ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog

Edwin Northover selected for Leyton and Wanstead

Edwin Northover was selected last night to stand in Leyton and Wanstead at the next general election.

He is 29, hails from Liverpool and read History at Merton College, Oxford. He is a corporate lawyer working in the City and just earlier in the month was elected to Waltham Forest Council for Larkswood ward with a majority of 1,140, securing 74% of the vote.

He said on his selection:

"I am humbled that the members have given me this chance to fight Leyton and Wanstead for the Party. Although we are in third place just behind the LibDems, I believe there is a real opportunity for us to make a mark here and I am looking forward to giving the other parties a run for their money.

"We're already off to a good start, helped by the fact that I live in the consituency, have fought two byelections in it in the last year and became a local councillor just two weeks ago... We're also being indirectly helped in our campaign by the sitting Labour MP who seems to think it is his right to spend taxpayers' money to take a second home in Colchester. Struggling families in Leyton and Wanstead are not impressed."

Leyton and Wanstead is represented by Harry Cohen, the Labour MP who recently responded to attacks on his considerable claims on allowances for a second home by saying: “I am almost certainly the most professional MP Leyton and Wanstead has ever had, and that includes Winston Churchill". He defends a notional majority of 7,253 over the Liberal Democrats, with the Conservatives starting close behind them in third place with 23% of the vote (according to the Rallings and Thasher figures).

Jonathan Isaby

Sachin Rajput selected for Brent Central

On Saturday, the Conservatives in the newly-drawn seat of Brent Central selected Sachin Rajput to contest the next general election.

Sachin is 30 years old, married, and a qualified barrister who has been a councillor in Barnet since 2006. He is currently chairman of the council's health and social care scrutiny committee and is also a member of the pan-London joint health overview and scrutiny committee. He was also Deputy Chairman (Political) of Hendon Conservative Association in the run-up to the 2005 general election.

Brent Central is a newly-created seat which comprises parts of all three exisitng Brent constituencies and will probably be unique at the next election in that two sitting MPs will be fighting for it: Dawn Butler for Labour and Sarah Teather for the Lib Dems. It has a notional Labour majority of 7,469 over the Lib Dems (according to the Rallings and Thrasher calculations), with the Conservatives starting in third place on a notional 13% of the vote.

Jonathan Isaby

Diary of a PPC: Leah Fraser (Wallasey)

This is the latest in ConservativeHome's new ongoing series in which each week a different PPC provides us with an insight into life as a candidate and gives us a flavour of their own campaign and interests. If you are a candidate and are keen to be featured, please email Jonathan Isaby.

This week’s diary is written by Leah Fraser, candidate for Wallasey on Merseyside. Leah fought the seat in 2005, reducing Labour MP Angela Eagle’s majority, and was reselected in November 2007. Leah was raised in the constituency and is also a councillor for the Liscard Ward of the constituency on Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. She first got involved in local politics when she set up a group to improve a play area in her community, eventually raising almost £100,000.  Married with two children, Leah is also a school governor and also keeps in touch with residents through Facebook, Twitter and her regular blog.

Save our services

Wirral has a Labour/Lib Dem-led Council.  Their decision to close 11 of the Borough’s libraries, along with plans to close leisure centres, museums and theatres, led to more than 50,000 people protesting against the cuts.  Many of the services the Council wishes to axe are in some of the most deprived parts of the Borough – including Seacombe in the Wallasey constituency. 

This is the last Labour-held ward in the constituency, the other five were won by us in May 2008 with around 53% of the constituency-wide vote.  Many people point to this result as evidence that the Council has no mandate for the cuts, particularly as no mention was made by Labour or the Lib Dems during the election campaign of their plans.

I called in to the Leasowe Recreation Centre on Sunday March 22 to meet with the organisers and members of the Disabled Swimming Club.  They are very concerned about the Council’s plans and, having not been consulted at all, they are rightly worried about their future.

Later in the week, on Friday, I was pleased to welcome Jeremy Hunt, our Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, back to Wallasey, following the Shadow Cabinet meeting in Preston.  This was his second visit to Wallasey in as many months.  Last time, he met with campaigners at the Wallasey Village library, one of the 11 set to close. 

Candidates receive poor service from CCHQ

A few days ago I had to call the Candidates' Department at CCHQ.  After a very friendly conversation with Shireen Ritchie I left two messages at CCHQ and never heard back.  Didn't think much of it but casually mentioned my experience to a friend who is on the candidates' list.  The reaction was volcanic.  "They treat us like sh*t... We are made to grovel towards those people... They never return our calls."  I mentioned my experience to another candidate and got the same kind of response.

On Thursday and Friday I emailed thirty-five candidates - none yet adopted - and surveyed them about their experience.  Thirty-one replied.

The first question I asked was the number of times they had to call the Candidates' Department in order to get a response.  The average number is 3.19.

I then asked them to say if various words captured their experience of the Department.  The word cloud below summarises the response:

The Candidates' Department has a lot of power.  This survey suggest they need to exercise that power in a much more generous way.

Tim Montgomerie

Caroline Jackson MEP "minded to leave" the Conservative Party over EPP exit

On Tuesday, retiring Conservative MEP Christopher Beazley announced he was seeking full membership of the federalist European Peoples' Party group in Brussels for his final couple of months there. It was a gesture of his opposition to the recent confirmation that David Cameron's long-standing pledge that the Conservatives will leave the group will become a reality after June's European elections.

