ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog

The Voluntary Party's tour of marginals hits Warwickshire

On Sunday I noted that senior members of the National Convention were organising a campaigning tour of marginal seats around the the country.

Yesterday saw the team visiting Warwickshire, as Emma Pidding reports in a brief despatch:

"We visited three key seats – Warwick & Leamington, North Warwickshire and Nuneaton. Undertook leafleting (including railway station) and canvassing. Very well received by local Associations and PPCs. Labour vote seems to be fairly soft. However, important to note that there does seem to be evidence of scaremongering by the Labour Party (telling voters that the Conservatives will not be continuing with Sure Start)."

Below are pictures of some of the team with Chris White in Warwick and Leamington (top) and Daniel Byles in North Warwickshire (bottom).

Anyone wanting to join the tour should email Simon Mort.

Jonathan Isaby

Cllr Marcus Jones adopted for Nuneaton

Leader of the local council, Cllr Marcus Jones was adopted at an open primary yesterday evening.

Finalists for Nuneaton

The four are:

• Victoria Ayling
• Rob Butler
• Marcus Jones
• Stella Kyriazis

Nuneaton is selecting again after the previous candidate Simon Rouse stood down.

Tory candidate for Nuneaton stands down

News has reached us that the Conservative candidate for Nuneaton, Simon Rouse has stepped down.  This is the official statement:

"It is with great regret that Nuneaton Conservatives have to announce that Simon Rouse has tendered his resignation as the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Nuneaton.  Sadly, Simon has decided that the inevitably heavy demands upon him as a candidate  for a seat as important as Nuneaton are incompatible with his responsibility to his family.

While this is a huge disappointment to his many friends within Nuneaton Conservative Association, they understand his feelings and commend him for getting his priorities right. They offer him, his wife and young son, their best wishes for the future.

In the eighteen months since his selection, Simon has been an exemplary PPC, throwing himself wholeheartedly into the political life of the Association. He proved to be an unparalleled campaign leader in the local elections, both in 2006 (in the North Warwickshire Borough wards of Hartshill and Arley & Whitacre, when all five seats were gained by the Conservatives) and in May this year, when the Conservatives took control of Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council for the first time ever.

The search for a new candidate will begin at once.  Simon was chosen at a public “Open Primary” meeting, after an exhaustive process of “sifting” and preliminary interviews to arrive at a suitable shortlist.  The same procedure will be adopted again, to ensure that the right candidate is selected to fight Nuneaton for the Conservatives at the next general election."

Its notional Labour majority of 3,843 makes the seat very attractive in the current environment.

Our comment: "Simon Rouse's announcement is a reminder of how pressurised a candidate's life can be.  The correct decision to pick candidates earlier than we have in previous electoral cycles makes these pressures greater.  ConHome wishes Simon the very best in his future endeavours and wishes Nuneaton much success in finding a new candidate.  The Tories took control of Nuneaton council at the last local elections."

Simon Rouse selected for Nuneaton

Simon Rouse was selected from the shortlist to represent Nuneaton - which has a notional Labour majority of 3,843. Brought up in Nuneaton, he is now leader of the Conservative Group in Tower Hamlets.

Deputy Editor

Final four for Nuneaton

Samantha George, Julie Girling, Kulveer Ranger and Simon Rouse have been shortlisted for the Nuneaton primary on 9th March.  Nuneaton has a notional Labour majority of 3,843.

Thanks to 'WHS' for telling me that this news was posted yesterday on the excellent West Midlands Conservatives blog - a model for an open, inclusive party organisation.