LibDem defector selected for Wirral South

This evening's Wirral South open primary (yet another orchestrated by North West Conservatives) chose Jeff Clarke, former LibDem candidate for Wirral West, to fight the winnable Labour majority of 3,724. Jeff is a barrister in Liverpool and Councillor in Chester.

Deputy Editor

Update: There has been some debate about Jeff Clarke's motives for defecting. Click Continue to read a brief article written by him shortly after joining the Conservatives. It was intended for ConservativeHome but hasn't been published before now...

Jeff Clarke: Walking the line – a personal journey (10/05/06)

"In 1997 I stood as a parliamentary candidate in a constituency where the Labour party candidate swept away all others on a huge tide of support from its frustrated voters.

After that election it almost seemed a pointless exercise being an opposition politician, such was the massive goodwill being shown to the new Labour Government by the people of this country. However as 2001 approached disappointment amongst the voting public was evident. The honeymoon period was becoming a distant memory. The election in 2001saw Labour returned on the basis that they had been in government for a relatively short period and that they should be given a further opportunity to deliver on the promises they had made.

By the time we approached May 2005, the Labour Government was on a downward spiral, disappointment and let down replacing the great hope that the public had placed in it. The government won the election almost by default, the voting public failing to see the Conservative party as a realistic alternative. Thus the Labour party was returned with a much reduced majority, that saw the great red tide of support of 1997 further ebb away.

Enter David Cameron into the Conservative leadership contest. Yes he was the young one towards the back of the group, as David Davis and others sought stake their claim. Then came the Party Conference, and that changed every thing. A young articulate leader untarnished by the absolute rejection of the 1997 election defeat was chosen. The genuine desire to change the emphasis of party policy, and public perception of it was clearly signalled. 

Politics was suddenly dynamic and interesting again. A leader that was passionate about the things that are important to me and my family, and millions of families like us up and down the country. A leader who talked the language of one nation, inclusive politics with a genuine passion. I want him to succeed, I believe he can succeed if people like me are willing to take the leap of faith required to make it happen. I had little hesitation in coming forward to lend my support to him and I will not be the last. I invite others to do the same.

It is time to end the politics of disappointment and let down that has come to characterise this Labour Government. It can be done with your help."

Comments

[Matt Davis]

Hmmmmm........

[Adam]

Must have given an impressive performance. Good luck to him - and Wirral South Assocation!

[SD]

A very risky business....what is to say he won't reverse the move at some point in the future when Con/LD party popularity ratings may be different, causing huge potential embarrasment for us?

[Stephen Tolkinghorne]

Just another example of how the Tories don't really have any firm principles or policies. It also shows how there's no discernible difference politically between the Limp Dems and the Pink Tories. Why don't they just merge ?

[HF]

An local candidate selected in the North. It seems ideal. Of course there will be doubts about how Conservative he really is but the people that:
1) Approved him for the candidates list
2) Locally approved him for the short list.
3) Selected him at the Open Primary

all decided that he was.

He looks to have a strong chance of winning at the next GE.

[Sandbagger]

Could nearly have put money on the outcome.That is what happens at open primaries when an organised group,such as practised by the Lib Dems may have on the outcome of the selection of a candidate.After all he only defected in April and who is willing to bet that he won't jump again when the going gets tough. This sends out a clear message to all candidates that it does not matter how long service you might have given to the Party then if you are in an open primary contest then your chances are not good. I'll bet that it won't take the Labour Party all that long to bring out the literature which he put out at the last election as to how he as a Lib Dem should get support.

[Klamm]

Another nail in the coffin and twist of the knife for those loyal candidates in 2001 and 2005 who now find themselves cast adrift because they are not on the A-List (nearly all white men)and cannot apply as a local to any winnable.

[Ex candidate]

Recent defectors are allowed on the Candidates List and Priority List. Yet many talented individuals who have worked hard for the party for many years and fought seats are not.

This selection is a kick in the teeth for those who fight the nasty Lib Dem lying scum.

[Cllr Iain Lindley]

I agree entirely with HF's post above. Good luck Jeff!

[Reagan Fan]

"A very risky business....what is to say he won't reverse the move at some point in the future when Con/LD party popularity ratings may be different, causing huge potential embarrasment for us?"

Who indeed, but until that happens he deserves to be judged on his merits. Churchill changed parties over time.

[elrafa]

Bit of a farce really.

I was always under the impression that once you stood against an official Conservative candidate you were debarred from the party. Seems not.

It will be interesting to see how he and Esther McVey work together. Could sink her campaign as well.

