The Tories are gearing up to select a candidate to fight Andrew Bridgen for his North West Leicestershire seat. The sifting committee has drawn up its long list and the prospective candidates have been informed. Guido understands that the full list consists of:
- Andy Carter – MP for Warrington South with a Tory majority of 3%. Carter was one quarter of the Kangaroo Court’s “Tory Majority” and has been looking for a safe seat to run to for some time. Association members may have strong opinions on Carter’s treachery…
- Meera Vadher – Formerly Andy Street’s chief of staff and transport SpAd currently at the No 10 Policy Unit.
- Raaj Shamji – Deputy chairman of Andy Street’s campaign, regional deputy Tory chairman, and former Labour council candidate. Stood for the Tories in Birmingham Perry Barr in 2019.
- Craig Smith – Local Tory councillor and deputy chairman of North West Leicestershire Conservatives.
- Samantha George – Deputy chairman of North Derbyshire Conservative association and Tory candidate for Chester in 2019.
- Marc Nykolyszyn – Director at a conservation group and Tory candidate for Nottingham South in 2019.
- Sidney Yankson – Wealth manager and Tory Councillor in Kensington and Chelsea.
- Laila Cunningham – Entrepreneur and Tory Councillor in Westminster.
With Bridgen getting into bust-ups in Parliament, Tory eyes are on North West Leicestershire as a prized safe seat with a majority of 20,000. Expect bitter fighting to secure the candidacy…
After riding the Boris bounce to his Warrington South seat in 2019, Andy Carter’s political future is no longer looking so assured. Carter, one quarter of the Kangaroo Court’s “Tory Majority“, is currently sat on a 3% majority which, on current polls, is perilous at best. No doubt this is why the marsupial Member of Parliament has been so quick to get on the “displaced list” of chicken running Tory MPs looking to migrate to a safe seat. The Tory grassroots might have other ideas…
Guido’s already reported that Andy has been making overtures in Chester South and Eddisbury. Some involved in the selection have “strong opinions” on Carter’s involvement with the Kangaroo Court.
Any activists involved in the selection of candidates for safe seats might also want to bear in mind what Carter had to say about the man responsible for his election to Parliament. Even before he began considering the evidence before the Privileges Committee he was deliberating over Boris’s political future. Carter was critical of the former Prime Minister in a private email:
“Being candid, Mr Johnson chose to appoint someone who he knew faced allegation in relation to ‘sexual impropriety’ to the whips office, with responsibility for pastoral issues, he then did not tell the truth about knowing about these concerns that had been raised with him previously following complaints. When a former Permanent Secretary contacted number 10 and urged them to correct their position, in relation to what the Prime Minister knew they continued to brief colleagues that the PM knew nothing about historic allegation, leaving Government Ministers to undertake broadcast interviews which were not accurate. It later became clear that Mr Johnson had been briefed on historic allegations in relation to Mr Pincher, since then further concerns have been raised with the Police also investing.”
Angela Rayner has been on the media rounds today doing something very out of character; praising a Tory majority. She keeps on repeating that the Privileges Committee has a Tory majority, something which she usually condemns in her own colourful way as a bad thing. Today she has been citing it as evidence that their judgement can be trusted. Does this make you a tad suspicious?
Here’s Guido’s guide to Angela Rayner’s praise-worthy Tories:
- When Charles Walker was widely criticised as an unsuitable to judge Boris, the MP well known for detesting Boris told the Daily Mail “I’m entirely relaxed about my position. If people want to suggest I’m biased against Boris, biased for Boris – people can say what they like. The great advantage I have over most candidates is that I’m leaving at the next election. I’m really beyond their reach.” Charles makes no bones about openly detesting Boris (and Guido).
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Sir Bernard Jenkin was a leading Brexiteer and Guido remembers him fondly. Unfortunately Bernard is not fond of Boris, in the days before his resignation from the premiership, Bernard told him he should leave with grace rather than being “forced out like Donald Trump clinging to power”. Which seems like he has already made up his mind.
