ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog

David Gold selected for Eltham

David Gold has been selected tonight for Eltham.  Approximately 140 people turned up for the open primary meeting - the first in London - hosted by Michael Portillo.  David beat two non A-listers - Jackie Doyle-Price (PPC Sheffield Hillsborough 2005) and Eric Ollerenshaw (former Greater London Assembly member).  He won more than 50% of the ballot in the first round.  Eltham is currently held by Labour with a majority of over 3,000 but positive boundary changes make it a likely Tory gain at the next General Election.

Broadland selection

Keith Simpson, MP for Mid Norfolk, has survived the boundary changes - he has been selected to stand in the new blue Broadland seat (reports Iain Dale).

UK Polling Report describes the constituency as:

"A new Norfolk seat drawing electors from the existing Mid-Norfolk seat, Norwich North and the oversized Norfolk North. Broadland will be a Conservative seat, but the substantial Labour vote gives the Liberals the potential to squeeze the third party vote and make Broadland into a potential Liberal Democrat target. Notional 2005 result – C 20,037 L 11,630 LD 14,916 Oth 1,927 Conservative Majority 5,121".

Deputy Editor

Bury South selection

Bury South selected local candidate Michelle Wiseman (pictured) over A-lister Carolyn Abbott last night. Michelle is a Councillor for the affluent Whitefield area, and was said to have been the clear favourite.

The seat, held by Ivan Lewis with a Labour majority of almost 9000, received just the two applications.

Deputy Editor

Richard Drax selected for South Dorset

Another non A-lister.  Another man.  Another local candidate.  More tomorrow.

Final three for South Dorset

Two A-listers Rebecca Harris and Hannah Parker will face local landowner Richard Drax tomorrow night at the final selection meeting for South Dorset.

Stafford shortlist

Stafford Conservatives have selected their shortlist of candidates who will go through to a primary on August 11th:

Jeremy Lefroy - the non-A-lister of the three, Councillor and 2005 parliamentary candidate for nearby Newcastle-under-Lyme, he is also Treasurer of NuL's Conservative Association and a co-founder of Equity for Africa.

Andrew Stephenson  - Macclesfield Councillor, well known in Conservative Future, Chairman of Tatton Conservative Association and Area Officer for Cheshire and Wirral, also has the Sefton Central open primary the day before.

Maggie Punyer - former Chair of the local Staffordshire Conservatives group, fought Harrogate and Knaresborough in 2005 and Burton in 2001 (although the Conservative share of the vote dropped in both), didn't get through to the last round of the Staffordshire Moorlands selection.

This Lab/Con marginal was held by Bill Cash before David Cameron unsuccessfully fought it in 1997. This time around it will probably take less than the national swing to defeat David Kidney's 2121 majority.

Deputy Editor

Alok Sharma selected for Reading West

ConservativeHome hears that there was a non-A-list shortlist in Reading West: Anne Crampton, Alok Sharma and Cllr Emma Webster. Reading Councillor Andrew Cumpsty was put through to the last four but it was decided to only have three candidates at the final stage.

Alok, the winning candidate, lives with his family in Caversham and is the second selected candidate from an ethnic minority (without the help of the A-list). He is the son of Dr Prem Sharma, who is President of Reading East Conservative Association and founder of both the India Development Trust and Conservative Parliamentary Friends of India.

It will take a 5.79% swing to beat Martin Salter's 4980 Labour majority.

Deputy Editor

Final three for Worcester

UNCONFIRMED but I am hearing that two non A-listers have got to the final three for Worcester - Paul Uppal and Robin Walker - and they will take on A-lister Emma Moffett.

Jacob Rees-Mogg selected for Wansdyke

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a non A-lister, has been selected for North East Somerset (currently Wansdyke + boundary changes).  He beat A-Listers Fiona Kemp and Ashley Gray.

According to Anthony Wells it will have a notional Tory majority of 234:

"Currently held by Labour MP Dan Norris. The name of the seat is changed to reflect the abolition of the old Wansdyke council. The addition of the Conservative Bathavon North ward should make this seat notionally Conservative.  Notional 2005 result – C 16,229 L 15,995 LD 8,618 Oth 1,346 Conservative majority 234 (0.6%)."

Since the A-list was introduced 16 candidates have been adopted.  6 of these have been non-A-listers (37.5%).  5 have been women (31.2%).  Central Office's target for women (as revealed in an email leaked to ConservativeHome) selected in the first round was 20 out of 35 (57.1%).

