ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog

Chorley candidate stands down because of ill health

From the Chorley Conservatives' website: "In a letter delivered today, Chorley Conservatives members have learnt that Alf Doran has decided to step down as the Conservative’s Parliamentary Candidate for Chorley on health grounds.   He was selected by local Conservatives in July last year. Alf Doran had to retire from the Police service having been involved in a motorcycle accident in the early 1990’s; from this further medical attention is now required. Because of the unpredictability of the timing of the future treatment with extended convalescence, Alf has considered that his treatment would harm the prospects of an effective election campaign here in Chorley."

Mr Doran beat Gregor MacGregor, Thelma Matuk and Mary Robinson in July 2007.

And the candidate for Henley is...

We'll update this post as soon as the selection is made later today...

Three local councillors were rapidly shortlisted without the seat being opened up for wider applications. There will be a leaflet blitz tomorrow following the selection.

8.55pm: Cllr Dr John Howell was selected.

10.30pm: Issued by CCHQ:

John Howell has been selected by the Henley Conservative Association to fight the coming by-election.

Speaking to the media following the selection meeting John Howell said:

“Thank you very much for coming tonight. First of all let me say what an honour it is to have been selected as the Conservative candidate for the Henley constituency.

“For now I just want to say that it is a huge privilege to have been selected as the Conservative candidate for my home constituency. I plan to spend the next few weeks talking to as many local people as possible about the issues that affect us all in South Oxfordshire.

“I hope that when the by-election eventually comes, the people of this area will give me the opportunity to serve as a committed and effective local MP.”

Plan for flying start in Henley with leaflet blitz this Saturday

This Saturday - 31st May - there is a plan to deliver to the entire constituency of Henley in a day.

There will be 2 meeting/distribution points:

• The Henley Association office – this is located at 8,Gorwell, WATLINGTON, Oxon OX49 5QE
• The Campaign HQ – located at 18, High Street, THAME, Oxon OX9 2BZ

Both campaign centres will be open and ready to receive volunteers from 0930 on Saturday morning.  Both offices are close to the M40.

Please e-mail campaign.support@conservatives.com for more information.

71% of Tory members support ConservativeHome's campaign on MEP selection

Early in April we catalogued the ways in which the party's internal selection process for MEPs was "fixed" by the party's EU enthusiasts.  We called on the party to publish full data for the election process so that members could see the level of turnout, the number of spoilt ballot papers and the level of Tory membership.  We suspended that campaign a few days later so that noone was distracted from the important local and London elections.  We carried on that suspension through the period of the Crewe and Nantwich by-election but we are now resuming it.  Up to 20% of ballot papers may have been spoilt because of the voting process that was devised to protect incumbents.  We all need to understand what went wrong so that it never happens again.

In the May survey of Tory members we asked whether we should continue to press for full disclosure and an overwhelming majority of the 1,483 who voted said 'yes':

Party Chairman Caroline Spelman has now asked to meet with us to discuss the whole issue and we'll report back straight after that meeting.

Another Labour MP gives up the fight (ChickenWatch II)

Tory candidate for Finchley and Golders Green Mike Freer has welcomed the news that Rudi Vis MPwon't be standing again.  In a statement to the Ham & High, Cllr Freer said:

"This is the most marginal seat in the country - it needs just a 0.2 per cent swing to go to the Conservatives.   I would have been confident of a change in party whatever happened, but Rudi would have been a worthy opponent.  Labour now has no chance of winning Finchley and Golders Green. I am a local candidate and we also have a deeply unpopular government and a deeply flawed Prime Minister.  Glenda Jackson ought to retire gracefully now too."

ConservativeHome's ChickenWatch also hears that Chris Pincher's opponent in Tamworth - Brian Jenkins - will be stepping down soon, too.  Please contact us if hear of other resignations.

