Reports that Pauline Latham, a Derby Councillor, has been selected to fight Mid-Derbyshire have now been confirmed. She beat off thirty other candidates, the vast majority of whom also being "A-listers". Matthew Parris chaired proceedings, in a selection process that Pauline described as "rigorous".
UK Polling Report describes the new constituency as:
"An unusually shaped seat, snaking around the North-East of Derby and including the town of Belper. Likely to be a Conservative seat but with the potential of a Labour challenge."
This is perhaps further evidence of the first tranche of seats being tailored to match up with local A-list activists . Pauline fought the nearby seat of Broxtowe in 2001 (also in the first tranche of 35 seats), with a 0.78% swing against her, and the European seat of East Midlands in 1999.
Deputy Editor
