Jane Ellison selected for Battersea

David Cameron gets a boost ahead of party conference with the selection of Jane Ellison as Tory candidate for the highly marginal south London seat of Battersea.  Dominic Schofield came within a whisker of winning the seat last year.  Since the A-list was introduced exactly one-third of candidates selected have been women.  Attitudes to the A-list are tested in this month's survey of grassroots Tory opinion.

8am postscript on 28th September: "There are some complaints - in the blogosphere and in my mailbox - that Jane Ellison was the most 'left-wing' candidate at last night's Battersea meeting and only won because non-Conservatives were able to vote  in the open primary method of selection.  I think these complainants are wrong to believe that ordinary voters should be excluded because they might vote for someone different from Tory activists.  That is the point of open primaries - to adopt a candidate with wider-than-usual appeal.  It's wrong to assume that open primaries will always lead to the election of a centrist or more left-wing candidate.  In many seats a candidate with strong local standing will have the advantage over 'outsiders'.  In other seats it will be a candidate with a strong message on immigration or fighting crime, for example, that will enthuse participants in the open primary.  Where, I think,  the complainants have a point is that there should be discouragement of people whose only intention is to subvert the process.  Open primary participants could be required to do one of two things.  They could be required to sign a declaration saying that they have voted Conservative at the last election or intend to vote Conservative at the next election.  Their other option could be to pay a nominal fee - of say £2.  The first option moves the Tory primary system closer to the US model and the second option to the system the Italian Left used to discourage Berlusconi supporters from disrupting their primary election.  Either requirement would discourage Labour or LibDem activists, for example, of disruptive tactics.  The cost of voting by txt in the Tory Mayoral Open Primary should protect the integrity of that process."

2pm update: Some commentators below have asked why Dominic Schofield didn't reapply to Battersea. Dominic is getting married at the end of the year (I'm going to his wedding!) and has decided to put his personal life and future wife before politics over the next few months. He still hopes to be a Tory candidate but his marriage must come first. Good on him, I say.

Comments

[Deputy Editor]

Commiserations to the three excellent shortlisted candidates, I would like to see them all in Parliament one day.

[Cllr Francis Lankester]

what happened to the previous candidate?

[malcolm]

Don't know much about her although Guido obviously isn't a fan! Sorry that James Cleverly didn't make it.

[Paul Willard]

How on gods clean, green earth could anyone vote for her she is the worst candidate ever to win a selection.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Hurrah! Congratulations to Jane! Goodbye Linton!

[Ben Gascoigne]

Jane will be superb wherever she is and it is absolutely great news! She is a fantastic lady, full of ideas and it will be great to see her in the Commons in a few years time!

[Mark]

A great result

The fact that Guido Fawkes was against Jane Ellison is a plus for her in my book.

So a Yorkshire lass who fought a Lancashire seat and got a great result against the regional swing last May gets the seat. Indeed, someone with a real job who has shown total commitment to the Party over a long period.

Personally, I am just pleased that the nasty and personal attacks on her on various blogs proved totally irrelevant. Maybe those so keen on personal abuse will learn that you can simply go too far and so over the top as to become risable.

Well done the selectorate and well done Jane the next MP.

[Richard]

"The fact that Guido Fawkes was against Jane Ellison is a plus for her in my book."

Why? OK, I know there were some rather unpleasant comments on his site but his opposition seemed to be based on the fact that she was a Europhile.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Mark - couldn't have put it better myself.

[Hastonian]

Worst candidate is a bit strong what about Mark Coote in the last general election what is he doing on the A list.

[Richard]

Congratulations to Jane Ellison - should have put that in my last post!

[sbjme19]

Mark: Thanks for your complements as one of the selectorate and well done to Jane. Thoroughly enjoyed my evening.

[Chris Whiteside]

I'm delighted to hear that Jane Ellison has been selected for Battersea: she will make a first class M.P.

I don't know who on earth Guido or Paul Willard are writing about, but none of the negative comments they made describe the Jane Ellison who I know.

Jane was an excellent and very hard working group chairman in the YCs when I was chairman of a neighbouring area, and an excellent parliamentary candidate in Pendle. She is a credit to the Conservative party.

[Louise Bagshawe]

Many many congratulations to Jane who will be a great MP for Battersea. I was thrilled to be in the final, was made hugely welcome and got to see some of the best Tory councillors in England at work and up close.

I thought the open primary was a lot of fun and will be good for Jane in her campaign; she can say she was selected by all the people of Battersea.

A lovely association and a great candidate! A good night for the Tory party.

[Russell King - Deputy Chairman of Battersea]

All 4 candidates that were at the primary this evening were excellent and will make great MPs. Jane excelled throughout the process and proved to be the best on the night. I have no doubt that she will run rings around our Labour opponent and go on to become a great MP.