Final three for Eltham

'Dizzy' reveals that Jackie Doyle-Price (PPC Sheffield Hillsborough 2005), David Gold (PPC Brighton Pavillion 2005) and Eric Ollerenshaw (former Greater London Assembly member) are the finalists for Eltham. 

David Gold is the only A-lister for this selection.

The winner will emerge after an open primary vote has been held on 31st July - at an event to be hosted by Michael Portillo.  Sefton Central is also holding an open primary.

Mike Weatherley selected for Hove

Non A-lister Mike Weatherley - a Crawley councillor -  beat three A-listers to become the Tory candidate for Hove.

Nicholas Boles reduced the Labour majority in the seaside seat to just 420 at the last General Election.

Mike Weatherley was the PPC for Brighton Pavillion in 2005.

Since the A-list was introduced 5 of 15 selecting constituencies have chosen non A-listers (see rolling record).

Anna Soubry selected for Broxtowe

A-lister Anna Soubry was selected in Broxtowe last night - beating the other two finalists, David Gold and Bruce Laughton.

Anna fought Gedling in 2005 and was in the Mid Derbyshire final last month (won by Pauline Latham).

Later today I will try to establish how well the closed primary system worked.

Exactly a third of all Tory parliamentary candidates - selected so far - are women.

Harriett Baldwin selected for West Worcestershire

A good day for the A-list and a good day for women on the A-list.  Earlier today Karen Bradley was selected for Staffordshire Moorlands and ConservativeHome has just learnt that Harriett Baldwin has been adopted for West Worcestershire.

ConservativeHome has broken the news to Bernard Jenkin MP, Deputy Chairman for Candidates.  He warmly welcomed the news:

"This is still early days for the A-list but I am pleased that excellent candidates are being selected in the target seats.  I am delighted to see Harriett and Karen selected today.  They will be great Members of Parliament."

Harriett works for J P Morgan and hosted a fundraiser on Wednesday night for the Centre for Social Justice.  She was second in the race to succeed Michael Howard in Folkestone & Hythe.

THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN SELECTED SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRIORITY LIST NOW EQUALS 30.8%.

13th September update: Harriett Baldwin's website

Karen Bradley selected for Staffordshire Moorlands

A-lister Karen Bradley has been selected for Staffordshire Moorlands.  Anthony Wells estimates that this seat now has a notional Conservative majority of 1,035.

Karen's selection will be a relief for CCHQ after a string of men had been selected in other seats.  Karen worked in the CCHQ Policy Unit before the last election and, as a tax specialist, has advised George Osborne and Theresa Villiers.  She wrote this piece for ConservativeHome - on Winning in the land of the Liberal Democrats - before May's local elections.

ConservativeHome will update the 'running score' of selections after West Worcestershire has chosen later today.

Damian Collins selected for Folkestone & Hythe

About 300 local Tories have chosen Damian Collins for Folkestone & Hythe to replace Michael Howard as the Conservative candidate.

Laura Sandys led at the executive stage but was eliminated first last night.  Harriet Baldwin gave a very impressive performance but "her undoing", according to my source, "was that she couldn't commit to move to the area full time initially - she offered 3 days a week, which many members saw as an open invitation to the Lib Dems to depict her as a Londoner visiting the constituency to get votes rather then because she cared".  Harriet now moves on to the final selection at West Worcestershire.

ConservativeHome congratulates Damian - an A-lister and employee of M&C Saatchi.  Thanks to the hard work of Michael Howard over recent years - in turning the tide on the LibDem threat in F&H - Damian inherits one of the party's safest seats.

This just in from the Bow Group (11am, 14 July):

"One ex-Bow Group Officer hands over to another in Folkestone:

Michael Howard MP ex Chairman in 1970 hands over to Damian Collins Political Officer (2003).  This continues a long tradition of Bow Group officers getting into parliament. There have been about 50 Bow Group officers who have made it into parliament in the last 30 years including, Justine Greening, Tobias Ellwood, John Penrose, Peter Lilley,  Cheryl Gillian, Lord Howe, Lord Lamont, Lord Heseltine.  The recent crop of Bow Group officers now being tipped for the future include: Sam Gyimah (A-lister), Kwasi Kwarteng, Chris Philp and Charlotte Leslie."

