This is the latest news that ConservativeHome has on the candidates' front:
- A-LIST TOP-UP. The A-list top-up is likely to take place at the end of July (26th to 28th) and the main issues to be resolved are (1) the size of the top-up and (2) whether the names on the top-up will be announced. On (1) the top-up might be as large as 100 additional names. On (2) if the names are kept secret (which is, reportedly, not what Francis Maude wants) then ConservativeHome will have another busy week...
- NEXT TRANCHES OF SEATS. 35 very different seats were released to A-listers in the first wave of selecting constituencies. Smaller tranches are expected to be released from now on, but more frequently.
A-LISTERS. Four A-listers have been selected so far: Mel Stride (pictured) in Central Devon (a horrible name for a beautiful constituency); Pauline Latham in Mid Derbyshire; Andrea Leadsom in Northamptonshire South; and Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones in Chippenham. Two women, one black man and a social entrepreneur is a good start for the A-list.
- LOCAL CANDIDATES. CCHQ is to be congratulated on the way they are allowing local candidates to apply for first-tranche-seats. This flexibility has meant that seats like Selby and B&C have chosen non-A-listers but it has also avoided big constituency-v-CCHQ confrontations. The one fly in the ointment is the slowness with which certain would-be-local-candidates are getting to Parliamentary Assessment Boards. Without a PAB passport local candidates cannot apply to their local associations. ConservativeHome is aware of at least three people who have been 'excluded' from selections in this way. More associations should, perhaps, follow the lead of Truro and Falmouth whose Assn postponed their selection in order for six people with Cornish connections to have the time to attend PABs. All three final candidates for Lewes are non-A-list locals.