Unfortunately, some Conservatives have failed to listen to the guidance from Ronald Reagan - 'never speak ill of a Conservative'. All of our energies should be focused on defeating Labour not criticising those who are on our side.

[James Cleverly]

Jane strikes me as someone who will work hard for Battersea and I am sure she will win at the next general election.

Thanks for the messages of support they do soften the blow of not getting selected.

James

[Anon]

Michael Crick said he voted for Jane Ellison.

Speaks volumes...

[Oops]

I was there. She kept her pro-EU views well out of the way... Any sceptics who voted for her may now be feeling shortchanged. This lifelong Tory will vote tactically to keep her away from Westminster.

[G-MaN Wild]

Good news for the party and the constituency.

[matthew]

I'm not sure getting a worse share of the vote than in the previous election (-2.1%) is an excellent result...

And please god, no more Europhiles.

[Guido Fawkes]

Michael Crick will be pleased.

Did Portillo ask her what her views are on the Cameron commitment to leave the EPP?

[Munish Chopra]

Excellent news,

Jane is a first class candidate and really deserves this!

[J-Green]

I'm rather wishing Mme Bageshaw had been selected, but I'm sure she'll find a seat

[Tapestry]

Oh my God. Not another Europhile. Look what happened in Bromley.

[Annie Trev]

How depressing to read such criticisms when an excellent outcome was achieved. All 4 finalists were great candidates, and will find seats to fight, I have no doubt. Why do some find it necessary to criticise the winner, rather than back her to the hilt? Do we want to win the next election with a thumping victory? In which case, lets back our winners and go forwards together. John Humphries' description of Jane Ellison as the most sober and thoughtful candidate is a good description of a woman committed to the Conservative values we all stand for. She will fight Battersea for her constituents and win it. Great news for the Northern girl!

[michael mcgough]

"This lifelong Tory will vote tactically to keep her away from Westminster."

I am sure there will be candidate who thinks we'd be better off out of the EU to vote for!

[sbjme19]

Editor: Re your update comment of course I have no way of knowing for certain but based on observation and a gut feeling I think that the number of people present who were not tory supporters were hardly any or any at all. I just don't think supporters of other parties or "not sures" would bother to attend an event like this on a Wednesday evening.

[Amanda]

Jane will be a fantastic candidate and will make a great MP. Well done Jane.

[Don Jameson]

"This lifelong Tory will vote tactically to keep her away from Westminster."

In a hyper-marginal.

As a fellow resident, thanks a bunch.

[Prentiz]

This rather shows the problem with primaries - they are elections and in elections people campaign and take sides - and people get upset when their candidate loses.

No doubt some of the comments made here and on Order-order will appear in the local press and in opposition leaflets. The question is whether that damage and that impression of disunity will damage us more than we gain by the "more representative" candidates that the process promises. Time will tell.

Having never met Ellison, I have no idea about her views, but if she did conceal euro-dodginess as part of the selection, it would hardly be something new or something relating to the primary process - I know PPCs who have been selected under the old system concealing exactly the same thing (and tonnes of MEPs...)

[Reagan Fan]

"Unfortunately, some Conservatives have failed to listen to the guidance from Ronald Reagan - 'never speak ill of a Conservative'."

So says the constituency Deputy Chairman. Fair enough if she were a real Conservative and not an outrider for Europhiles. She was not asked once about her views on it to the disbelief of some in the room (and evident relief of others). Some voted for her on false pretences.

[Reagan Fan]

Guido,

"Did Portillo ask her what her views are on the Cameron commitment to leave the EPP?"

Of course he bloody didn't, and all the questions permitted in the room were similarly supportive of her. People were not allowed to ask supplementary questions and her Europhiliac tendencies remained hidden for the night.

[Johnny Smythe]

OK, so now that it is over and done with could somebody now tell me why Dominic Schofield did not go for it again? What does he know that we don't? Surely he could have been fast-tracked if he had wanted to? To bring aseat down to a +/- 160 majority and not stay on to finish the job rings rather ominous to me...

[Caroline Hope]

If I was a Battersea Conservative, I would propose a motion that Jane Ellison is immediately deselected as the primary not told she was a europhile. This is a deception and should not be tolerated. Find a seconder. Put it to the vote and push her out immediately.

Selection is open, but deselection is still the business of the constituency association.

If Battersea don't deselect her immediately they will suffer the same fate as Bromley or worse (see "Oops" above). It is very simple. Conservatives are getting very unlikely to vote for europhiles. Don't select them as candidates.

[Bob]

Michael, you’re not much of a "lifelong Tory" if you plan to help labour hang on to a seat by voting against the Tory candidate.