> ChickenWatch I

Zac Goldsmith calls for national boycott of Sainsbury's

On CentreRight.com yesterday Mark Field MP penned a defence of supermarkets but many Conservatives worry at their impact on smaller shops.  According to Telegraph.co.uk, "London is estimated to have lost more than 7,000 small shops because of supermarket competition, high rents and parking fees."  David Cameron has strongly supported the London Evening Standard's Save Our Small Shops campaign.

ConservativeHome covered Zac Goldsmith's campaign against the decision of Sainsbury's to locate a store in White Hart Lane, Barnes.  The ballot organised by Mr Goldsmith went strongly against Sainsbury's but thanks to national planning authorities Sainsbury's is going ahead with its new store.

Mr Goldsmith told Friction TV:

"What Sainsbury's has done is totally unethical. It has misled us, wasted our time and put two fingers up at the community... This is yet another example of a big multiple using perverse planning laws to force itself on an unwilling community... This is a local issue, but it's also national. We have bent over backwards to make it easier for them to back off. Now we will take this as far as we need to."

He has now called for the "most successful ever boycott" against Sainsbury's.

12.45pm, 29th May: Zac Goldsmith tells Friction TV why we should boycott Sainsbury's

David Cameron agrees speedy by-election for Henley

David Cameron met with leading members of Henley Conservatives earlier today and agreed a fast process to select a candidate to succeed Boris Johnson as the local MP.

Local Tories will choose from a shortlist of three local councillors in the next week and the by-election may be held on 26th June.

The leader of South Oxfordshire Council, Cllr Ann Ducker, is a strong favourite to be adopted.

Tory tacticians believe that a local woman councillor plus a quick contest represent the best way of defeating the non-local male candidate recently chosen by the Liberal Democrats.

More tomorrow.

First C&N exit poll

With apologies for the grainy image but a bakers in Nantwich (the most Tory part of C&N) has been holding a straw poll on voting intentions.  And based on the purchase of Tory, Labour and LibDem gingerbread men it's looking good for the Conservatives!

The blackboard looks about 50 Tory gingerbread men, 6 Labour and 5 LibDems.  Britain's pollsters will be worried at this new innovation.

:-)

Owen Paterson MP is also hopeful for a good turnout from the area of Crewe that he was leafletting from 3.45am to 8.15am this morning.  His patch included Cameron Avenue, Osbourne Grove and Ashcroft Avenue.

4am bulletin from Crewe and Nantwich

'Don't assume victory, work for it' was a favourite motto of Margaret Thatcher.  That motto lives on in today's Conservative Party.  Taking nothing for granted 120 Conservative volunteers were on the streets of Crewe and Nantwich at 4am this morning for a 'dawn raid'.  A final get-out-the-vote leaflet was popped through thousands of voters' doors.  Here is a wide-awake Eric Pickles (with Mark Simmonds MP) with that 'Good morning, send Gordon Brown a message' leaflet:

Also up early delivering were another Pickles - Ant (no relation) - and Michael Fabricant MP:

Some of you should be tabloid headline writers.  In yesterday's thread englandism suggested some of the headlines that might greet the result that we all hope for (and many are still working very hard for).  That inspired a few of you to think of your own headlines.  Here are the five best:

1. BROWN HIT BY CREWE'S MISSILE (Englandism)
2. CREWECIFIED (James Burdett)
3. ALL CHANGE AT CREWE (Man in a Shed)
4. GORDON S'CREWED BY 10P FIASCO (Serf)
5. And just so Nantwich doesn't feel left out... GORDON BROWN IS DEAD NAN TWITCHING (Andrew Lilico).

See the graphic below to note that both NO2ID and the TaxPayers' Alliance advertised online during the campaign.  The TPA urged people to vote for lower taxes and NO2ID quoted Gwyneth Dunwood's concerns about ID cards.  You'll note that the LibDems' Elizabeth Shenton is also e-vertising.

And finally... Benjamin Gray has captured this photo of Nick Clegg campaigning in Crewe.  Mr Clegg's expression doesn't exactly match the Winning Here placard!