Today, a second retiring europhile Tory MEP, Caroline Jackson, has spoken out against the move, and threatens to quit the Conservative Party altogether.

The South West MEP has told The Parliament magazine:

"Pulling out of the EPP was ridiculous, is a serious mistake and I am minded to leave the party... It is a serious mistake and will leave the UK even more semi-detached from the rest of Europe. The danger is that it will leave both the Tories and Britain isolated in Europe and the decision is simply not in the interests of either our party or the country."

If she did leave the party, she would be following the lead set by her husband, Robert Jackson, who quit the Conservative Party in 2005 for his final few months as MP for Wantage, opting to take the Labour whip instead.

Jonathan Isaby

Tony Devenish: An update on the European campaign in South East England

Tony Devenish is a Westminster councillor, a two-time parliamentary candidate and eighth on the list of candidates for South East England at June's European Parliament election. Here he gives us an update on that campaign.

If you are an MEP candidate and would like to write about the campaign in your region for ConservativeHome, please email Jonathan Isaby.

It’s nearly a year since ten candidates were selected to fight under the Conservative banner in the South East for the June 4th elections. Many ConHome readers will receive updates from sitting MEPs Dan Hannan, Richard Ashworth, Nirj Deva and James Elles, but I thought I’d take the opportunity to share my thoughts about the campaign to date here.

With Association Annual General Meetings on the go, things are hotting up across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex. The MEPs and the new candidates (Therese Coffey, Sarah Richardson, Richard Robinson, myself, Nina Kaariniemi and James Marc Brunel-Walker) all welcome feedback from ConHome readers; covering six and a half million electors within 84 parliamentary constituencies is a challenge!

Karen Tweed selected for Huddersfield

Karen Tweed has been selected to stand in Huddersfield at the next general election.

She is a former deputy chairman of Colne Valley Conservative Association and is a former council candidate for the Colne Valley ward on Kirklees council.

She said on her selection:

"I am proud and honoured to have been selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Huddersfield. I have lived in the Huddersfield area for over 25 years and I look forward to speaking up for Huddersfield in the months to come.  Across Kirklees you can see the results of 12 years of neglect from a Labour Government with unemployment on the rise, businesses struggling and development schemes being scrapped. I will be setting out the Conservatives vision for change and listening to the views of people across Huddersfield."

The seat has been held for Labour since 1983 by Barry Sheerman (who was MP for Huddersfield West between 1979 and 1983), who will defend a notional majority (after minor boundary changes) of 7,883 over the Liberal Democrats, according to the Rallings and Thrasher figures. The Conservatives start in third place on a notional 21% of the vote, 3% behind the Lib Dems.

Jonathan Isaby

Retiring MEP Christopher Beazley takes full membership of the EPP

Just a couple of months before retiring from Brussels, East of England MEP Christopher Beazley has announced that he is taking full - rather than just associate - membership of the federalist European Peoples' Party (with which the Conservaitve Party is to break all ties after June's elections to the European Parliament).

He is not, however, resigning the Conservative whip, which I understand he was contemplating, but was talked out of doing.

Mr Beazley has long been regarded as the most enthusiastic inegrationist within the Conservative group, having been a supporter of the Lisbon Treaty. As such, he has been on "defection watch" for some time, as pointed out by Tim when he failed to join all other Tory MEPs in declaring details of his expenses.

His decision has been prompted by the confirmation that David Cameron is to take Conservative MEPs out of the EPP - a decision he heavily criticised on a recent edition of Newsnight.

This morning Mr Beazley has told the East Anglian Daily Times:

"I am not resigning the whip but I will become a full member of the EPP grouping in the Parliament in my own right, rather than being an associate member which is the position now for Tory MEPs.

"This is the only policy with which I disagree with Mr Cameron. However, I cannot watch and say nothing while the Tories walk away from their allies, friends and colleagues in Europe. There is a Conservative pro-European argument and it has to be discussed, not smothered by anti-European hysteria in the party.

"I am terribly sad but I cannot watch my country head for the rocks, which it will do if Cameron becomes Prime Minister and has no allies in the major governments of the European Union."

Mr Beazley gets his minor moment in the limelight today, but he will soon be forgotten about. This gesture has a desperate last throw of the dice feel to it akin to MP Robert Jackson's defection to Labour just a few months before retiring from the Commons in 2005.

What he says about having no allies in major Right-of-Centre EU governments is, of course, abject nonsense. David Cameron already regularly has productive meetings with the likes of Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, and even set up working groups with both of their parties to discuss policy in areas of mutual interest.

Jonathan Isaby

Search for 100 Peers: Madsen Pirie

Here is the latest nomination in our series highlighting people David Cameron should consider appointing to the House of Lords.

If you would like to nominate someone, please email Jonathan Isaby with your suggestion, ideally including key arguments for the nomination as well as biographical information. The sources of nominations will be treated confidentially where requested.

No. 51: Dr Madsen Pirie

Russell Walters writes:

"I’d like to nominate Dr Madsen Pirie, President of the Adam Smith Institute, who has been a prominent and particularly effective advocate of free markets, especially during the 1979-97 Conservative Government.

