James Gray has secured his position as the Conservative MP/candidate for North Wiltshire today after local Party members voted in his favour, despite him spurning his cancer-stricken wife.
The question mark over Gray's future has deeply divided the local association, with talk of a rival candidate standing against him if he was reselected. If this threat was followed up - with funding from the jilted husband of the woman Gray had an affair with - his 5000 vote majority over the LibDems would look very precarious.
The Wiltshire North category of Seats and Candidates posts covers all the ins and outs of this saga since Gray was initially deselected in November.
Deputy Editor
4:30pm update: We've been asked to point out the image on the right is not from today. James Gray's reaction to the result is now copied below...
"I cannot tell you how grateful I am to the members of the North Wiltshire Conservative Association, nor how personally happy I am that I was reselected as the candidate for the new North Wiltshire Constituency in the secret ballot which was concluded on Tuesday. (My one regret is that the people of Chippenham, Corsham and the surrounding villages, who, of course will have their own new Constituency, were not able to play a part in the ballot. They need have no fear. I will be their unstinting MP until the day of the Election, and they will always share a place in my heart with all the people of North Wiltshire.) I have very much enjoyed - and am acutely aware of the honour and privilege inherent in - being your MP for ten years now, and am just so glad that this vote will mean that I can continue as it. I love both the constituency and Parliament and would have been devastated by the loss of either. And I so hope that I am right in thinking that the support of the voting members of the Conservative Party reasonably reflects the views of the wider electorate that despite the sad circumstances surrounding my divorce, you will want to support me by your vote in that General Election whenever it may be. There can be no denying that recent weeks have been turbulent, and I am of course very sorry that there are a group of people ( I think a fairly small group) who were not able to support me in that ballot. I think that they may come to regret some of the language and tactics which they have used in what has become rather a bitter campaign. But I want to make it plain to them and to all that I hold no grudges, and will want to work with all good men (and women) and true who espouse the Conservative cause, and who are ready to work for Conservative victories in Town, District, County, European and General Elections alike. I look forward to a Cameron-led Conservative Government in two or three years time; I believe that all members of the Association do as well, and I pledge to work with all of them towards that great goal. We must be proud of our democracy, tough as it can be at times. The members of the North Wiltshire Conservative Association used their democratic right to offer me their selection as Conservative candidate. In accepting that offer, I throw myself at the mercy of all of the voters of North Wilts, and will leave no stone unturned in the two or three years before the likely date of the election to demonstrate to them that I remain as committed and hardworking a local MP as I have always been. I am so grateful to you all for your help and support in this as in so many ways, and solemnly pledge to continue to do all I can for all of you in Westminster, in Whitehall and here in Wiltshire."