! REMEMBER !
Liveblog from 10.30pm tonight as we await this historic by-election result.  Expected at about 3am tomorrow.

The final push for Crewe and Nantwich

The Conservative team in Crewe and Nantwich are reporting that volunteer numbers for the C&N by-election have broken all records but that there is still work to do.  If you can help in any way in these final 24 hours please email campaign.support@conservatives.com.

A few other observations:

• Betting on a Tory victory may have closed but Ladbrokes are speculating as to whether Labour might come third.  Tories are dismissing this idea and saying that only a vote for Edward Timpson can send Gordon Brown the message he needs to hear.
• Journalists are already hearing excuses from inside the Labour camp in Crewe and Nantwich. Guess who they are blaming for the expected poor result? Yep: one James Gordon Brown.
• The local elections count in C&N on 1st May was slow and we're expecting it to be slow again.  Don't expect a result until 3am on Friday morning.  We'll be up, live blogging.  Stay up with us!  Please email if you can help moderate the live chatroom we're planning.

By-election in Winchester?

A rumour for you: There is gossip in the Westminster village that Mark Oaten may be about to quit his Winchester seat for a job in the USA.  It's unconfirmed but a by-election in Hampshire would be very useful for our defence of Henley if the LibDems are forced to fight on two fronts.

The LibDems are already mass surveying Henley.   Boris is reportedly keen to quit the seat early and attempted to force the issue on some reluctant party high-ups by writing a farewell letter to his constituents via the Henley Standard.

> Our candidate in Winchester is Steve Brine

Win £500 by predicting Crewe and Nantwich

PoliticsHome are offering a £500 prize for the person who most accurately predicts the winner of the Crewe and Nantwich by-election.  Click here to take part.

Labrokes, incidentally, have suspended betting on the race.  A spokesman said: "If the Parties were boxers they wouldn't be allowed in the same ring at the moment. It is so uncompetitive that politics punters have given up."

PS Just a thought but did ITV's Headcases provide inspiration for Labour's C&N campaign?

Tories 13% ahead in Crewe and Nantwich

ICM put the Tories 8% ahead in its poll for Sunday's News of the World.

A poll by ComRes for today's Independent puts the Tories 13% ahead.  The Conservatives are on 48% and Labour are on 35%.  The poll confirms that C&N is a two horse race; the LibDems are on just 12%.

ComRes also found that Crewe & Nantwich's voters were very unimpressed with Gordon Brown... and very impressed with David Cameron:

***
The poll comes as the Tories highlight concern at more dirty tricks - possibly coming from Labour activists.  According to The Telegraph, there is concern that "Labour activists have been posing as Tories and calling voters at 4am. They are said to have told residents that Tories have been campaigning in Bentley cars."

***
Posted below are the some more images from the campaign trail, the bottom two taken by Michael Fabricant MP who is coordinating the involvement of MPs, Peers and MEPs.

Included in the pictures are MPs Owen Paterson, Peter Lilley, Adam Afriye, Robert Walter and Tobias Ellwood.  MPs have been involved in every aspect of the campaign: stuffing envelopes, writing out labels,
leafleting and canvassing.

A day trip to Crewe

8.04pm: Some random observations:

• This seat certainly appears like a two-horse race. No evidence of LibDem activity.
• Lots of Labour to Tory switchers. Switchers are citing a dislike for Brown as much as the 10p issue.
• Voters are volunteering their unhappiness at Labour's toffs campaign.  Stephan Shakespeare wrote earlier about Labour "weapons testing" in Crewe.  On today's evidence the weapons are only going to injure their creators.
• Not sure of the effectiveness of Labour's Alex Ferguson poster.  Not everyone supports MU!   One Arsenal supporter was very unhappy about it.
• One person told one of our team that they were definitely voting for "Tamsin Outhwaite"!
• Real evidence that voters have had enough of this campaign.  They've been 'Iowa'ed' with masses of leaflets, rings of the doobell and phone calls.  The quality of the Tory literature is the best the ConHome coach party have ever seen from our party but it's close to being too much of a good thing.
• Hat-tip to Islington Tories for providing 5 members of our party of 47.  (Promised them we'd mention that).
• This seat is definitely winnable because of the A1 operation being run by Stephen Gilbert and Eric Pickles.  We'll know on Friday morning if it was enough.
• Boris will be pleased that no alcohol was consumed on the homeward journey.