Must admit I wouldn't vote for someone who doesn't know his own principles and is happy to accept anyone's shilling if it gives him a better chance of being elected. Very very bad decision which Wirral south will come to regret.

[simon]

Congrats to him for being selected. So what if he was in the LDems! Come off it , many of us in the conservatives may have been in another party before joining! Or like me- supported conservatives under Mrs T. Buggered off to Labour during the 'titanic' years of JM - before clicking that Blair lad less integrity than Duncan Goodhew hair. And came back 'home' under Howard! Obviously people that have reticence in having candidates who stood for other parties selected would have no problem having people who voted for other parties voting for us in future elections!

[Klamm]

Simon (10:55) and Reagan Fan (09:46)

What many find distasteful is not just that he has jumped from another party, it is that legions of those who have always been loyal to the Party (ie 2001 and 2005 candidates)have been knifed by their Party.

It has been like some Stalinst purge

[Ex candidate]

Anyone who defects to Labour or the Lib Dems should not be allowed back in the Party.

Defectors should need to prove their commitment to the Party by working hard locally for 5 years before being allowed to apply for the Candidates List.

I heard that Rehman Chishti (Labour defector from Horsham) failed the Parliamentary Assessment Board. He was, against the rules, allowed to retake it and put on the Priority List. CCHQ is bending the rules for its favourite pets and it is unfair on party loyalists.

I have relatives in Wirral South who moved from Wirral West. They will be not be voting for the Lib Dem infiltrator whom they voted against in 2005. Another vote for UKIP I believe.

[simon]

Well, that's the 'loyal'candidates problem if they can't get selected! Seeesh- if people don't get selected they were not deemed good enough. I've seen too many 'local' 'loyal' candidates selected even though they were 'crap'. Pick the best one for the job. My point still stands vis the electorate!

[Bob]

I can't believe the attitude of some on this site.

If Prospective candidates, must be "purer than pure", must only have ever been true blue Tory and never had a non Tory thought, we are going to be pretty thin on the ground!

If Jeff Clarke and others see the error of their ways and come and join us they should be welcomed not vilified. If they are good enough to be selected as a candidate then that should be good enough for us as well.

The view of some that because they have been members for a long time and fought and lost seats before gives them a divine right to stand again is potty, everyone should be judged on what they can do for the party and their potential constituents.

Loyal service deserves thanks but does not "Guarantee" a seat at the expense of new blood and new talent.

[ukfirst]

Believes in the EU no doubt.

[Anon]

As someone who was involved in the Conservative campaign in Wirral West,Jeff Clark was an impressive candidiate in formal meetings. I watched him and the local rag tag coillection of sandle-wearing, bearded (and that was just the women) local Lib Dems at their meeting place of the Red Cat Car Park in Greasby- he stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb. Boundary changes have not helped but good luck to him

[Cllr Iain Lindley]

I must admit, I never saw the act of realising you were wrong and changing your mind as a particularly bad thing myself.

[Klamm]

The issue Simon (11:19) and Bob (11:31) is that I agree loyalty is not a pre-requisite if someone is not good enough, but because of the A List there are legions of loyal and quality candidates who simply are not allowed to be selected for winnable seats.

This is why this selection annoys people.

They haven't been selected because they are not even allowed to forward a CV in the first place.

This is because of the A-List which only the most naive or ultra Cameroons believe represent the brightest and the best. Remember because of the pre-set gender quota it is at least 5 times harder for a man to get on that list than a woman

By the way, was this chap on the A-List or did he apply as a local?

[Jeffh]

I am amazed at some of the comments on here. Do we not want Labour or Lib Dem supportsers to switch to us - if they dont then we will continue to be in opposition and 'dead' in many parts of the country. Unless and until we are prepared to welcome all who say they support us then we will not win. This is a seat we really must win, clearly those who shortlisted and attended the open promary thought he was the best guy to do that. Good luck to him and all conservative candidates everywhere.
We can be 'pure' or we can win. Being 'pure' and out of office is pointless, we can only start to do good in office.

[Ex candidate]

How can you judge whether a defector is good enough if they have only been a member for a year or so?

The fact is that most of the Approved Candidates List, i.e. those not on the Priority List or locals, are NOT ALLOWED to apply for seats such as Wirral West.

The selections are rigged anyway. CCHQ is now interfering in the choice of who gets interviewed.

[elrafa]

Councillor Lindley; He hasn't said he was wrong and has now seen the light.

He has said the Conservative Party was wrong and has changed its mind to accord with his views.

Spinless individual if you ask me. There are irreducible differences between a Tory and a Liberal. You don't suddenly see the light, you either believe in the core principles of Liberalism or Conservativism or you don't. He has calculated that he has more chance of winning in Wirral as a Tory than as a Liberal.