- Alberta Costa was and presumably still is a strong backer of Penny Mordaunt to become prime minister. He resigned from Theresa May’s government because he thought May was not protecting EU citizens rights in post-Brexit Britain, sounding very much like the remainy lawyer. Guido doesn’t think he was that keen on Brexit or Boris.
- Andy Carter on the other hand was elected in 2019 on the back of the Boris surge and has been frequently pictured with Boris. Guido found no evidence of him publicly criticising Boris. Privately however, in correspondence seen by Guido, Carter explained to a constituent
“I made no public comment before the PM resigned his position because I sit in the committee which had been asked by the House of Commons to investigate if Mr Johnson had deliberately misled Parliament. That inquiry has not concluded its deliberations.”
Carter goes on to explain that his private view was that Boris “had no alternative but to stand down” saying he took “no pleasure from seeing Mr Johnson resign” but he thought Boris “had to step down.” That suggests Carter too might have formed a pre-conception…
CCHQ has doubled-down on their attempt to stitch-up the safe seat of Chester South and Eddisbury. After failing to build local support, chicken running MP Keiran Mullan had re-opened the field to competition, however it didn’t stop the local party voting against his re-adoption. This didn’t bother CCHQ, who pressed ahead and shoehorned him into the final shortlist anyway…
Set to join Mullan in the final round is Warrington South MP, Andy Carter, who is launching his own charm offensive on the local party. Kieran Mullan has a tough task on his hands to make his chicken run a success, local activists aren’t happy with a perception that he’s tried to take credit for Edward Timpson’s work on a local hospital. The final shortlist is still to be decided, with selection to take place over the summer.
Alas, Guido hears Iceland nepo-baby Richard Walker has been frozen out of the contest by CCHQ as they only want “certain people” selected. Perhaps related to the fact he’s previously campaigned alongside Extinction Rebellion…
Kieran Mullan has abandoned his plans to stitch-up the nomination for Chester South and Eddisbury, opening the door for a selection battle in the safe Tory seat. A meeting of the selection committee had been scheduled for 19th May to confirm or reject Mullan’s selection, however a statement has since been circulated confirming that the Crewe MP is now willing to open the field to competition. Mullan said:
“I have benefited from being able to speak to a wide variety of people locally (both involved and not involved in the selection process) and I have given all the feedback I have received a great deal of thought.
I would like to feel any process that selected me was fair and credible and would have the support of members. I think the only way to achieve that now is to be put forward to the final alongside other candidates to allow a choice by members. I appreciate the time and effort many of you have put into this process to date and thank you for your time.”
To translate – he spoke to local members and realised he was about to lose. Mullan was initially offered a place in the final three back in February, however he rejected it, claiming he was “entitled” to be the incumbent.
Mullan’s decision means a scrap for a rare Conservative safe haven is on the cards. Local sources expect a number of MPs will attempt the chicken run, whilst Richard Walker’s name is still getting mentioned as a potential candidate. Topping the list of potential seat-switchers is Andy Carter. Chris Clarkson is also rumoured to be interested as Stuart Anderson’s name got a mention too. All of whom are forecast to lose their seats on current polls…
As well as Lee Anderson who forced Boris into self-isolation in the first place, a host of Tory MPs have now also been told to self-isolate:
- Lee Anderson (Ashfield)
- Boris Johnson (Uxbridge)
- Lia Nici (Grimsby)
- Brendan Clarke-Smith (Bassetlaw)
- Andy Carter (Warrington South)
- Katherine Fletcher (South Ribble)
- Jacob Young (Redcar)
- Maria Miller (Basingstoke)
- Chris Clarkson (Heywood and Middleton)
- Matt Vickers (Stockton South)
- Kieran Mullan (Crewe and Nantwich)
- Marco Longhi (Dudley North)
Keep an eye on this rolling list…