6.01pm: Most of the team before we got on the bus to return home at 5.30pm (click to enlarge):

2.52pm: Should have mentioned that most of us were out canvassing/ leafletting within ten minutes of arriving at our "sector HQ" - it's a very efficient operation here... but not everyone wanted our literature:

1.36pm: All activists are now on the campaign trail - delivering leaflets or canvassing.  No stopping for lunch.  We all ate on the coach.  Our base camp is a pub which is displaying posters for all three main parties.  Some disappointment here that that doesn't include posters of Miss Great Britain.

The ConHome coach is on its way to Crewe.  47 passengers.  4 boxes of Krispy Kremes consumed (48 donuts).  9 copies of The Sunday Times being read.  Six Sunday Telegraphs.  Two Mail on Sundays.  One Observer.  According to reliable reports there were 400 Conservative activists in the constituency yesterday.  Tamsin Dunwoody could only boast of half as many Labour activists.  Will report more as the day progresses.  This is the current view from the 'Hare Express' (although there are a few tortoises on board):

Some Labour literature from Crewe focusing on the 10p tax issue

Pasted below is a selection of Labour's Crewe literature as discovered on the 'By-Elections Blogspot'.

The leaflet at the top focuses on Alistair Darling's tax u-turn but an ICM poll for the News of the World suggests the voters of Crewe and Nantwich are unimpressed:

The Tory lead in the seat is 8% according to the same poll.

Are you proud of this, Mr Brown?

This is the only thing on the entry page of the Crewe and Nantwich Labour website:

 

Hat-tip to commenter andy s.

Five proofs that Labour is the new nasty party

Following on from earlier pieces by Jon Harris (in The Guardian) and Simon Chapman and Greg Hands MP (on CentreRight.com), Peter Oborne has today used his Saturday Mail column to wonder if Labour is the new nasty party.  He offers five main proofs:

• The greed of New Labour: "Thanks to the recent publication of memoirs by John Prescott, Cherie Blair and Lord Levy, it is becoming obvious to everyone the extent to which New Labour has been driven by private greed and personal vendetta, rather than decency and public duty.  To underline this point, it was revealed last week that the Blairs have purchased their seventh home - a £4million mansion in Buckinghamshire. The truth is that Tony and Cherie Blair can afford their growing property portfolio purely because they have both ruthlessly exploited the office of prime minister for purposes of self-enrichment."
• The mudthrowing Ken Livingstone: "The campaign to keep Ken Livingstone in office as London mayor, as I have repeatedly highlighted in this column, was dominated by systematic lying and blatant corruption, as well as by the use of unfair personal attacks on his Conservative rival Boris Johnson".
• Class war in Crewe and Nantwich: "Labour has cynically decided not to fight on policy issues. Instead, party bosses have ordered a series of cheap and shoddy attacks on the Conservative candidate Edward Timpson.  For example, fake photographs are being distributed of him wearing a top hat. Labour campaign literature also contains pictures of what is described as his 'big mansion house' just outside the constituency.  This is nothing more than malicious class war."
• Labour's race-based campaign in Crewe: "Dunwoody is circulating a 'Tory candidate application form' around Nantwich. It asks: "Do you oppose making foreign nationals carry an ID card?"  Actually, as Dunwoody well knows, the Tories are opposed to ID cards for all citizens, and not just for foreigners. As such, Labour is spotlighting this one very narrow aspect about foreigners in order to press the racist button with voters."
• Brown is responsible for this: "All the evidence shows that Labour's disgusting electioneering methods come from the very top.  Last September, I listened in shock as Gordon Brown utilised the language of the British National Party to promise 'British jobs for British workers' in his first speech as Labour leader at his party conference."