I am constantly amazed by so called Tory supporters who fail to back their local Tory candidate because they don't exactly match their identikit of what a "True Blue Tory" should be.

Surely even a slightly pink Tory winning a seat and helping to support a Tory Government is much better than a Labour or Lib Dem MP either propping up Labour or frustrating a Tory Government.

It's time we stopped being so precious about "what sort of Tory we are prepared to support"

[Dawn Parry]

Mark, how can you possibly say Jane Ellison got a great result last year? Gordon Prentice has lost 10,000 voters since 1997 and Jane didn't gain a single one of them. She reduced the Tory vote by a further four hundred votes! I don't even know the woman, though I'm sure personally she's a great lady but we need successful candidates who make people want to vote for them.
The 2005 general election Votes Share for Pendle where Jane fought 2005 General Election are below, to evidence what I mean.
Gordon Prentice, Labour 15,250 37.1 %
Jane Ellison, Conservative 13,070 31.8
Shazad Anwar, Liberal Democrat 9,528 23.2
Thomas Boocock, British National Party 2,547 6.2
Graham Cannon, UK Independence Party 737 1.8

Labour majority: 2,180
Time of declaration: May 06 2005 01:33
Turnout: 63.4 %

The 2001 general election Votes Share
%
Gordon Prentice, Labour 17,729 44.6
Rasjid Skinner, Conservative 13,454 33.9
David Whipp, Liberal Democrat 5,479 13.8
Chris Jackson, British National Party 1,976 5.0
Graham Cannon, UK Independence Party 1,094 2.8

Labour majority: 4,275
Time of declaration: June 08 2001 01:06
Turnout: 63.2 %

The 1997 general election Votes Share
%
Gordon Prentice, Labour 25,059 53.3
John Midgley, Conservative 14,235 30.3
Tony Greaves, Liberal Democrat 5,460 11.6
D Hockney, The Referendum Party 2,281 4.8

Labour majority: 10,824
Time of declaration: May 02 1997 01:15
Turnout: 74.6 %

Exactly what criteria is actually used when promoting an approved parliamentary candidate into an "A" lister, because whatever it is, I feel the selection panel are not taking some very important factors into account. If we research the history of many of these "A" listers who've stood as PPC's before, (Google them), we find that many, despite the political climate having been potentially on the side of the Tories last year eg, actually REDUCED the number of Tory votes on previous election results!
I don't disagree with the "A" list theoretically, I just feel it should be full of people who cannot be shown in any way to have reduced our popularity as a political Party.

[philip smith]

The primary system in the States has almost destroyed the political party system there. One of the benefits of party membership is to be able to select candidates. Remove this and you remove one of the key motivators for being a member of a party.
Primaries will lead to an even greater cult of political celebrity, with selection going to he/she with the largest cheque book.
Ironically conservatives are leading this charge to change our system, all on the back of "well, it may win a few more votes".
I hope primaries are a passing fad.

[Geoff]

I'm a Europhile Tory.

Am I now not allowed in the Party?

This site sometimes presents a ludicrous face of Toryism.

[James Worron]

May I suggest that anyone keen to take part in fratricidal conflict and turning on their own side might find a more natural home in the Labour party?

All Conservatives should be pleased, both by the high quality of the candidates and the positive media coverage of the primary process.

And: Congratulations to Jane Ellison.

[ToryLoyal]

When Jane Ellison was North London YC Chairman during the Major years, one of their Honorary VPs, and a regular speaker at their functions, was the loony federalist MEP John Stevens, who subsequently defected to the "Pro-Europe Conservatives".

Funny how Portillo never asked Jane any questions about her connection with people who stand against Conservatives.

Nigel Farage did the British public a favour by keeping Mark MacGregor out of Parliament at the last election. He should stand in Battersea next time.

[Andrea]

"If I was a Battersea Conservative, I would propose a motion that Jane Ellison is immediately deselected as the primary not told she was a europhile. This is a deception and should not be tolerated"

Did they ask her? If not, it's not a deception.

