Last week I reported that all selections for the current vacancies (bar Totnes) would not be taking place until September.
Yet now I learn that the Conservative Association in Woking - where Humfrey Malins announced his intention to retire in March, long before the current expenses furore - is set to refuse to go along with the request from CCHQ to delay their selection, a timetable for which was decided long go.
Party Chairman Eric Pickles is due to go to Woking tomorrow to meet the Executive in order to argue the case for the delay; but I learn that the association chairman has informed him that they want to carry on with the selection in July as was originally planned and that there is no point in him travelling to Surrey to meet them to discuss the matter any further.
I gather that an advertisement had already been approved by the candidates' department some time ago which the local association still wants to be sent to everyone on the candidates' list (and not just the A-List) this week, as originally planned.
Whilst party HQ is evidently keen to leave the selection until new applicants to the candidates' list have had the opportunity to attend a parliamentary assessment board, the Woking Conservatives fear that a delay is an unnecessary risk: the already selected Liberal Democrat candidate is a long-standing local councillor and there was only a small gap between the two parties at the most recent council elections, so they believe the new Conservative candidate should have the longest possible run-in to the next general election campaign.
I also gather that some local activists were annoyed at being told local candidates would not be considered under any circumstances if they hadn't already been through a parliamentary assessment board by April - only to now be asked to delay so that people with no record of involvement in the party whatsoever can put their names forward.
Jonathan Isaby
