ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog

Two new candidates adopted to contest Holyrood seats

By Paul Goodman

Both, I gather, for Glasgow constituencies - Ruth Davidson for Glasgow Kelvin, and Ivor Tiefenbrun for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn.

Davidson is the current head of Annabel Goldie's office, and was the Party's Parliamentary candidate in the Glasgow North-East by election.  Hamira Khan, the previous candidate, resigned due to a change in employment circumstances.  Tiefenbrun is the owner and Chairman of Linn Products Ltd.

A series of selections for the Scottish Parliament is under way.  As we reported recently,  James Reekie has been selected to fight the Scottish Parliamentary Constituency of Dunfermline.

Fraud in Asian communities cost Tories at least three MPs, claims Sayeeda Warsi

By Tim Montgomerie

In an interview with the New Statesman Tory Chairman Sayeeda Warsi alleges that at least three seats were lost to the Tories because of electoral fraud. This fraud was largely amongst the Asian population, she suggests, and benefited Labour.

The remarks came within a wide-ranging interview with the NS's Political Editor, Mehdi Hasan:

“At least three seats where we lost, where we didn’t gain the seat, based on electoral fraud. Now, could we have planned for that in the campaign? Absolutely not.”

This is the first time a senior minister has made such a blunt and specific allegation about the impact of electoral fraud on the general election result. Can she reveal the names of those seats? “I think it would be wrong to start identifying them,” she says, but adds: “It is predominantly within the Asian community. I have to look back and say we didn’t do well in those communities, but was there something over and above that we could have done? Well, actually not, if there is going to be voter fraud.”

Did Labour benefit from the alleged “fraud”? “Absolutely,” Warsi says, without hesitation. The peer says she has written to Clegg, who is overseeing the coalition’s reforms to the electoral system, to highlight the issue of fraud and voter disenfranchisement."

A Labour spokesperson told the BBC that the Tory Chairman's allegations were "unsubstantiated" and she should share any evidence she had with the electoral authorities. 

On Platform recently Tower Hamlets councillor Tim Archer, who fought Poplar and Limehouse at the last election, called for reform of the voting process to protect against fraud. He noted that "a quarter of Parliamentary Candidates surveyed [by the Electoral Commission] had concerns about election fraud taking place in their constituency and 28% thought that voting was unsafe." He explained the problem (my emphasis):

"Elections in Tower Hamlets and other urban areas demonstrate that our current system has three major flaws which are open to abuse.  Anyone can go on the electoral register, anyone can apply for a postal vote whether they need one or not and ballot papers are given out at polling stations to people based on trusting they are who they say they are, rather than proving who they are.  Believe me, you have to provide more proof to borrow a library book in Tower Hamlets than you do to vote in one of its elections.  Moving to individual voter registration rather than household registration, combined with the need to provide a National Insurance number will help with the voter registration issue and the government now needs to implement this as soon as possible."

Read Tim's full piece.

All Tory candidates must reapply to join Approved List

By Tim Montgomerie

Conservatives candidates yesterday received a letter from CCHQ inviting them to reapply for their position on the list of approved candidates. The letter was sent to all candidates, even if they completed their parliamentary assessment boards only recently.

The first question asked in the reapplication form is for details on the candidate's political commitment. They are asked to list what they did for the party at the 2010 General Election and at parliamentary and local by-elections.

There is also a section where candidates are asked to detail their voluntary and community work (for when they are not charging around the country delivering leaflets in by-elections).

Download a PDF of the Approved List Re-application form 2010.

The Candidates Committee is now under the oversight of Baroness Browning - former Agriculture Minister and MP for Tiverton and Honiton until may this year - and voluntary member Carlyn Chisholm (profiled here on her own website).

Here is the text of the letter sent to candidates with contact points overwritten:

"PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Colleague,

As you may know The Board of the Party has reconstituted the Candidates Committee and has appointed Baroness Browning and Carlyn Chisholm as Co-Chairmen.  We look forward to working with them and the new Committee during the years ahead.

At its first meeting this month the Candidates Committee agreed to invite all those candidates on the old Parliamentary List to apply to be considered for the new Parliamentary List.

As in previous years, the Approved List ceases to exist after Polling Day and everyone who was previously included, and who wishes to apply for seats during the new Parliament, is required to apply for admission to the new List.  All applications will be considered on their individual merits and we will take into account your activities during the General Election Campaign and your conduct whilst on the List.  Reports from either the Association Chairman/Election Agent, and the Field Staff on your performance, either as a Candidate or someone who helped in the campaign, will form part of the process.

I enclose an application form which I ask you to return as hard copy to me at Conservative Campaign Headquarters, as soon as possible, and by no later than 15th November 2010. After your application has been considered, you will be invited to attend a Panel during the first quarter of 2011. If you are not seeking to join the new List please let us know.  If we do not hear from you by 15th November, it will be assumed that you do not wish to be on the List and it will not be possible for you to re-apply later in this Parliament.

If you are attending Conference there may be an opportunity for you to meet us - I know that Carlyn is interested in meeting as many of you as possible. We will be available on Tuesday between 12 noon and 5.00 pm and Wednesday between 10.00 am and 11.30 am.  If you would like to take up this offer please email XXXXX by no later than Monday 4th October. If you wish to speak to Carlyn, before Conference, please contact her on her mobile XXXXX.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

GARETH FOX

Head of Candidates"

James Reekie adopted as Holyrood candidate for Dunfermline

James Reekie has been selected to fight the Scottish Parliamentary Constituency of Dunfermline at next year's Scottish Parliament Elections. James commented:

"There is no denying that Dunfermline is one of Labour's strongest areas, but I have lived in the constituency for most of my life and I believe that with the support of local people I can change that sad reality. Next May's election will be fought on the basis of the Aircraft Carriers currently being constructed in Rosyth. Although this isn't part of the constituency a lot of jobs in the area centre around the completion of this project. I support the project wholeheartedly and will be the voice for local people as the Labour Party continue to use them as a political football."

Nigel Waterson receives apology from the Metropolitan Police

by Paul Goodman

It was reported in 2008 that Nigel Waterson, then the Conservative MP for Eastbourne, had been arrested for allegedly assaulting his teenage children.

The Metropolitan Police has now apologised to Mr Waterson, and agreed to pay him damages and costs.  It accepts that the accusations made against him were "wholly unfounded", and apologises for any distress caused.

Mr Waterson said -

I welcome the apology from the Metropolitan Police.  They now accept that there was no basis for my arrest.

I have always been a great supporter of our police.  But this sort of incident can undermine the public’s faith in them; especially as at the time my arrest was leaked to the media.

My family and I can now put this distressing episode behind us.