In other news from Crewe and Nantwich...

David Cameron was overheard promising to go canvassing in Nuneaton.  He meant to say, of course, that he was about to go canvassing in Nantwich.  The Guardian's Michael White was there to record the Conservative leader's slip but also, more importantly, his reaction:

"All public figures make such slips. It matters more when a visiting dignitary - preferably a US president - gets the name of a small country wrong live on national TV. No chance of a retake there.

What was interesting was Cameron's own response. As I recall it he raised his hands in mock-horror, turned around without pausing and stuck his head in the nearest bush. I thought it was funny, both self-deprecating and self-confident, a Monty Python-inspired moment.

We like our politicians to be human (not too human, mind you), and most try to be, albeit with varying success. I thought this was a glimpse of how Dave must be with his kids and thought the better of him for it."

So, even if we don't win C&N, the Pythonesque-Cameron has at least won the affection of a Guardian journalist.

PS Iain Dale is just back from Crewe and has written a list of observations including "I didn't see a single LibDem or Labour campaigner on the streets in the entire time I was there."

Labour in Crewe are hiding their leaflets and their candidate from journalists

Our campaign team in Crewe and Nantwich is telling us that Labour are "hiding" their leaflets from journalists!  Reporters are repeatedly asking our campaign team for copies of Labour leaflets.  Labour are, it seems, very aware that their class-based campaigning is going down like a lead balloon.  They are also hiding Tamsin Dunwoody from TV journalists to avoid any more interviews like this.

Pasted below are the front and back pages of a new leaflet being distributed by the Conservatives.  A large newspaper - entitled 'Change' - is also being distributed.  We hope to publish extracts of that later, or tomorrow.

PS Sunday's ConservativeHome 48 seater coach is fully-booked.  If you still want to help but can't physically get to C&N please email campaign.support@conservatives.com and volunteer to do some telephone canvassing.

LibDems abandon Crewe for Henley

It's becoming increasingly clear that the Liberal Democrats have more or less abandoned Crewe and Nantwich.  They are still working a couple of wards according to Tory sources so they achieve a respectable result but they know that only the Conservatives or Labour can win the seat.

This is obviously good news for the campaign in Crewe but we must get on with selecting our candidate in Henley.  Henley isn't included in the new tranche of selecting seats - just released.  Why are we waiting?  The LibDems have just adopted their candidate.  We shouldn't be giving him the opportunity to make inroads.

Anyway, back to Crewe:

Confirming what Eric Pickles told ConservativeHome yesterday, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson MP has also passed us this (Owen's North Shropshire seat borders Crewe and Nantwich):

"When I canvassed in Crewe for Patrick Rock in the 1980s, as an eager beaver, it was somewhat disheartening to be told to f*** off by staunch Labour supporters.  It was quite extraordinary last night to meet Labour voters who are openly switching.

A 40 year old woman told me: "My family have been trade unionists and Labour for 100 years - my Granny would turn in her grave but we're voting Conservative this time."

A 35 year old man told me: "I've voted Labour all my life but they can stick it this time."

Alternatively, they are clearly stating that they are undecided but are reading our literature and admitting that they like what they read about our candidate.  It must be unprecedented that busy, hard working people are spending so much time reading our leaflets so carefully when in so many other elections I have helped with, they have put them straight in the bin.  In the brand new estates where I picked up the quotes last night, the Labour toff attack is backfiring miserably, the attitude being that "If Edward Timpson has made a success of his life then good for him - that's what it's all about." Labour are also losing support by telephone canvassing with real aggression.  I am genuinely looking forward to getting back as soon as possible after Northern Ireland Questions.  Crewe and Nantwich has always been known locally as a Labour seat but I have never had such a reception as I had last night."