"Originally a qualified Conservative agent turned councillor, he received 2 degrees and a PhD before working for the Republicans in the US Congress and lecturing in logic and philosophy. At the helm of the ASI he published numberless proposals that broke new ground in promoting markets, incentives, opportunities, privatisation and contracting out, many of which he drafted himself. Dr Pirie’s relentless optimism about freedom and intellectually pugnacious critiques of the public sector inspired Conservatives at every level in the 1980s and often beat a path the Government followed.

"Author of scholarly works on economics and public policy, as well as popular books on logic, Dr Pirie’s eloquence and grasp of the fundamentals of philosophy and policy would add weight and prestige to the Conservative team in the Lords.”

> Previous nomination: Michael Burleigh

Diary of a PPC: Andrew Bingham (High Peak)

This is the latest in ConservativeHome's new ongoing series in which each week a different PPC provides us with an insight into life as a candidate and gives us a flavour of their own campaign and interests. If you are a candidate and are keen to be featured, please email Jonathan Isaby.

This week's diary is written by Andrew Bingham, candidate for the High Peak constituency in Derbyshire. He fought the seat in 2005, reducing the majority of sitting Labour MP, Tom Levitt, from 4,489 to just 735, and he was reselected soon afterwards. Being born, brought up and still living in the constituency, Andrew is a true local candidate. He is also a councillor on High Peak Borough Council, being a Member of the Council’s Executive, with responsibility for Community and Social Development.  The High Peak boundary has changed for the next General Election, effectively making Andrew’s task harder by increasing the sitting Labour MP’s majority quite significantly.

Saturday 14th March 

I have been asked to speak on environmental issues at a Fair Trade show in the spectacular setting of the Dome in Buxton. Last year I spoke on Fair Trade and the use of child labour. Also last year, I was asked to model Fair Trade clothing. This year, however, the modeling was not required! The show consisted of Fair Trade exhibitors, a fashion show and talks given by a variety of speakers. As the last speaker, I was asked to speak for 10 minutes. I dealt with the environmental issues facing the world today and how we can look to rebuild the economy into a low carbon economy, harnessing all the British skills in technology to develop skills in the area that we can then export to the rest of the world.

After the Fair Trade exhibition it's back out on the streets knocking on doors. Today I am out with our County Councillor for Chapel & the Hope Valley, Cllr. Tracy Critchlow. We start working through the village of Dove Holes. The High Peak is, as its name suggests, high! Dove Holes is amongst the highest points of the area and there is a bitterly cold wind blowing through the village. By the time we are done, both Tracy & I are frozen, and retire home for a well earned hot drink. The feedback we get though is good and people seem genuinely pleased to see us.

Buxton has been selected for the Entente Florale – which is a European wide version of Britain in Bloom. This is a tribute to its efforts the previous year for the Britain in Bloom contest. It is a real feather is the cap of the town. However, the costs of entering are quite high. The Conservative-controlled High Peak Borough Council has put some money in, but more is required so a fundraising dinner is being held tonight. Hosted by the Mayor, the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire are also in attendance, together with the local MP. I attended the dinner both as the PPC and also as an Executive Member of High Peak Borough Council. Held at the refurbished Pavilion Gardens restaurant, we are treated to an excellent meal. The speaker was first class too. The speaker and the band both gave their services free of charge to help with the fundraising.

Caroline Righton and Adeela Shafi mark Mothering Sunday by explaining how their children have influenced their move into politics

To mark Mothering Sunday, two members of Women2Win who are both mothers and candidates selected to stand at the next general election explain how their children have influenced their move into politics.

Caroline Righton, PPC for St Austell and Newquay

My sons are now 27 and 19, so the last ten years of Labour have seen them through their teens and into adulthood. Challenging years at the best of times, but seemingly much more so with the issues facing the country. Increasingly the matters of the day and the headlines were discussed over mealtimes with the boys and there's nothing quite like being put on the spot by an incredulous and probing teenager - determined to take no prisoners - to flush out what you, as a parent, believe to be the rights and wrongs of a case and on what you base those beliefs.

These discussions with the boys about the war in Iraq, rampant consumerism and borrowing, the lack of affordable housing for their generation, failing hospitals and undemocratic decision-making all played their part in me determining to get properly involved in the political arena. While it's wonderful to watch your own children optimistically launch themselves on University courses and careers, it’s terrible too to be so fearful of the difficulties and injustices that lie ahead in their future in today's Britain. And to feel impotent as regards trying to change what is wrong was unacceptable. I want their future and their children's future to be a better place and I want to play my part in making it so, starting by winning the seat of St Austell and Newquay.

Adeela Shafi, PPC for Bristol East

When I had my first baby, I did not really think about anything that was beyond my own immediate experience, my home, family, work - things that had a direct impact on me. Politics and politicians did not even feature in my distant thoughts, apart from when they appeared on the news. It was only when I realised that it was not just us as parents who made decisions about our child’s future, such as where she went to school, but that my children were also affected by others’ decisions. It was the first time I actually looked around me with a further realisation that I had a responsibility to make sure that the big wide world into which they went out was somewhere I’d want them to go.