[Dawn Parry]

Mark, how can you possibly say Jane Ellison got a great result last year? Gordon Prentice has lost 10,000 voters since 1997 and Jane didn't gain a single one of them. She reduced the Tory vote by a further four hundred votes! I don't even know the woman, though I'm sure personally she's a great lady but we need successful candidates who make people want to vote for them.
The 2005 general election Votes Share for Pendle where Jane fought 2005 General Election are below, to evidence what I mean.
Gordon Prentice, Labour 15,250 37.1 %
Jane Ellison, Conservative 13,070 31.8
Shazad Anwar, Liberal Democrat 9,528 23.2
Thomas Boocock, British National Party 2,547 6.2
Graham Cannon, UK Independence Party 737 1.8

Labour majority: 2,180
Time of declaration: May 06 2005 01:33
Turnout: 63.4 %

The 2001 general election Votes Share
%
Gordon Prentice, Labour 17,729 44.6
Rasjid Skinner, Conservative 13,454 33.9
David Whipp, Liberal Democrat 5,479 13.8
Chris Jackson, British National Party 1,976 5.0
Graham Cannon, UK Independence Party 1,094 2.8

Labour majority: 4,275
Time of declaration: June 08 2001 01:06
Turnout: 63.2 %

The 1997 general election Votes Share
%
Gordon Prentice, Labour 25,059 53.3
John Midgley, Conservative 14,235 30.3
Tony Greaves, Liberal Democrat 5,460 11.6
D Hockney, The Referendum Party 2,281 4.8

Labour majority: 10,824
Time of declaration: May 02 1997 01:15
Turnout: 74.6 %

Exactly what criteria is actually used when promoting an approved parliamentary candidate into an "A" lister, because whatever it is, I feel the selection panel are not taking some very important factors into account. If we research the history of many of these "A" listers who've stood as PPC's before, (Google them), we find that many, despite the political climate having been potentially on the side of the Tories last year eg, actually REDUCED the number of Tory votes on previous election results!
I don't disagree with the "A" list theoretically, I just feel it should be full of people who cannot be shown in any way to have reduced our popularity as a political Party.

[Sean Fear]

By all accounts, Jane Ellison came over as the most experienced candidate (although my informant favoured Louise Bagshawe), so it's not really surprising she won.

Battersea is a left-leaning association, so her views are unlikely to be out of step with those of her activists.

[Chris Williams]

"Surely even a slightly pink Tory winning a seat and helping to support a Tory Government is much better than a Labour or Lib Dem MP either propping up Labour or frustrating a Tory Government."

Bob, that is what we had during the Major years, and look where it got us. The only effect of a "slightly pink Tory" on our benches is to drive us in a leftward direction, and to do the Labour Party's job for them.

Remember that it was not the Labour Party which coined the phrase describing privatisation as "selling the family silver". It was Harold Macmillan, speaking at a dinner organised by Jane Ellison's disloyal cronies, the Tory Reform Group. The Labour Party has been using that phrase against us ever since.

[Unchased Man]

Someting about this 'Primary' business just doesn't add up.

I read somewhere that there were about 300 people there last night, and understand that there is no provision for voting by post. Any resident could have voted, including I would guess around 1000 association members - but most didn't.

I don't know about other readers, but I had hoped to see something like Iowa on a Westminster constituency scale. Wishful thinking perhaps, but given how few people took part in this process, I would say that association members only have themselves to blame if they didn't get the candidate the party would have chosen.

It is normal for there to be such a low turnout when selecting a candidate for such a marginal seat? Did spending an evening with Portillo put everyone off?

[John Travis]

What a shame that Michael Crick and all have chosen such a candidate.

A boost for Martin Linton and for UKIP.

Portillo might have wanted to hide her europhile credentials from voters but UKIP will not.

I want a Conservative victory in Battersea, which I feel is now less likely, very disappointing.

[TaxCutter]

Good news - at least Jane Ellison won't be the PPC for Finchley and Golders Green.

Given Dominic Schofield's views, its no surprise that Battersea went for someone on the left of the party.

Whilst I would never have voted for Jane Ellison there is something wrong in arguing for a democratic proces then wishing to ignore it when the vote goes against you. I don't buy the argument that Open Primaries will result in the more left-wing Tories being selected, the most electorally successful right wing leaders have generally not been moderates.

[Cllr Francis Lankester]

Europhiles have been the Trojan Horse in our party-changing the Common Market with a veto to the European Union. They did this by telling lies and introducing a culture of lies into British politics before Blair even bevcame an MP. We are continually told we need to change-one of the biggest changes we need to make is to return honesty and transparency to the HOC.

[David Douglas]

I have known Jane since the 1989 Vauxhall by-election when we spent a lovely afternoon leafletteing tower blocks. We were in differing wings of FCS but I liked her and over the years grew to respect her as a great person and a damn fine politician. As part of her CCO campaign team I spent a month with her in the Barnsley East by election (1997) I have seen her campaign hard. She was a first rate candidate. Other candidates wilt in the face of a pit village - Jane just smiled and got on with campaigning. Well done Jane!

[James M]

I am delighted that Jane has been selected to fight Battersea for the Conservatives at the next election.

She is an excellent, hard working candidate who energised the party in Pendle.

She will represent the constituents of Battersea with total professionalism and I wish her all the very best.