Related video: Labour's Crewe candidate repeatedly refuses to say if Gordon Brown is an asset to her campaign

Seven (mainly plum) seats start selecting

1. Bournemouth West
2. Cannock Chase
3. Castle Point
4. Halesowen and Rowley Regis
5. Old Bexley and Sidcup
6. Rochester and Strood
7. Westmorland and Lonsdale      

According to CCHQ:

• "The closing date for these applications is midday on Friday 30th May.
• Only applications on the standard CV template (attached to this email) will be accepted.  Please only use this template.
• Once complete, TWO signed copies of the standard CV template should be sent to Gareth Fox at The Candidates Team, CCHQ, 30 Millbank, London    SW1P 4DP.  You must comply with this.
• The CV should run to no more than 2 pages plus the 1 page cover sheet. Any CVs submitted that do not meet this criteria will not be accepted.  These pages must be stapled.
• Please do not include photographs on your CVs.
• Emailed CVs are not acceptable, they must be hard copies."

Flyde will be in the autumn, we understand.  More on Henley in a few minutes...

Tory campaign in Crewe emphasises tax and soaring living costs

Nine days until Crewe and Nantwich vote.  On CentreRight yesterday evening Louise Bagshawe described the buzz of activity on the ground.  Today's national newspapers also carry a number of reports on this important by-election.  David Cameron was there again yesterday and attacked Labour's attempt to fight a class war-based campaign.  Labour do, however, now appear to be retreating a little from this much-derided approach.  Google click ads paid for by Labour were entitled 'Tory Boy Timpson'.  They are now using 'Tamsin Dunwoody - one of us' instead.  ...Even though she lives in Wales!  Labour are also having problem with their candidate's name.  They've corrected it now but they mis-spelt Tamsin as Tamsyn on the official campaign website:

It's not as bad as the "excellance for all" that recently appeared on one Labour site.

Ben Brogan noted yesterday that all frontbenchers risk their job if they don't campaign at least three times.  Candidates are also under pressure.  They received this message from John Maples MP:

"We expect those candidates to help unless you have some compelling excuse.  We are keeping a record of who helps and how much, so make sure you stay in our good books!"

One candidate who has been active in Crewe described the email as "clumsy bullying".

37 people have now pledged to come on the ConservativeHome London to Crewe coach.  There's still room for more!  If you cannot make it to Crewe & Nantwich in person, you can help out either at the CCHQ call centre or by making calls from home. To confirm, please send an e-mail to campaign.support@conservatives.com with “call centre” or “home calls” in the subject line.

Posted below is a latest Tory leaflet.  The two-sided communication targets the bread and butter issues of tax and living costs.  Click on the images to enlarge them.

Another Labour MP quits

On Saturday we noted that Chris Mullins was quitting the Sunderland Central seat.

We learn today that another Labour MP - David Taylor is also quitting.

These are both signs that Labour MPs - forbidden by Labour rules from 'chicken running' to safer seats - are, perhaps, fearful of losing their seats when opinion polls are putting the Conservatives so far ahead.

In any case it's good news for Lee Martin in Sunderland and Andrew Bridgen in Leicestershire NW.  Both will find it easier to unseat a Labour candidate without any incumbency advantage.

Do email us if you hear of other MPs 'standing down'.

Statement from Sir Robert Atkins MEP

Yesterday we featured a News of the World story about Tory MEPs and their allegedly "greedy" use of expenses and allowances.  Sir Robert Atkins MEP was featured prominently in the NotW and we invited him to respond.  This is his reply, just emailed to us:

"My wife Dulcie was a qualified secretary when I met her in 1968.   For 30 years, during my time as an MP, Minister and MEP, she has been my full-time secretary, paid the market rate.   This has always been openly declared and well-known.

She has also been active in the community for many years, as is the case with many thousands of local councillors who give of their time, over and above their normal working environment.   Dulcie is no different, except perhaps that she works during too much of her “leisure” time!