To have an impact on that world I knew that I had to do something that was beyond what I could provide in their immediate vicinity. This inspired me to take the step of being actively involved in the political system. I also needed them to know that we all have bigger responsibilities than what is in the here and the now.  My children are my focus, my motivation and my reasons in all that I do, including politics.

Andy Hemsted selected for Walthamstow

Last night Andy Hemsted, a Waltham Forest councillor, was selected to stand in Walthamstow at the next general election.

More biographical details will be added as and when I get them.

He is 35 and works as Financial Adviser for Axa in Corporate Pensions. He grew up in and around Walthamstow and is a Councillor for Chingford Green ward on Waltham Forest council.

He said on his selection:

"I am delighted and honoured to have been selected by the members of Walthamstow Conservative Association to be their prospective parliamentary candidate. The people of Walthamstow deserve much better than they have been getting from both our Labour/Liberal Democrat led Council and this disastrous, wasteful and inept government, and I look forward to being a voice for change within Walthamstow.

"I also look forward to meeting more local residents in the upcoming Euro Elections campaign, and showing people that there is an alternative to living in fear of ever rising crime, to suffering ever increasing taxes and to having more and more wasteful government, both local and national."

The seat has been held for Labour since 1992 by Neil Gerrard, a rebellious Lbaour Left-winger who enjoyed a majority of 7,993 over the Lib Dems at the last general election. The seat was brieflty Conservative-held - by Hugo Summerson - between 1987 and 1992, but the party was in third place with 18.2% at the last general election.

Jonathan Isaby

Richard Merrin selected for Hornsey and Wood Green

Richard Merrin was last night selected to stand in the Hornsey and Wood Green constituency at the next general election.

The managing director of a London-based public relations agency, Richard was recently a finalist in the Holborn and St Pancras selection and has a long record of campaigning in Camden.

He said on his selection:

“I am absolutely delighted to have been selected by the members of the Hornsey and Wood Green Conservative Association, an area of London my family live and I know so well. Labour-run Haringey Council is officially the worst in London and one of the bottom four in the UK. The people of Hornsey and Wood Green have been hit by a double whammy – an inept council and a sub-prime government well past its sell-by date.  With the European Elections heading toward us I am looking forward to being part of a great team determined to make in-roads into the Lib Dem vote.”

Despite being Tory held (by Sir Hugh Rossi) until 1992, the Conservative vote here has dropped at every election ever since, generally accounted for by significant demographic changes. The seat was held for Labour between 1992 and 2005 by Barbara Roche, but in 2005 it was gained by Lib Dem Lynne Featherstone, who will defend a majority of 2,395 over Labour. The Tories start in third place on 12.7%.

Jonathan Isaby

Antonia Cox adopted for Islington South and Finsbury

Antonia Cox, a leader writer at the London Evening Standard, local campaigner, school governor and married mother of three will be the Conservative candidate against Labour MP Emily Thornberry.  She was adopted last night.

Ms Thornberry holds a majority of just 484 over the Liberal Democrats.

5.30pm Picture from after last night's selection:

Michael Fabricant MP opens up membership of Conservative Friends of America to candidates

Following a meeting on Tuesday of the Executive Team of Conservative Friends of America, the decision has been made to open up CFA to adopted Conservative Parliamentary candidates.

Michael Fabricant MP, Chairman of CFA says:

"At a CFA event last week as guests of the US State Department at the Official Residency hosted by the Chargé d'Affaires of the London Embassy, a couple of candidates and senior staffers attended as well as a host of MPs and Peers.  The Chargé, Richard LeBaron, told me that he and his staff found it useful to meet future MPs and the behind the scenes policy makers as well as existing MPs.  I took the decision yesterday with Trey Barnes, Deputy Director of CFA, to extend membership of our organisation to all our adopted candidates.  But this will not happen until the June Euro and County elections are out of the way.  In due course, we shall be extending membership of CFA to the Party as a whole and holding events at our Party Conference though this is unlikely to be until 2010."

The event at the Official Residency was hosted by Richard LeBaron who is the senior member of the US Embassy until an Ambassador is appointed and included senior officials for Economic Affairs, the Political Section, State, and the Army Attaché.  CFA sponsors, Microsoft and BlackBerry, were present too.  David Cameron is President of CFA and William Hague its Vice President.

Photo shows Michael Fabricant (2nd from right) with Richard LeBaron (2nd from left) with Miki Bowman (Director CFA, left) and Trey Barnes (Deputy Director CFA, right) at the US Residency in Regent's Park:

Search for 100 Peers: Michael Burleigh

Here is the latest nomination in our series highlighting people David Cameron should consider appointing to the House of Lords.

If you would like to nominate someone, please email Jonathan Isaby with your suggestion, ideally including key arguments for the nomination as well as biographical information. The sources of nominations will be treated confidentially where requested.

No. 50: Michael Burleigh

A reader from London writes:

"I would like to nominate Michael Burleigh for appointment to a House of Lords in need of greater historical, intellectual and cultural insight. I feel that Burleigh, as one of Britain’s leading historians, authors and commentators, would make a tremendous addition to the Upper House.

