Asian radio entrepreneur to be Ealing Southall candidate

Tony Lit, Managing Director of Sunrise Radio, has been chosen from a large number of hopeful candidates to stand for the Conservatives in the by-election (held on July 19th). A local family man who was educated at a state school, he has had no previous involvement in the Party but is said to be joining because of David Cameron.

The constituency as a whole has the second largest Asian community in the country, mostly concentrated in the Southall half of the constituency where one of the wards is 97% non-white (and where the LibDems are basing their new HQ).

Lit's wealthy and influential father stood in 2001 as a "Sunrise" candidate and managed to beat the LibDems into fourth, so hopefully his son will bring a similar following with him! Another factor in his favour is that Sedgefield's by-election will stretch LibDem resources more than ours.

CCHQ see his candidacy as quite a coup. The constituency's new campaign HQ is hoping for as much mutual aid from other constituencies as possible. We'll post details of how you can sign up to help later today. Go to CampaignTogether.com to sign up for helping out in all sorts of ways. Your Party needs you.

Friday 12 pm update: Just to be clear, Tony did become a member of the Party before passing the Parliamentary Assessment Board. He has always voted Conservative but couldn't join the Party earlier due to his directorship of the radio station, a position which he has duly resigned from. Also, much credit is due to Grant Shapps MP for getting Campaign Together off the ground.

Deputy Editor

Comments

[Ay Up]

HQ must be happy - I didn't think we could win this one until now.

[Apoplectic Tory]

You mean he hasn't joined the Party yet but has neen approved as a parliamentary candidate? How come?

[Ben Surtees]

Bit of a risk... his father underperformed in 2001, when you consider his own personal popularity in the area, but that was a general election and he was running as an independent... its an interesting choice and in the context of a by-election (especially one that's likely to produce a large number of candidates) it's hard to tell how it'll turn out.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Wow! Excellent news! We can win this one with the right amount of work. Let's get going to Southall!

[CDM]

All our resources must be directed at Ealing Southall. Sedgefield is a no hoper, but if we could come close (or even win!) in this constituency, Brown will be in serious trouble.

[Rob Wilkins]

I don't know this candidate so can't comment on his suitability. However, I do object to the Party selecting candidates for by-elections in this way. I know people on the candidates list who live in Ealing borough who weren't even given the chance to put their names forward. I wish him well, but doubt that we are even going to come close here.

[Mrs Campbell]

Well done Tony Lit for offering to stand. Hope he knows what he's letting himself in for if he wins - local MP and backbencher. Hard work. Difficult to continue as boss of a radio station maybe. Anyway, Sunrise Radio is popular and he'll look good on television and this is a bye-election, the first for Brown. Must have been tough competition for the selection, there are quite a few good Asians on the candidates list

[EML]

Has a date been set yet for the by-election(s)?

[Paul Seery]

The moment the campaign starts I will be down there helping out as much as I can for the campaign. This selection is a mavellous one and puts pressure on the selection processes that the other two have to make. Nice to see that the party is setting the tone for the by-election.

[HF]

Well done a quick selection of a local and (I guess) a sikh. Who is in charge of the campaign?

[David Strauss]

Makes sense.

Not sure where the "has been chosen from a large number of hopeful candidates" came from. Was it advertsied and did I just miss it?

[Rachel Joyce]

The byelection volunteer task force have sent out an email asking for help. Sign up now if you can.

[alex]

very smart choice...exactly the sort of local candidate needed in a by-election, especially one where we have quite a mountain to climb. i'll certainly go over from south London to help...

[Deputy Editor]

Sorry EML I should have mentioned - it's Tuesday 19th July.

David Strauss, I guess candidates volunteered themselves - I hear there was a surprising number who did so considering that it isn't the easiest of seats.

[Paul Seery]

It seems that Mr Rennard is playing up the chances of the Liberal Democrats and is saying that Labour are running scared. This is what he had to say on the Ealing Liberal Democrats Website:

"Labour are scared of the Liberal Democrat challenge. In recent years they lost Brent East, Leicester South and Dunfermline to us. They have called the Ealing Southall and Sedgefield by-elections at very short notice to try to stop us building momentum.

"Ealing Southall has the second largest Asian community in the country. We came second here in the General Election and must aim to repeat the successful campaign that won Brent East for Sarah Teather. But we have to try and do it three weeks - not the three months that we had for that campaign.