My son worked full-time in Brussels for a period after leaving University and was paid at the same – if not slightly lower rate – as other Parliamentary assistants of his age and experience.   He was head-hunted away on a much higher salary and ceased working for me in 2004.

These employments were legally contracted and registered with the Parliamentary authorities, who have approved and audited them each year."

Even Labour activists are disowning their party's campaign in Crewe

Even LabourHome is admitting that Gordon Brown's Crewe by-election campaign is "disgusting":

"The class warfare stuff, although cheap, is bording just about acceptable; but one thing horrified me (on an election leaflet): "Do you oppose making foreign nationals carry and ID card?"  Regardless of the fact that I oppose ID cards in anyway, shape or form (the mere idea is distinctly alien to Britain) - "making", "foreign nationals" is the language of the [far] right."

Simon Chapman used a post on CentreRight to note Labour's playing of the race card.

Saturday's Daily Mail highlighted Labour's class war attacks on David Cameron and Edward Timpson.

...But don't just blog - do something!!  ICM puts us 4% ahead in Crewe but only a lot of work will guarantee victory.

At the time of posting this there are 27 people signed up to join the ConservativeHome coach trip from London to Crewe this coming Sunday, 18th May although a good number of others are making their way to the by-election from other parts of the country.  It would be great to get closer to 40 for the coach.  We'll be leaving Westminster at about 9am on Sunday.  Please email us if you'd like to come along and contribute to what we hope will be the first Tory by-election gain for 26 years.

News of the World attacks "greedy" Tory MEPs

Both the News of the World and the Independent on Sunday spotlight MEPs today - particularly Tory MEPs - and the benefits they receive for being parliamentarians.

The top target for the News of the World is Sir Robert Atkins:

"Tory toff North West MEP Sir Robert Atkins, pictured above, has admitted paying his pensioner wife Lady Dulcie Mary Atkins, also pictured above, over £30,000 a year as his secretary. She squeezes this role in alongside her work as a busy member of Wyre Borough Council, and Garstang Town Council, as well as holding down a string of community and charitable commitments. But Sir Robert is generous with public funds—our records show that back in 2002 HIS SON James was also on the payroll at £2,513.23 a month."

Asked to explain these payments, Sir Robert Atkins told the News of the World: "It's very complicated and I don't suppose any of your readers would understand it."  We're happy to give this page to Sir Robert to provide an explanation of this use of taxpayers' money.  We'll print what he sends us in full, unedited.

Also under scrutiny from the NotW is Giles Chichester MEP, leader of the party's delegation:

"South West MEP Giles Chichester, has now admitted paying his wife Virginia up to £30,000 as a PART-TIME assistant.  He is also paying up to £30,000 of taxpayers' cash to his family firm Francis Chichester Ltd which publishes maps and guide books.  He claims that the company provides him with secretarial help."

The Sunday Times had spotlighted Mr Chichester and Den Dover MEP in March.

Today's Independent on Sunday also questions the integrity of Tory and other MEPs.  Reporter Andy Rowell lists a number of cases of MEPs taking gifts from industries they are paid to regulate.  Giles Chichester, again, and Malcolm Harbour MEP are questioned by the newspaper:

• "[Malcolm Harbour] is a leading figure in the debate on carbon dioxide and fuel efficiency in Brussels. Since 2004, Mr Harbour has been loaned 18 cars by the industry. Also courtesy of the car industry, he has attended Grand Prix races and received cross-country driving instruction.  Provided they declare any interest, MEPs are not breaking any regulations. Mr Harbour says he drives cars because he needs "to understand what is going on, and I declare it as I feel that I have nothing to hide"."
• "Giles Chichester, Tory leader in the parliament, is also president of the European Energy Forum, which promotes the interests of the oil, gas and nuclear industries. In May 2007, he was the guest of nuclear company Areva at the America's Cup race off Valencia. Mr Chichester says the trip had no bearing on his long-held pro-nuclear views."