"Burleigh has held numerous academic posts both at home (UCL, New College Oxford, LSE, Cardiff and Buckingham University) and across the Atlantic (Rutgers, Washington & Lee and Stanford). His books command an international audience and have been translated into eleven languages. He has also been active in television history – indeed he holds the rare distinction of having won three television awards (British Film Institute Award for Archival Achievement, New York Film and TV Festival Bronze Medal and an Emmy for Best TV Documentary) and the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction for The Third Reich: A New History in 2001.

"Michael Burleigh would be a compelling candidate simply on the basis of his credentials as an historian, but he is also a remarkably engaging, and engaged, commentator on the present. Besides being a regular contributor to the The Telegraph, The Times, The Sunday Times and The Daily Mail, Burleigh is also an authority on terrorism and security. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke has recommended Burleigh’s latest book – Blood and Rage: A Cultural History of Terrorism – as required reading for counter-terrorism officers. Burleigh has advised the Conservative Shadow Defence Group in the House of Commons, and his work is often referenced by David Cameron, for instance in his speech on foreign policy and counter-terrorism in Islamabad last September. Indeed his recent works Earthly Powers and Sacred Causes have drawn praise from still more exalted quarters, as conveyed by His Holiness the Pope!

"Burleigh has also made a major contribution to medical ethics through his work on Nazi Germany (for instance Death and Deliverance: Euthanasia in Germany 1900-45 and the Channel 4 documentary ‘Selling Murder: The Nazi Euthanasia Programme’), and has lectured extensively to medical audiences, here and abroad.

"Moreover Burleigh is active on the advisory boards of Standpoint magazine, and the think-tanks Policy Exchange and New Culture Forum, which currently represent some of the liveliest and most important mediums of forward-thinking and debate in this country.
Michael Burleigh’s combination of historical perspective, and informed insight into some of the most important matters of our time, would make a better House of Lords. A thinker so highly regarded across the globe would surely provide just the kind of intellectual substance sought by a Conservative Government under David Cameron."

> Previous nomination: Stanley Fink

Diary of a PPC: Deirdre Alden (Birmingham Edgbaston)

This is the latest in ConservativeHome's new ongoing series in which each week a different PPC provides us with an insight into life as a candidate and gives us a flavour of their own campaign and interests. If you are a candidate and are keen to be featured, please email Jonathan Isaby.

This week's diary is written by Deirdre Alden, candidate for Birmingham Edgbaston. She fought the seat in 2005, halving the majority of sitting Labour MP Gisela Stuart to 2,349, and she was readopted soon afterwards. Having originally trained as an actress, she has worked in the theatre, as an English teacher at Berlitz, and as a freelance writer for over 25 years. She is currently a full-time councillor, representing Edgabston ward on Birmingham City Council. She also writes a daily blog.

Monday
As well as being Edgbaston's PPC, I'm Chairman of two Birmingham City Council Committees - one of which is Health Overview & Scrutiny. In this role I keep an eye on the work of the 11 NHS Trusts which operate in the city. Over the weekend, the Chief Executive of one trust has resigned, so Monday morning sees me heading straight for my office at the Council House to discuss the weekend's developments with officers.

From there it's on to another council office, this time in the Edgbaston constituency. We have partial devolution in Birmingham, which means each of the 10 new parliamentary constituencies which come into place at the next General Election (currently we have 11 MPs in Birmingham) has a corresponding council committee. My second council chairmanship (unsurprisingly!) is of the Edgbaston Constituency Committee.

Home from my meeting late afternoon and it's straight on to the computer to deal with casework. Then off to a local hotel for a meeting of the Edgbaston Supper Club - a branch of Edgbaston Conservative Association. The speaker, Sir Bernard Zissman, gives a talk on "The Changing Face of Birmingham". Interesting speech, good food, good company, and raising money for party funds at the same time. Can't be bad!

Woking MP Humfrey Malins to step down

Mr Malins has written to David Cameron stating his intention to stand down at the next General Election:

"It has been a great privilege to represent firstly Croydon North West, and later Woking. In the Commons I have enjoyed every minute. I am absolutely thrilled at the progress that the Conservative Party has made under your leadership, and am sure that you will be prime minister come the general election."

His decision creates a plum vacancy in a seat with a projected Tory majority of 6,612.

Hat tip to Andrea.

John Perry stands down as candidate for Dudley North

I learn that John Perry - who was selected for Dudley North in September 2007 - has decided to stand down for personal and health reasons. I have asked the association chairman if he can provide a statement, so I will add any further information as and when I get it.

The seat is held for Labour by Ian Austin, one of Gordon Brown's inner circle of trusted advisers, and whoever replaces John Perry as Conservative candidate will be seeking to overturn a notional Labour majority of a little over 4,000.

Jonathan Isaby

Simon Nayyar selected for Hackney South and Shoreditch

Simon Nayyar was selected last night to stand in Hackney South and Shoreditch at the next general election.

Simon has spent the last two decades working in the public affairs industry, having studied history at the University of York and worked as a researcher to a Conservative MP.

He said on his selection:

"I'm delighted to have been selected by the members of Hackney South and Shoreditch as their candidate. We have a great team in Hackney and I'm really proud to be a part of it. Few areas have been more let down by Labour than Hackney, with residents right across the borough suffering serious social and economic problems as a result of more than a decade of non-delivery by New Labour. Over the coming months I look forward to acting as a voice for change within Hackney.