[Deputy Editor]

FYI, the original press release from Chester Conservatives about his defection:

"Explaining his decision to move to the Conservatives, Cllr Clarke said, “This week, as many other are doing, I left the Liberal Democrats and joined David Cameron’s Conservatives. I am hugely impressed by David Cameron’s commitment to Green Issues. Independent studies confirm that Conservatives Councils are the cleanest, greenest, safest and offer best value for money.

"Locally in Chester, the Lib Dems are not in touch with residents’ views on major developments in the city, yet in the Council the Tories always seem to put residents’ priorities first. The Council is also not addressing the serious issue of car parking in the City, which is crippling local businesses. Again, the Conservatives show a genuine desire to take real action to solve this problem."

One of the first to welcome Cllr Clarke to the party was Parliamentary Spokesman Paul Offer. Paul said: "Jeff is great addition to the team and I was delighted to hear he had jumped aboard. The Conservatives are the most diverse and active political force in Chester and under David Cameron we are attracting tens of thousands of new supporters and members. I look forward to working with Jeff to secure a Conservative council for Chester and ultimately a Conservative government for Britian."

I've also published a short piece above that was written by Jeff last May.

[bomba]

I cant see how the northwest office could have orchestrated it or any others-it is an Open Primary-where the audience votes.

Where else is meant to have been orchestrated? I would be very interested to find out!!!

[Deputy Editor]

Sorry "bomba", by 'orchestrating' I meant that the North West office in Salford has been involved in organising and publicising the open primaries as events - not that it has been manipulating votesd or anything!

They've helped promote open primary selections in Sefton Central, Pendle, Bolton North East, Bury North and Blackpool North & Cleveleys. All of which used the http://www.chooseyourcandidate.com URL for local people to register and find out about candidates, and all of which got good local press coverage (Wirral South getting the most so far I believe).

[ukfirst]

quote: Explaining his decision to move to the Conservatives, Cllr Clarke said, “This week, as many other are doing, I left the Liberal Democrats and joined David Cameron’s Conservatives. I am hugely impressed by David Cameron’s commitment to Green Issues. Independent studies confirm that Conservatives Councils are the cleanest, greenest, safest and offer best value for money.

I'm sure the sheeple of Wirral South will be enthused.

[z-lister]

This is actually heartening. Those of us who are thinking of switching to UKIP will obviously be welcomed back to the Tory fold when the Cameron experiment results in a hung parliament

[Empirical Evidence]

In looking at this as an opportunity to criticise open Primaries, individuals should examine a couple of facts.

If the local Party and supporters are so few in number that their meeting can be infiltrated to the extent that a "non Conservative" can be selected, it sounds like the local party is so weak that there is little chance of winning anayway.

If Open Primary's do attract floaters, then surely their opinions do matter, and thus a candidate who has taken a journey which we require x thousand of the electorate to take is surely an advantage.

I'm very fed up with the entirely non-Conservative arguments put through by people who feel they, and only they, represent the "Blue Flag".

I'm sorry, but as Conservatives, we are surely meritocrats, and for that reason, loyalty is NOT a high calibre quality. A high quality candidate from another area who is relatively new to the Party more embraces our spirit of social mobility and the sentiment of "it's where you are going" being more important than "where you've come from".

Picking local Candidates for local people looks little more than a provincial "Old school tie" operation. The very accusation our opponents frequently throw at us, and which some on here wish to perpetuate.

[peter]

good luck to Jeff Clarke but also good luck to Damian Hinds who would have also made a fantastic candidate in Wirral South - I hope that he finds a winnable seat in the north west soon. He certainly deserves it after the great job he did in Stretford and Urmston in 2005

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Welcome aboard, Jeff, and best of luck. Ignore the personal attacks that are being carried out on you by fascist UKIP trolls and some Tories suffering from sour grapes.

[Shaun Bennett]

Obviously I don't know Jeff Clarke personally and he may well be an absolutely fantastic candidate who well deserves to be the Conservative candidate for such a winnable seat.
I just hope the local party know what they are doing in selecting him. He has already shown that he is capable of abandoning ship by leaving the Lib Dems in the first place (not that thats a bad thing)and by his own admission he was attracted to the party by Cameron's reforms.
But would he be prepared to stick with the party if it moved away from Cameronism in the future? I'm not so sure.
Actually, Wirral South has a large Lib Dem vote and they can now win the most votes accross the consitituency in local elections. The problem in general elections is that people do not see the Lib Dems as a credible challenger for the seat. But if the Lib Dem's managed to somehow end up with the incumbant MP campaigning for them in the future, they could well hold on and turn the seat into a Lib Dem possibility.
I hope that I am being overly cynical about Jeff's loyalty to the party but at this stage he seems too much of a fair-weather freind for me to be able to trust him.
I fear that he will have to work VERY hard if he is to convince the wider party otherwise.

