More than a quarter of the original A-List are no longer seeking a parliamentary seat

The publication of CCHQ's "priority list" of candidates here in May 2006 was a big moment in the four year development of ConservativeHome, with all attempts by the party to keep the identity of the names on the so-called A-List a secret quickly being blown away.

But if these were the chosen candidates which the party hierarchy wanted to see fast-tracked into Parliament, how successful was the exercise and what has happened to those who have not yet been selected?

Three years on, ConservativeHome decided to find out.

Of those 100 names on the original priority list (one listed as being there, Timothy Coleridge, says that he was never on it, but merely given dispensation to apply for one notionally safe seat with which he had local links), our analysis has found that almost half - 45 - have been selected - but that more than a quarter have stopped looking for a seat for the general election which will take place in the next twelve months.

Here is a summary of our findings:

45 have been selected for parliamentary seats

• 18 are standing in Conservative held seats (as defined by the notional figures prepared by Professors Rallings and Thrasher of the University of Plymouth, which take account of the boundary changes coming into force at the next election), i.e. those where a sitting Conservative MP is standing down, where a new seat has been created by the Boundary Commission or where boundary changes have changed the political complexion of an existing seat
• 27 are standing in target seats

27 are still seeking a seat

27 are not currently seeking a seat for the next general election

• 4 are either sitting MEPs seeking re-election or candidates hoping to be elected to the European Parliament in June
• 3 have have been appointed to Boris Johnson's administration in London
• 1 has defected to Labour
• 1 has defected to the Lib Dems
• 1 has been given a peerage
• 17 have chosen for a variety of personal and business reasons not to pursue a parliamentary career at this juncture

The intentions of 1 are unknown; please email me if you have information about Richard Evans

Today, in this separate thread, we identify those who are no longer seeking a seat and over the coming days we will list those who fall into the other categories.

In due course we will publish a piece considering the experiences of those initial A-Listers, for which I am still keen to talk to those on the list to whom I have not yet spoken. If that includes you, please get in touch by email.

Jonathan Isaby