"The people of Hackney deserve much better and there is lots of work to be done. The European elections of 4 June will present a real opportunity to make inroads in a borough which has been taken for granted by Labour for too long. As we head towards the General Election and the 2010 council elections, we will be holding numerous campaigning and membership boosting events. If you live in area and would like to help deliver our message for change, please drop us an email at [email protected]."

Hackney South and Shoreditch has been won by Labour at every election since its creation as a seat in 1974. Since 2005 it has been represented by Meg Hillier, now a Home Office minister, who will defend a notional majority (after minor boundary changes) of around 10,000 ove the Lib Dems, with the Conservatives starting in third place.

Jonathan Isaby

George Lee selected for Holborn and St. Pancras

George Lee was selected last night to stand in Holborn and St Pancras at the next general election. (NB He is not the same George Lee who is a candidate for the European Parliament in the East Midlands.

I will add some biographical details about him shortly. Paul Barton, chairman of Holborn and St. Pancras Conservatives, has sent me the following biographical information about George:

"George Lee was born in modest circumstances in Hong Kong, and came to the UK as a child speaking no English. He has long and varied life experience, which include reaching the rank of Chief Inspector in the Metropolitan Police Force (he was the highest ranking Chinese officer in the UK), and was involved in some high profile cases (e.g. Triad gang murders in Soho). He also attended Trinity College, Cambridge as a mature student on a Bramshill scholarship reserved for police officers earmarked for the top.

"George was the founder member of the Black Police Association, has worked with various government departments, and since giving up his police career has been in business in recent years as a management consultant. He is (as far as we know) the first Chinese Parliamentary candidate selected by any of the major parties - showing the fact that the modern Conservative Party is truly an inclusive and meritocratic party."

The seat has been held in one form or other by Labour's Frank Dobson since 1979. The notional Labour majority after boundary changes (according to the Rallings and Thrasher figures) is 8,348 over the Lib Dems, with the Conservatives in third place on a notional 20.9%.

Jonathan Isaby

Search for 100 Peers: Stanley Fink

Here is the latest nomination in our series highlighting people David Cameron should consider appointing to the House of Lords.

If you would like to nominate someone, please email Jonathan Isaby with your suggestion, ideally including key arguments for the nomination as well as biographical information. The sources of nominations will be treated confidentially where requested.

No. 49: Stanley Fink

A reader from London writes:

"I would nominate Stanley Fink for a peerage in ConservativeHome's search for 100 peers.

"Recently appointed as a co-Treasurer of the Party, he is widely regarded as the “Godfather of UK Hedge Funds” but decided to retire some 15 years before the usual age from the Man Group, the industry giant he helped create.

"He is rumoured to give something in the region of £2 million a year to charities and is a Trustee of ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) and Chairman of the Evelina Children’s Hospital Appeal Committee as well as being a sponsor of the City Academy School, Burlington Danes.

"Meanwhile, on the political front, he has been appointed by George Osborne to lead a working group on the environmental market and was one of those behind Boris Johnson’s successful campaign to be London Mayor.

"Unusually in the City, Stanley is highly regarded and admired by his peers and competitors alike and he would have much to contribute to the House of Lords." 

> Previous nomination: Dr Eamonn Butler

Bethnal Green and Bow Conservatives fail to endorse Open Primary result

Last night an Open Primary was held to select the Conservative candidate to stand in the redrawn Bethnal Green and Bow constituency at the next general election.

Local residents had been encouraged to attend through the local Conservatve Association website in order to choose between three finalists, Andrew Charalambous, Hasan Ali Imam and Claire Palmer.

After a ballot had been held of all those attending the meeting to select the candidate, the association members present remained for a Special General Meeting.

However, instead of rubber stamping the candidate selected by the residents attending the primary, I understand that the SGM did not endorse the result of that ballot, and it is now expected that the selection process will have to begin all over again after the European elections in June.

I am expecting a statement from the association this morning, the final wording of which is still being agreed. I will post it when I have it. which was finally released at 3.30pm and reads as follows:

"Bethnal Green and Bow Conservative Association, at a ballot of members last night, did not endorse the candidate selected at the earlier open primary meeting. A new selection process will now take place after the European Elections in June and the Association looks forward to taking the fight against the failed Labour Government forward with whoever is selected at that."

The use of open primaries is generally a great way of engaging a constituency's wider Conservative community in the selection process to give them early ownership of the candidate. However, it is vital that a local association should be able to have confidence in the conduct of such a process and that, above all, the candidates involved abide by the strict rules laid down about campaigning.

As such, it is only correct that a local association should have the right - as exercised by Bethnal Green and Bow Conservatives last night - to veto the result of such a ballot, since the system clearly can be abused or be subject to entryism and infiltration.

Jonathan Isaby

Diary of a PPC: George Freeman (Mid Norfolk)

This is the second in ConservativeHome's new ongoing series in which each week a different PPC will provide us with an insight into life as a candidate and give us a flavour of their own campaign and interests. If you are a candidate and are keen to be featured, please email Jonathan Isaby.