[Rob Wilkins]

The Party obviously needs ex-Liberals and indeed Labour supporters to switch to us in order to win the next Election. What is concerning is the ease with which many ex Liberal and Labour candidates are making it onto the Candidates' List, and then finding seats. I have no problems with people seeing the light and switching to the Conservatives, but that shoudln't mean that they immediately become candidates for us. Such people are jumping ahead of loyal supporters - that is what annoys people. Yes, let them join the Party and campaign and prove their commitment. Then, let them apply for the Candidates List. Don't put them on the List first.

[Steve]

I had to laugh when I read Empirical Evidence's contribution.

We are supposed to be meritocrats! How does excluding all manner of candidates on account of their sex = meritocracy?!

I have no idea how effective Jeff Clarke is but it's great he's joined us.

That said, this was someone who was sufficiently committed to the Lib Dems to stand and be elected as a councillor and then stand as a parliamentary candidate.

There's a world of difference between a voter floating between various parties and someone who is so committed that they spend time, effort and money to try to get themselves elected and less than a year later defect to an opposition party!! Do you people really think this is the same thing?!!

As for the argument that he has been approved and selected and so MUST be the best person for the job...well yes, had there been a level playing field to start with. The fact is that there were woefully few applicants for this once solid Tory seat, giving local members not much of a choice at all.

[Voice from the South West]

I would remind people that we have had a situation like this occur before. Jack Aspinwall contested Kingswood for the Liberals in 1974, then defected, and stood for Kingswood as a Conservative in 1979... and won!

[Alexander Fisher]

It seems to me that one has a considerably better chance of being selected as a Conservative candidate through defecting from another party than through loyal service as a PPC to our own Party. What worries me more in this case is that the candidate seems to think that we have met his beliefs, rather than him meeting ours. How sad to see two first-rate candidates rejected for a just-about-ex Lib Dem.

[Jackie]

I welcome Jeff on board to Wirral South, he was selected in an Open Process by party members and non party members from a good selection of Applicants and was the Winner.
He has Talked the Talk now he will Walk the Walk and Win Wirral South back to it,s true Conservative Place.
Good Luck Jeff.

[simon]

Re Klamm @ 12:19- Why the big deal about the 'a' list. If your association felt strongly about it they can always stick 2 fingers up to it! If anything the 'a' list is helpful to those constituencies needing a guide to 'quality' candidates if they don't have 'quality' local candidates avaliable (or willing to fight their patch). I'm glad that contributers on this site have been welcoming to the LD defectee and i hope no 'sour grapers' attempt to de-rail his campaign to get elected in Wirral Sth. Here's a quick aside. Whilst i was in Labour we had a discussion in the local branch who we supported before. The answer's varied from Tory, LD, Green, SNP leading to one of the 'old' Labour brigade to have a coronary. Interestingly, three of us who were in that discussion have ended up precisely where we bloody well started from!

[Diana H]

Why shouldn't the Tories in Wirral South vote for a Lib Dem? After all, most of the constituency votes Lib Dem nowadays.

Let us hope that Jeff Clarke will bring some of his Lib Dem ways to the area so that we can start to see some Conservative pamphlets in this 'true Conservative seat'.

Among my friends and neighbours who do bother to vote, it is the Liberal Democrats who get their support because they have good local candidates, working hard and regularly in touch. We NEVER hear from the Blues!

Yours,

Diana

[Cllr Paul Johnston]

I feel sympathy for ex-candidates who are having problems finding a seat. Been there - done it - got the T shirt. But I'm horrified by suggestions that we shouldn't adopt this man because he stood as a Lib Dem in the past. We should welcome converts with open arms - if we don't, we'll go on losing. I write as one who has been a Conservative activist since 1961 and a PPC twice. I have spent much of my life trying to persuade people from other parties to join us. All the best to Jeff Clarke. Let him persuade some of his former colleagues to follow his own example.

[Charles]

Before the Primary, Jeff Clarke impressed many of us on the ground in Wirral South by his efforts to get involved with delivering leaflets week in and week out and gaining an understanding of local issues. I'm sure he'll be a hard-working candidate helping us with the forthcoming local elections and then going on to make Wirral South the solid Conservative seat that it should be.