David Cameron recently won a battle with MEPs to force them to disclose more about their pay and expenses.  But, given today's revelations, a commitment to transparency may not be enough.  Certain practices may need to be outlawed.

> News of the World video here.

Chris Mullin quits in face of the Tories' 'Sunderland surge'

The Sunderland Echo is reporting that veteran Labour MP Chris Mullin won't be contesting the new Sunderland Central seat at the next General Election.  Mr Mullin had been adopted for the seat but appears to have had a change of heart.

Has it got anything to do with the Tories' 'Sunderland surge'?  Ten years ago the Conservatives had just four seats on Sunderland council.  They now have 22, gaining five more at the local elections.  Labour have 48 seats.

The projected Labour majority is a large 9,040 for Sunderland Central but if you add up the votes in the nine wards that voted on 1st May and make up the seat you get the following numbers:

• Conservative 10,573 (40%)
• Labour 8,099 (31%)
• Liberal Democrat 3,788 (14%)
• BNP 2,845 (11%)
• Independent 1,203 (5%)

Those familar with election nights will know that Sunderland Central is likely to be the first seat to declare.  It would be quite something if Lee Martin - our candidate pictured below with David Cameron and (right) Cllr Peter Wood (Wearside Chairman) is the first declared MP of the next Parliament.  Our MEP in the region, Martin Callanan, describes Cllr Martin as "star quality".  Good luck to Lee.

Meet Edward Timpson... the next Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich?

With your help he could be.  ConservativeHome is organising a coach next Sunday (18th) from London to Crewe.  We've got about twenty people who have said 'yes' so far to joining us.  Please click here for information about coming along too.

CCHQ mustn't delay Henley by-election

We know that there is going to be a by-election for Boris Johnson's Henley seat.  David Cameron confirmed as much during his press conference on Tuesday.

The LibDems are already gearing up.  They've started a lively website, opened a campaign HQ and they plan to select their candidate on Monday.

The party is understandably focused on the Crewe campaign - as are we - but let's not delay for long.  We don't want the LibDems building up a head of steam.  Let's select a local person and let's select that person quickly.

Fancy a coach trip to Crewe and Nantwich?

Please email us if you're available on Sunday 18th May to travel with fellow ConservativeHome readers from London up to Crewe for a day of campaigning.

We are planning on hiring a coach - ideally with wireless!

PS The Tory website for the campaign is here.

Tory grassroots seek parliamentary candidates with distinctive skills, history of loyalty to party, of any gender

In ConservativeHome's end-April survey of the Tory grassroots we asked party members to rate the importance of various characteristics when it comes to the selection of Conservative candidates for parliamentary seats.

The graphic on the right summarises the results.

At the end of the survey we also asked an open question as to other characteristics that would be important in a selection.  Here are some of the verbatim responses to that open question, (chosen to be representative of the replies given):

1. Speaking straight, without the jargon
2. Knowledge of the particular area. If yellow stronghold then knowledge of them important.
3. Proof they are actually Conservative and not just a careerist jumping on the Conservaitive party Bandwagon to further their own careers through a political medium.
4. Not from the political class
5. A successful life outside politics!
6. Willingness to work and lead instead of talk!   
7. Must be prepared to do what is best for their constituency above political ideolgy or party loyalty.
8. Evidence of achievement outside politics, eg running a successful business, charity work, overcoming a big disadvantage or challenge in life.
9. Must be capable of original thinking, not just a clone.
10. Hard-working.
11. Sadly, ability to look/sound good on TV.
12. The ability to form a strong, loyal, and enthusiastic group of workers around them.
13. Aptitude for holding executive to account, not just as potential Minister.
14. Prepared to be seen about the constituency on a very regular basis.
15. Ability to relate to people at all social levels.

A hunger for candidates from outside of politics was noticeable.  Westminster village candidates beware!