"Sedgefield is next door to Hartlepool where Liberal Democrats came close to seizing Peter Mandelson's former constituency in the 2004 by-election.

"Our MPs have cancelled their regular parliamentary meetings in order to free up time for the campaigns. Many other party meetings are being cancelled in order to allow party members to come and help the campaigns.

"We will be fighting vigorous campaigns in both seats to hold Gordon Brown and Labour to account for their record."

Very brave man but hopefully he is proved well and truely wrong.

[Matt Davis]

Whilst this selection will upset the candidates list stalwarts who haven't been given a chance at the seat it makes a great deal of sense to put up a candidate in Tony Lit's position. He might just pull something off here and the selection method is justified by the particular circumstances applying to this constituency and this contest.

[election watcher]

election watcher said...
we will come a poor third in both of the by elections.our record in parliamentary by elections is appalling. the last time we gained a seat was in 1982, 25 years ago.It is about time we put someone in charge of by elections who knows what they are doing. the key is to establish in the minds of the electorate that we are in second place and then hoover up all the anti government votes. you can do this by holding an opinion poll, that hopefully shows us in second place, early in the campaign.We never do this, why not?

[michael mcgough]

What do you call this Fast Track selection ,"the A star list?"

[RobC]

Ealing Southall covers all of Southall and the west of ealing. I used to live in Northfields (west Ealing).

I'm sure that the candidate at the 2005 GE election was also connected to Sunrise radio. Co-incidence? I presume that the labour MP has died hence the by-election. He was the oldest MP (I think 80+) at the laste GE.

[Adam]

Oh my word - a decent choice of candidate. I'm actually a little shocked. We're definitely starting off on the right footing.

[JamesB]

no political track record to speak of, only been a member of the party for five minutes.

how exactly did he become the candidate????

[Deputy Editor]

By the way, Sunrise will be careful about its role in the election. His father, who I think started it off as pirate radio, was fined £10k for breaking Ofcom rules in 2001 because he gave an intervew about his candidacy.

[Mrs Campbell]

It's exciting especially if this Richmond-on-Thames resident turns out to be a good performer on TV and radio but the Deputy Editor is right. It is important to take care of all the potential for criticism arising out the Sunrise connection. After all, it would not look good if anyone got the idea that Tory politics is the same as it sometimes is in some Asian countries.

[Reality check]

CCHQ has approved Tony Lit, not even a party member, as a Parliamentary by-election candidate!!

What sort of message does that send out to those who were kicked off the candidates list or have failed a Parliamentary Assessment Board?

Up until now, only the best candidates were approved to stand as by-election candidates. Now a non-member can. Standards seem to be slipping!

How can we be sure that Mr Lit is a bona fide Conservative and not an infiltrator from another party? Are there no suitable local candidates with a proven track record as a Conservative activist, officer or councillor?

The party could pay a high price for taking such an unprecedented risk.

[HF]

FYI the Liberal Democrats agent will be Chris Leaman, London Campaigns Officer and agent for Sarah Teather at the last General Election. www.ealinglibdems.org.uk
Rennard says ""Our MPs have cancelled their regular parliamentary meetings in order to free up time for the campaigns. Many other party meetings are being cancelled in order to allow party members to come and help the campaigns."

Are our MPs and PPCs doing the same?

Frankly I would expect every MP and every PPC to devote at least 1 day to this by election. It should be the equivalent of a 3 line whip.

How about starting a record on Con Home of "who turns up"?

[Rachel Joyce]

Didn't know they were selecting - it wasn't advertised.
However, on the face of it he seems like the right kind of person, and I can understand that they want a "tight ship" for a high profile by-election that we have some chance of winning.
I will certainly be down there to support him.

[BS]

The date is THURSDAY 19th July and not Tuesday 19th - worth noting so that potential volunteers are not confused.

[Apoplectic Tory]

What, go and help a candidate who is not even a member of the Conservative Party? You must be dreaming.

[Deputy Editor]

Thanks for that BS - I looked at the wrong month in the calendar!

Press release listing some more details about Tony:

Tony Lit is a local businessman who has worked in the community for 10 years running a radio station. He is married with three children, one year old twins Cameron and Selina, and three-year old Sofia.

Tony is a keen player and supporter of football, and a member of West Ham United.

From his first managerial position as a Department Manager at Next in 1989, Tony gained considerable experience in the retail industry before being appointed as Commercial Director of Sunrise Radio in 1998. In 2003, he was appointed Managing Director of Sunrise Radio - the UK’s first 24 hour Asian radio station and now one of the most successful commercial radio stations in the country.