Sefton Central shortlist

The new seat of Sefton Central - very similar to that of Crosby but a little bit more Conservative - will be fought by one of the following:

1. Alf Doran - Councillor in Formby, stood in West Lancs in 2005
2. Debi Jones - a well-known local personality, fought the seat of Crosby last time and recently became a local Councillor with a big swing
3. Adrian Owens - a Councillor in West Lancs, was candidate for South Ribble in 2001 (being succeeded by Lorraine Fullbrook), has written for YourPlatform
4. Andrew Stephenson - young A-list Councillor in Macclesfield

Just one candidate, an A-lister, didn't make it through to this stage. The selection will be in the form of an open primary on August 10th.

Final three for Staffordshire Moorlands

Two A-listers - Karen Bradley and Heather Wheeler - will take on non A-lister Benjamin Browning (PPC for Stoke North at the last two General Elections) this Saturday for the seat of Staffordshire Moorlands.

With other races in Folkestone & Hythe, West Worcestershire and Broxtowe also choosing in the next few days it will be a 'super July weekend' for candidate selection.  Hove will select on 18th July.

If you have information on other seat selections please email Tim and Sam.

Final three for Broxtowe's closed primary

Two A-listers - Anna Soubry and David Gold - and one other candidate - Bruce Laughton - are through to the final of the Broxtowe selection.

Broxtowe has chosen a 'closed primary' to choose its candidate to face the sitting Labour MP, Nick Palmer.  This closed primary will take place on 17th July and will be open to all members of the public who are prepared to register as Conservative supporters.  Invitations to register are being advertised in local newspapers and through leaflets by the Broxtowe Conservative Association.  A closed primary is a half-way house between the current model where members only select the candidate and an open primary where any local person can attend - including, potentially, members of opposition parties.

Lorraine Fullbrook's police merger victory vindicates 'Pick 'em early' tactic

The Government's police merger plans look in serious trouble this morning after the only two police forces that had opted for a voluntary merger - the Cumbria and Lancashire Constabularies - announced a change of mind.  Home Secretary John Reid, who inherited this unpopular policy from his predecessor, may scrap the whole plan soon - another defeat for Labour's regionalisation mania.

The Lancashire and Cumbria decision is a big victory for the party's prospective parliamentary candidate for South Ribble, Lorraine Fullbrook (pictured above with David Davis).  Whilst the sitting Labour MP for South Ribble was misleading his constituents Lorraine has consistently questioned claims by local police chiefs that the merger would have no significant impact on council tax and that start-up costs would be manageable.  She has resisted these claims, exposed a shoddy consultation exercise that purported to show public sympathy for the merger and campaigned against the closure of the Lancashire Constabulary's Preston HQ.  She has also raised concerns about the operational consequences of a merger.  She feared "a damaging reduction in performance, a collapse in neighbourhood policing, and a significant loss of accountability". 

Last night Lorraine was jubilant:

"This is a victory for commonsense. When I first challenged the Police Authority they said that I didn't know what I was talking about. Yet, I was the only person to consistently and persistently challenge all their bland and misleading promises that the proposed merger would cost nothing and would be good for the people I hope to represent in Parliament after the next election."

Lorraine is one of 22 candidates that were fast-tracked (all listed within this post) before the introduction of the A-list.  Part of David Burrowes' recent analysis of candidate performance was that early selection yielded better results.  Lorraine's sustained campaign against police mergers has brought her significant additional recognition in South Ribble and vindicates the general proposition that candidates - local or otherwise - need time to win community support.

The last three for West Worcestershire

1. Harriet Baldwin
2. Andrew Griffiths
3. Margot James

The final selection will be next Saturday - 15th July.

The last six for West Worcestershire

The last six for the West Worcestershire seat are all A-listers (as is the case for Folkestone & Hythe):

1. Harriett Baldwin (also in the last three for F&H)
2. David Gold (3.22pm: pulled out and replaced by Louise Bagshawe)
3. Andrew Griffiths
4. Margot James
5. Mark Pawsey
6. Heather Wheeler.

The seat is currently held by Sir Michael Spicer MP, who is retiring.  Three candidates will emerge from tonight's selection meeting and the final selection will be on 15th July (two days after F&H).

Jason Sugarman is selected for Lewes

Criminal barrister Jason Sugarman (a non A-lister) was selected as the Tory candidate for Lewes last night.  His parents live in the constituency and he was a district councillor in Lewes.  Liberal Democrat Norman Baker held the seat at the last General Election with a majority of 8,474.