This week's diary is written by George Freeman, the candidate in the completely redrawn constituency of Mid Norfolk - which takes in parts of the existing Mid Norfolk, South West Norfolk and South Norfok constituencies - where he will defend a notional Conservative majority of nearly 8,000. From a farming background, he worked for the NFU's parliamentary unit for five years before moving into business, developing new medical technologies. He achieved a swing of 6.4% when he stood for the Conservatives in Stevenage at the 2005 general election. You can read more about him on his website.

Monday

5.45am.  Dawn routine. Tiptoe with pint mug of tea up creaky stairs to converted loft office in the attic of our farmhouse in Norfolk for review of the week ahead.  Fire up PC and sift mountain of emails. Review and list priorities for the week ahead. Mildly depressed by daunting list of outstanding tasks. I guess all politicians are prone to the same need to matter.

6.45am.  Wake the family and embark on the 60-minute morning challenge of getting us all up and dressed and breakfasted and the children onto the 8.00am bus to their new school. The only bit of our life that bears an uncanny resemblance to the cereal ads.  At 8.10am the frenzy culminates in my wife Eleanor leaving for work and the house is silent.

Rest of the day in my converted attic office dealing with work projects for clients before the routine mid-week trip to London.  My business, 4D Biomedical, is a small biomedical technology consultancy based in Cambridge. Currently working on the business plan for two new research Institutes (Cardiovascular and Digestive Health), advising on the £20m spin-out of a Cambridge biotechnology business, and helping a start-up with an innovative system for transmitting medical images between hospitals using the net instead of couriers.

Search for 100 Peers: Dr Eamonn Butler

Here is the latest nomination in our series highlighting people David Cameron should consider appointing to the House of Lords.

If you would like to nominate someone, please email Jonathan Isaby with your suggestion, ideally including key arguments for the nomination as well as biographical information. The sources of nominations will be treated confidentially where requested.

No. 48: Dr Eamonn Butler

Edward Heckels writes:

"I would like to nominate Dr Eamonn Butler.

"Dr Butler was a co-founder of the Adam Smith Institute, for 30 years Britain’s leading think tank promoting free-market economic and social policies, and he has served as the Institute's Director for many years.

"Under Dr Butler, the Institute has been at the intellectual leading edge of the UK debate on privatisation, including the sale of state enterprises, the commercialization of government agencies, contracting-out of local services, and the introduction of internal markets in health and education.

"He has written numerous books on economic theory and practice and he remains a prolific writer in national magazines and newspapers on a broad range of subjects including health policy, economic management, taxation and public spending, transport, pensions, and e-government.

"Few people can equal Dr Butler's contribution to the development of policy on the centre-right of British politics. He would be a powerful supporter of free-market economic and social policies in the House of Lords."

Eamonn Butler previewed his latest book, The Rotten State of Britain, in an article on ConservativeHome last weekend.

Jonathan Isaby

> Previous nomination: Michael Dobbs

Darren Caplan selected for Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Darren Caplan was last night selected to stand in Hackney North and Stoke Newington at the next general election.

Darren is 36 years old and Director of Public Affairs for a London-based communications agency. He has been a public affairs practitioner since 2001, having worked at Conservative Central Office in the late 1990s. The seat has been held for Labour since 1987 by Diane Abbott, who will defend a notional majority after boundary changes (based on the Rallings and Thrasher figures) of 8,002 over the second-placed Lib Dems. The Tories start in third place with 14.6% of the vote - and would need a swing of a little over 17% from Labour to gain the seat.

This is the first of six constituencies in the party's North East London City Seats Initiative to select; the others, which will be choosing their candidates over the coming weeks, are: Hackney South and Shoreditch, Islington North, Islington South and Finsbury, Leyton and Wanstead, and Walthamstow.

Darren said on his selection:

“I’m grateful to the Hackney North and Stoke Newington association members for choosing me as their candidate. I’m really looking forward to working with the team, at the forthcoming June European elections, and the subsequent local and increasingly likely general elections in 2010, when we’ll have Diane Abbott firmly in our sights!

“In the meantime, Hackney North and Stoke Newington Conservatives will be ramping up both membership and campaigning activities in the coming months. If you live in the area and want to get involved, please email us at [email protected]."

Jonathan Isaby

Janice Small selected for Batley and Spen

Janice Small was last night selected at an open primary to contest the West Yorkshire marginal of Batley and Spen at the next general election. She runs a marketing business with clients in pharma, automotive, financial services and political communications.  Janice ran the press campaign for David Davis during the Haltemprice and Howden by-election last year and she also works for Yorkshire & the Humber MEP, Edward McMillan-Scott.  She recently came second in the Calder Valley selection process before securing this Yorkshire seat.

Batley and Spen has been represented since 1997 by Mike Wood for Labour, but was held for the Conservatives between its creation in 1983 and 1997 by Elizabeth Peacock. At the next election Mr. Wood will defend a notional majority of 6,060 (based on the Rallings and Thrasher calculations), meaning that Janice requires a swing of a 6.8% to unseat him.

Janice said on her selection:

“I am delighted to have been selected to represent Batley and Spen and now look forward to representing the constituency in the months to come. I know from talking to people across Batley and Spen that they are ready for change after twelve years of inaction from this Labour Government.

“People are worried about paying their mortgage, will they have a job in the months to come, will they get their children into a decent school and will their savings be safe. Businesses cannot raise the cash they need to expand and those that can are seeing extortionate interest rates being imposed upon them.

