Spotted a neat little story in today's Spy column in the Telegraph. Apparently, John Maples MP addressed the Battersea Conservative Association about their options for choosing a PPC. During the address he floated the idea that the Association "voluntarily" choose an all-women shortlist. Sweets were offered in return.
The shocking thing about Battersea is that it's a hyper-marginal with a 163 Labour majority. That situation exist primarily because of the hard work of the former PPC Dominic Schofield who, unbelievably, didn't get on to the A-List the first time round (not sure if he's got on subsequently). Whoever is selected for Battersea is likely to win, and it will be thanks to Schofield. Personally I think he should apply for the seat anyway as a "local" candidate.
3 comments:
Candidates must be chosen on merit, not sex, and Dominic certainly sounds as if his name should be included.
My old adversary on Westminster Council Dominic Schofield did get on the A-list top-up.
Schofield didn't get on the list because he refused to allow himself to be fast-tracked into re-adoption as the candidate for Battersea. He was included in the second batch. He then chose not to apply for Battersea (for which he would have been a dead cert).
He was a good candidate, but the association's members and supporters did do something to help as well you know.
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