Mr Sugarman fought Dudley South in 2001. 

Mr Sugarman beat Anne Marie Morris at last night's selection meeting - attended by nearly 150 local Tories.  Another contender, Mike Weatherly, had pulled out of the race in order to focus on the Hove selection.

Are local associations ageist?

The Conservative Party's A-list was designed to address the alleged reluctance of local associations to adopt women and people from minority backgrounds but Howard Flight is now suggesting that ageism might be an additional problem.

On Sunday ConservativeHome broke the news that West Worcestershire had closed the door to the candidacy of A-lister (and local homeowner) Mr Flight. 

The former shadow cabinet minister has not swallowed the rejection quietly and has implicitly accused the party of ageism.  Interviewed for yesterday's World at One Radio 4 programme, Mr Flight complained that West Worcestershire "wanted a candidate who, on grounds of age, could be expected to serve at least two or three terms and therefore those who were above a certain age were ruled out."  Mr Flight noted that legislation outlawing ageism is about to come into effect and that 70% of Tory voters are aged over 55.

Writing on this site, Iain Dale made the case for the selection of older candidates in January of this year:

"We should be identifying successful businessmen in their fifties, retired chief constables, retired service personnel, charity chief executives, social entrepreneurs who’ve been there, done that. What about the likes of retired sportspeople and Conservative supporters like Trevor Brooking, Graham Gooch or Ian Botham? Imagine Graham Gooch standing in a marginal seat like Thurrock or Basildon or Ian Bothan standing in Batley & Spen. Wouldn’t they do better than a 26 year old ex CCO apparatchik? You bet they would."

Hove shortlist

The Brighton Argus has reported that three A-listers - Tariq Ahmad, Priti Patel and Simon Walker - will compete with Crawley councillor Mike Weatherley (PPC for Brighton Pavillion in 2005) for the target seat of Hove.

Leading party moderniser Nicholas Boles fought the seat at the last General Election but did not apply to be the Hove Tories' next candidate.

If you have information about a selection race please email ConservativeHome.

West Worcestershire closes door on Howard Flight

Howard Flight's hopes of a return to Parliament have suffered a significant setback after West Worcestershire - a seat in which he has a home - turned his application down.

Mr Flight's inclusion on the A-list was seen as compensation for his expulsion as an MP before the last General Election but the chances of any seat selecting him must now be in doubt.  He was also rejected by a poll of ConservativeHome readers.

Mr Flight was, of course, 'expelled' by Michael Howard and Iain Dale reveals the three finalists for the former Tory leader's Folkestone & Hythe seat.  They are Harriett Baldwin, Laura Sandys and Damian Collins.

Yorkshire prefers local candidate again

Fifty or so local Tories in the new seat of York Outer have just chosen Harrogate councillor Julian Sturdy to be their candidate at the next General Election.   It's the second time that Yorkshire Tories have preferred a local candidate to an A-lister (two weeks ago nearby Tories chose Nigel Adams for Selby and Ainsty).

Cllr Sturdy fought Scunthorpe in 2005 and is the son of Robert Sturdy MEP.  He beat two A-listers - Kevin Hollinrake and Julie Moody - to a seat with a notional LibDem majority of 1,821 according to Anthony Wells:

"After years of preferring to split urban seats into East/West or North/South divisions, York Outer is a surprising return to a 'donut' division - the new York Outer seat entirely encircles York Central. The seat itself will be a LibDem/ Conservative marginal, although there will also be a strong Labour presence. Notional 2005 result – C 13,764 L 9,768 LD 15,585 Oth 1,239 Liberal Democrat Majority 1,821 (4.5%)"

Since the advent of the A-list we have seen local candidates selected in three of eight selections.  Two out of the eight selections are women and one (Chippenham) is an ethnic minority candidate.  Tomorrow morning ConservativeHome will start publish a rolling list of selected candidates - including percentages of women and minority representatives adopted.  If anyone has a list of those candidates fast-tracked before David Cameron was elected please email it to me.  Received it now, thanks!

ConservativeHome can confirm that Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh (who loses her seats in boundary changes) did not apply for this seat.

I was surprised to hear that only fifty to sixty people attended today's York Outer selection.  It would be helpful to hear from other people about the number of members attending other selection meetings...