at all, surely he should be on the A-list anyway?
The new selection rules may impose a limit of 1 non-A-list candidate per short list - but so what?"

We know that many good people have been kept off the A List. Thus, it is sensible to provide an alternative means of enabling them to progress. Why do you have a problem with that?

[Sean Fear]

Biodun, did that charming ex-local councillor get onto the A List?

[Edward]

"My problem is - what's the point of such a list if (as reported in today's Telegraph) a loophole allows target seats to consider local candidates as well? If a local candidate is good enough to be considered at all, surely he should be on the A-list anyway?"

Henry at 14:44,

It's a bit of a catch 22 this, according to my understanding. Local candidates can apply for the top seats if not on the list if recommended by the local association. However, for the local association to accept their application they have to be approved by CCHQ, which means they would have to be on the priority list already...

[Henry Grogan]

"We know that many good people have been kept off the A List. Thus, it is sensible to provide an alternative means of enabling them to progress. Why do you have a problem with that?"
If good people have been left off the A-list, that's a problem with the way the list was compiled, not with the concept of such a list.
There's no point having an A-list, then allowing target seats to pick someone who isn't on it.

[Anthony]

"If a constituency association is keen enough on some local duffer to include him in the first place, you can be sure he will win the selection, no matter how talented the other 19 short-listed candidates"

Not necessarily. Just because the local selection committee loves their local duffer, doesn't mean the whole association membership does. The local council leader was in the final 3 for our candidate selection last time and was rejected in favour of a candidate from a neighbouring constituency.

[Biodun]

Biodun, did that charming ex-local councillor get onto the A List?

Not as far as I can tell. He was a bit of a megalomaniac really, I think the list is safe from him at least!

On a separate point, I wonder what the conversation in the Adam Afriyie household will be now that ex-husband Kit Malthouse will be joining him in the House of Commons?

[Henry Grogan]

Me: "If a constituency association is keen enough on some local duffer to include him in the first place, you can be sure he will win the selection, no matter how talented the other 19 short-listed candidates"

Anthony: "Not necessarily. Just because the local selection committee loves their local duffer, doesn't mean the whole association membership does."

Then your association's membership is obviously rather different from mine.

[DayMay]

Conor Burns failed to win Eastleigh from the Lib Dems in two attempts, and also managed to lose his seat on Southampton City Council a few years ago.