In addition, Tony is Director of the popular Asian Lifestyle Show – a massive annual exhibition of Asian culture and entertainment.

As a Director of the not-for-profit Heathrow City Partnership Limited (formerly Southall Regeneration Partnership), Tony is heavily involved in efforts to regenerate and improve prosperity in under-performing parts of West London. And in January 2005, Tony was one of just four Asian business leaders appointed to be an ambassador for London’s successful 2012 bid for the Olympic Games.

Tony’s other achievements include:

* Keynote address in 2002 at the Swami Naryan Mandir Neasden, in the presence Prince of Wales, and presentation of a cheque for £300,000 for the Gujarat Earthquake Appeal - funds were raised by Sunrise Radio.

* Keynote speaker at the London Indian Conference held at City Hall on 1st September 2004.

* Keynote speaker at an Awards Ceremony for Young Entrepreneurs presented by the Heathrow City Partnership at the British Airways Business Centre in 2005.

[601]

Don't write Ealing Southall off!

Local elections make this look very interesting.

based on the 2006 Local Election results this would be a Lab/Con marginal:-
Lab = 38.68%
Con = 37.13%
LibDem = 18.96%
Green = 3.41%
Respect = 1.92%
Lab maj = 1.55%
Local election turnout is normally as low as by-elections.

[Off Message]

He's sounds just the right candidate (even if he hasn't previously been a member). This is war against Brown and we've got to take risks if we are to reverse our terrible record in by-elections. Congratulations to Grant Shapps MP (who's now in charge of by-elections) for getting a candidate quickly into place. Let's all get down there and put in some time.

[RodS]

I wish him well - but it is clear what what kind of profile you need to get fast tracked these days. No wonder white British boys are underperforming.

[Ted]

Its good to see that CCHQ is learning a bit about bye-election campaigning and looks to have selected a good high profile candidate likely to attract Southall & Ealing voters. Its been so long since we did well at bye-elections.

A good showing or even better a win will provide a great basis for fighting the Brown challenge. It would damage the LDs if they came third.

Last time we left it to the local party they selected someone who was fine as a GE candidate but who's weaknesses as a bye-election one were rapidly identified and exploited. The campaign was poorly managed. Lets do better this time.

[RobD]

I wouldn't normally suggest this, but is there any chance of the Lib Dems not campaigning too hard in Ealing in return for us doing the same in Sedgefield? We are afterall both opposition parties and we have a golden opportunity to give Brown a huge double bloody nose within a month of taking over.

Having said that, with this candidate we have a great chance of taking this seat anyway, good luck to Tony.

[Louise Bagshawe]

Congratulations to Tony. I look forward to campaigning for you in this election!

[Erasmus]

An excellent choice

As for the usual whingers complaining about CCHQ interference they are usually the first ones to blame CCHQ and the leadership when by-elections results are disappointing/disasterous.

The top brass will be held responsible for the result however the candidate is selected so it is quite right that they should run the show.

By-elections are different!

[RobinClash]

It appears CCHQ have made the right decision, and I thought Anita Kapoor would fight the seat. If we canvass like the LibDemons and we have a chance.

[Atiq]

I was told to become a Parliamentary candidate one has to be a Party member for at least 3 months and must pass PAB, but in this case ??????????????????

His father I have been told supported Labour candidate in 2004 GLA election (Ealing & Hilligndon)and they have never been a Tory supporter.

Only qualification is money, if Tory party thinks that being a Sikh he will get votes from local Asian (Sikh) community they must be kidding.

Labour party candidate will be also from Sikh community and he/she will have support among all the local Asian and religious communities, Sikh, Hindu, Muslims.

Toni lives in Osterly, London Boorough of Hounslow. Party has made a big mistake by chosing him. He will not win. Local politics has changed since his father stood as an Independent in 2001.

[Southallman]

The secretive process demonstrated here is typical of the new Cameron approach to selecting candidates. Other local non-Asian candidates were not even informed the Party was actively selecting. It doesn't seem to matter if you're a Tory supporter anymore, as long as you fit Cameron's new candidate profile. Why is it that this candidate with no history of support for the Party is parachuted into a seat which many people believe we have a chance. It is because he is Asian and his father is well-known locally. If we started placing white candidates into seats where the electorate were predominantly white there would be an uproar, and rightly so. Can someone at CCHQ or in the local association (if there is one) tell us how many people applied for this seat and how the process was undertaken, so at least we know that this wasn't as much of an opportunistic set-up as it appears.