[Cllr Bruce Mackie]

Now we know Simon,I always thought that you were not a true blue Tory by conviction after your contributions. There are many in here who need to get a grasp of loyalty to the cause. I am of the opinion that defectors should have to serve some time convincing us that they have had a genuine conversion on the road to the truth. Right will always prevail and if we have someone who feels that they are in the wrong Party then that is alright. But first of all they should stand the test of time to prove that it is genuine. I personally have never liked defectors standing as candidates for our Party in such short time after they have stood as a Candidate for another Party. I can assure you that I have had an experience of such a case and believe me,it all ended in a mess. My Constituency Party is still trying to cope with the debris. By the way do we not have enough Lawyers already in Parliament. Have we not reached our quota in this catergory! Does this one not count? If you really want Simon,I can give you chapter and verse on my record of experience. Not that it really amounts to a row of beans as far as some in here are concerned!

[Alexander Fisher]

Agree completely with Cllr. Mackie - let defectees join the Party, fight for the Party, and then, their loyalty being clear, allow them to join the candidates list.

Whilst I'm sure that the candidate in question is talented, he should have waited a bit longer.

[Steve]

Bruce Mackie's point is the main issue here.

It's not that Jeff Clarke has defected - that's wholly to be welcomed. Good on him for having the courage to actually do it. Not an easy thing to do, especially as a sitting, previously Lib Dem, councillor.

In addition, in Wirral South, where although Labour holds the seat, the Lib Dems hold a majority of the local councillors, perhaps having Jeff as the candidate will be a real positive. Why should anyone bother to vote Lib Dem when one of their own councillors and ex-parliamentary canidates has seen the light? etc etc.

It's simply that until less than two years ago, Jeff Clarke was an apparently committed member of the Liberal Democrats. He was so committed a Lib Dem, he spent time, effort and money getting himself elected as a councillor; and then still more time effort and money standing as a parliamentary candidate in 2005.

Until April 2006, he was still a member of the Lib Dems and a sitting councillor in Chester. Nine months later he's a Conservative PPC for one of our top target seats.

As I say, I can see the appeal and I hope it works out, but when one considers that many long serving and committed Conservatives have been actively prevented from applying to this seat, it does all seem rather perverse.

By his own admission, his primary reason for defecting is because of David Cameron's leadership.

When David Cameron ceases to be leader, whether in one or ten years time, and is possibly replaced by a more traditional Tory leader, will Jeff Clarke still be comfortable or will the Lib Dems look appealing once again and suddenly find themselves with a seat on the Wirral peninsula...?

[Jake]

Any member of the wider public reading this debate would go away with the impression that many Conservatives don't want anyone other than lifelong Tories supporting them. Those who have argued against this man will draw a distinction between standing and supporting - the public won't, they will simply see antipathy towards anyone who hasn't imbibed conservatism with their mother's milk.

[Simon]

Glad you've got that off your chest Bruce? More chips than a McCain factory on display there! What you did not state was how long 'defectors' should remain in purdah in the party until they can stand as candidates? 2 years? 5? 100? I've stated my position ,politically, here before- and based on results- i'm right. Privitisation- disaster;Clause 28- good intention, but again, a disaster. As someone who still worships the Lady but did not agree with everything she did- i feel entitled to stick two fingers up to your 'not a true blue tory' comment. I suspect you're probably one of these sour faced individuals who at election counts don't mix with the opposition! You speak about 'loyalty' with the pompousness of a complete imbecile. And no, i don't want chapter and verse on your 'record of experience' thank you very much- not unless i become an insomniac!

[Chris Richards Chairman Wirral South]

Jeff, Well done, I warmly welcome and fully endorse you as our PPC, and i know that our team will do their utmost to elct you as our MP at the next election.WELCOME

[Cllr Bruce Mackie]

Simon
Just the sort of comment one would expect from someone who was at one time with Labour.Well maybe in your view I may be a has been! but I have always been a loyal Tory and it is least certain that when the going gets tough,there are people like me who don't waver and feel tempted to jump ship.You say that Privatisation was a disaster.Now there is a topic to debate if these are your thoughts.I don't need you to make the inference that you have done regarding my conduct at elections. At all my elections,I have always had a good relationship with Labour but it is the Lib Dems and the SNP that I don't get along with and the simple reason being is the tactics which both of these Parties use during the election and at the count which is disgraceful. Maybe you have not seen a lot of that type of electioneering but I can assure you that it is pretty bad.

[cheekymonkey]

You need to make the price of Bananas cheaper. Leeks too.

[David Harrald]

Go Jeffrey, go Jeffrey !.

Jeffrey Clarke with the mouth, you're the man for Wirral South !.