After the resignation of the previous candidate, Mark Versallion, last October, Stretford and Urmston Conservatives are holding an Open Primary to select a new candidate this Saturday, January 9th.
The two finalists are:
Karen Buckley - A councillor in Fylde, Lancashire, since 2007, where she is Cabinet member for Partnerships and Community Engagement and Chairman of Fylde Children’s Trust. She is a staunch supporter of the promotion of marriage and is especially keen that married couples are not penalised in the benefits system . On her website she pledges that if selected she will resign immediately from her job as a lawyer, find local accommodation and fight a full-time campaign. 
Alex Williams - A councillor in Trafford in Greater Manchester, where he is Deputy Leader of the Council. At last year's European election he was fourth on the Conservative list in North West England, and in 2005 he contested Bury South at the general election. He gave his local MP, Graham Brady, 100% support when he resigned from the party's front bench over policy on grammar schools. He is a chartered accountant.
The meeting will take place at 2pm At the John Alker Memorial hall in Flixton and any voter in the constituency who registers to attend before 5pm on Thursday is entitled to attend and help select the candidate. You can register via the Stretford and Urmston Conservative Association website or by calling on 0161 748 4678.
Sitting Labour MP Beverley Hughes is standing down at the election and the new Conservative candidate will need a swing of 10.65% to overturn a notional Labour majority of 8,310.
Jonathan Isaby
