By-election candidate shortlist announced for Leicester South, where voters will have four votes on May 5th

By Jonathan Isaby

Voters in Leicester South are going to be deluged with ballot papers as they go to the polls on May 5th. They will be taking part in:

1. The AV referendum;
2. Local council elections;
3. Voting for the first elected Mayor for the city of Leicester; and
4. A by-election in the Leicester South parliamentary constituency.

The by-election has been caused by the decision of Labour MP Sir Peter Soulsby to resign and concentrate on his campaign to become the aforementoned elected Mayor.

Leicester Conservatives will select a candidate this Saturday from the following shortlist:

• Cllr Peter Bedford
• Cllr Jane Hunt
• Dr Teck Khong

Nick Bryars, the chairman of City of Leicester Conservative Association, tells ConHome:

"In Leicester we are currently fighting four election campaigns. These are the by-election in Leicester South, the Mayoral election, elections to Leicester City Council and the AV referendum. We are fighting against the Alternative Vote hard; we have excellent candidates in the local elections, a superb mayoral candidate in popular local councillor Ross Grant, and a brilliant parliamentary candidate shortlist.

"Come and help us in our fight against the domination of our city by Labour. We are organising extensive canvassing and leafleting right up until polling day on 5th May. Email me at [email protected] for details."

Leicester South was the scene of a by-election in 2004 when the Lib Dems temporarily snatched the seat from Labour, only for Sir Peter Soulsby to take it back in 2005. He held it last May with a majority of 8,808 over the Lib Dems. The full result was:

Labour - Sir Peter Soulsby                    21,479  45.6% (+6.2)
Liberal Democrat - Parmjit Singh Gill    12,671  26.9% (-3.7)
Conservative - Ross Grant                    10,066  21.4% (+3.6)
BNP - Adrian Waudby                             1,418    3.0% (+3.0)
Green - Dave Dixey                                    770   1.6% (-1.6)
UKIP - Christopher Lucas                           720   1.5% (+1.5)

Labour have already selected Jonathan Ashworth as their candidate, whilst the ex-Lib Dem MP Parmjit Singh Gill yesterday curiously stood down as their candidate five days after being reselected, according to Lib Dem Voice, and the yellow rosette will instead be donned by one Zuffar Haq.