[Atiq]

Southallman,
I informed CCHQ the same day MP Piara Khabra died.

This is the reply I got today from a high profile MP.

Dear Atiq,

Many thanks for your email and for your work on pulling together this data.

I am writing to let you know that Francis Maude has decided that our
candidate will actually be from Ealing Southall on this occasion which I'm
afraid does rule you out this time round.

However, with your great knowledge of this area in mind we would be most
grateful if you would still come and support the Conservative campaign in
Ealing Southall throughout this very short by-election. We expect polling
day to be 3 weeks today.

I have told Francis Maude of your interest and he has asked me to thank you
for your interest and also to ask the above question about whether you will
still be prepared to bring in support to help us achieve the best possible
result?

Let me know?

[Matt Davis]

Well I guess that the bottom line is that if we do well, perhaps even win the seat, then the selection process/strategy will be clearly vindicated and if we end up a poor 3rd or 4th then it will be an equally clear message that selecting in this way is a mistake. We'll just have to wait and see.

[Yet Another Anon]

but that was a general election and he was running as an independent
There may well be a considerable advantage to running as an Independent rather than under a Conservative label there.

[Black Country Lad]

The way that the selection has taken place is a great slap in the face for any local candidate who is trying to get on the lsit to fight a local seat or even the parli seat in which she is a Councillor.

By elections may be different but winning is no different any where and a local candidate with a high and positive profile has to be good.

As for francis maude making a decision about candidates he has just written to one of our hopeful local people and told them he cannot get involved - oh but this is election is london so is must be different

[Mrs Campbell]

Labour were discussing an all female short-list back in February before the local MP died. The Labour leader on the Council was then female and Asian and Cambridge University educated and really wanting the Parliamentary candidacy. Will she be the Labour candidate? How will that sort with Toni Lit? He's going to have to get the locals pounding the pavements and operating the networks like they tried to do in the May local elections not just flood the constituency with eager Tory helpers from elsewhere. Like I said yesterday,it's hard work but could be done especially if Toni Lit is good on TV and radio

[Phil Taylor]

I have heard an interesting bit of clarification on Tony Lit's party membership. He couldn't be a member whilst he was MD of a broadcast radio station - Ofcom would not have tolerated it.

Apparently he severed all connections yesterday and is now free to campaign for the seat and be an MP.

[Tory T]

"not just flood the constituency with eager Tory helpers from elsewhere"

Sorry, Mrs. C, but the Liberal Democrats have proved innumerable times in the last 20 years that this is exactly how by-elections are won.

By-elections are not the same as General Elections which is why we haven't won one for twenty years. It's pretty stupid to say candidate selection is vindicated only if we win. This is a safe Labour seat.

[Deputy Editor]

Re: some of the comments about how long Lit has been a member, I've added an update to the post:

Just to be clear, Tony did become a member of the Party before passing the Parliamentary Assessment Board. He has always voted Conservative but couldn't join the Party earlier due to his directorship of the radio station, a position which he has duly resigned from. Also, much credit is due to Grant Shapps MP for getting Campaign Together off the ground.

[Mrs Campbell]

Tory T have a look at the post again. Not just meaning not only. The flooding with outside helpers is necessary, sure, but by no means sufficient especially in a "safe Labour seat"

[Tory T]

Mrs. C well I agree with that. The activists on the ground, all of us, have a duty to get stuck in and beat the lefties at their own game. I'll be taking time off work to post some leaflets myself.

[Neet]

I don't understand; are the Tories getting excited because an Asian has decided to stand as their candidate in a predominantly Asian area, thereby leading to an unsubstantiated assumption that they are in a chance of winning? I say this because what else do we know about this guy; he has never been a Tory member until he saw the opportunity to become an MP and he mingles with Bollywood star's. So how can the citizen's of Ealing relate to him? If people are of the view that Sikhs and Asians in general will vote for him because he is of the same ethnic origin, it's a pathetic view to have. Do white people only vote for white candidates....no thought not. We vote because we believe in the same vision and values of the candidate because they will make our area better place to live. Not for some random guy who has had no previous interest in the area and now sees it as a chance to get into Westminster.
FYI; I’m not a member of any political party-but this just puts me off the whole system (at least give the constituents a choice by getting a person who reflects the parties values).