“As an owner of a small business, I will work with businesses to get them through this recession and retain the skills we need.  Because if we don’t, then those jobs will go to India and China and will be lost forever.  I urge employers to get in touch with me and I will do all I can to help”.

Jonathan Isaby

Antony Calvert: Beer and sandwich Conservatism is on the march in Morley and Outwood

Antony Calvert was selected at the weekend for the newly created constituency of Morley and Outwood. Here he explains why Ed Balls, who will fight the seat for Labour, should have every reason to be worried.

Being selected for a parliamentary constituency is a huge honour. For anyone who has experienced the spine chilling moment when realisation dawns that you will be carrying the hopes and expectations of the party of Disraeli, Churchill and Thatcher into the next general election for your constituency, becoming a parliamentary candidate is a truly humbling moment.

I have been selected to fight my hometown constituency of Morley and Outwood at the next general election. Doubtless I will have to face a selection of minor candidates from UKIP, the BNP, an odd independent and a Liberal Democrat. The focus of this campaign, however, will be the tussle I am relishing with Schools Secretary Ed Balls. What a tussle this will be!

Morley and Outwood is a fusion of two separate constituencies brought together by the Boundary Commission. Both of these constituencies have not seen a Tory MP represent them for generations; in Normanton’s case not since the turn of the last century. But a collaboration of the most instinctively conservative, and indeed Conservative, wards of both Normanton and Morley and Rothwell have presented the Tories with the opportunity to claim the scalp of the High Priest of the Brown Government.

Andrew Gilbert adopted as Tory candidate to take on Frank Field

Andrew Gilbert was selected last night to unseat Frank Field, probably most Conservative members' favourite Labour MP.  Mr Field has a projected majority of over 14,000 with the Liberal Democrats and Tories similarly well-placed challengers.

Birkenhead Conservatives released this statement:

"Generations of Andrew’s family have lived in Birkenhead, although many of the older generation were ardent socialists. (One of his earliest memories is of his great-grandmother covering the television with a cloth whenever Margaret Thatcher appeared.) His parents and much of his extended family still live in the constituency.

Andrew studied law at the University of East Anglia before practising as a family law solicitor for a few years. He now lectures in constitutional and family law at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. He has a particular interest in tackling human trafficking and has written on the subject for the Centre for Social Justice and conservativehome. He has been a member of Liverpool City Seats Initiative and is currently a district councillor in Huntingdonshire.

Andrew said on his selection:

“I am hugely honoured to be representing the Conservatives in Birkenhead. My roots go down very deep into this area and what matters to Birkenhead really matters to me. Our campaign will be about offering voters a different approach to tackling many of the issues facing the area, such as crime, education and getting people back into work. Frank Field’s integrity and independence of mind are well known but he nevertheless represents a failed and incompetent government. I know that a lot of voters, who may have supported Frank for personal reasons in the past, will be unwilling to cast a vote for Labour next time. We now have a fantastic opportunity to show people that we are the only party which can be trusted with the future of Birkenhead.”"

Diary of a PPC: Robert Halfon (Harlow)

This is the first of a new feature on ConservativeHome. Each week I will ask a prospective parliamentary candidate to write a diary of the previous seven days in which they can highlight the national political issues and events which are getting them exercised, the local issues on which they are campaigning in their constituency and write more generally about life as a candidate, the events they are attending, the people they are meeting and give us a flavour of what makes them tick.

I hope that candidates will find it a useful opportunity to raise their own profiles and that readers will enjoy getting to know a bit more about the men and women aiming to take their place on the green benches after the next election as Conservative MPs. I will be commissioning individuals to write diaries, but if you are a candidate and are keen to be featured, please email me.

Jonathan Isaby

Our inaugural Diary of a PPC is written by Robert Halfon, the candidate for Harlow in Essex. Robert stood in the seat in 2001 and 2005 and is the Political Director of the Conservative Friends of Israel. His campaign website is here and you can read his posts on the CentreRight blog here.

Monday

Feel a little tired as have just come back from Israel on a somewhat gloomy CFI visit, livened up with the presence of some great PPCs and MPs.  Whatever the difficulties in the Middle East, David Amess can be sure to lighten up Jerusalem with some good Essex humour.

Nevertheless, this visit was a difficult one. Israel is still trying to form a Government, following their crazy PR system. Daniel Kawczynski, also on the trip, reminded Israelis with relish that he was chairman of the UK First Past the Post Parliamentary Group.

Despite the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza – following the recent conflict , Hamas is still firing missiles onto Israeli towns (over 100 in the last 3 weeks).  Where is Annie Lennox when you need her?  In fact, where was she when Hamas killed 400 Fatah Palestinians (throwing some off the rooftops), when it mounted its coup d’etat in Gaza in 2007?

In the evening, I attend a small fundraiser for my campaign in Harlow, organised by Howard Leigh, one of the kindest men in Conservative politics.  Howard is a rare breed, a man who does so much for others, without asking for anything in return.  Despite my promise to myself of a post-Israel diet, it is hard to resist the salt and vinegar flavoured crisps and a good glass of wine. The alchool helps steel me for my presentation alongside that of a senior MP  - who has come specially to support me.  Hopefully we should raise a few hundred quid to spend on some leaflets.