parliamentary candidates to watch - ICG

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PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

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ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

#PPCGuide

At ICG (Insight Consulting Group) we continue to shine a light on the people and personalities that will colour the new Parliament elected on 7 May 2015. This definitive Parliamentary Candidates to Watch Guide profiles the 50 prospective new Members of the House of Commons that possess the drive and ambition to have a defining impact on the 2015 Parliament. Our previous guide - published in June 2014 - focused on the ‘next generation’: 37 candidates at that point selected in constituencies held by their parties. This was particularly well-received for its analysis of the breakdown between genders as well as black, Asian or ethnic minority candidates across parties. The polls indicate much has developed since then, not least the continued rise of UKIP and the post-referendum SNP surge. This edition aims to reflect the changing nature of the UK political landscape, pinpointing the people at the forefront of this year’s multi-party race.

Following the General Election, ICG will be publishing a comprehensive guide profiling all newly-elected MPs. To pre-order your copy, please contact Richard Kelly on 020 7824 1856 or via email using [email protected].

APRIL 2015

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PROFILES CONSERVATIVE PPCS

Sir Keir Starmer QC (Holborn and St Pancras)

Edward Argar (Charnwood)

Jo Stevens (Cardiff Central)

Victoria Atkins (Louth and Horncastle)

Will Straw (Rosendale and Darwen)

James Cleverly (Braintree)

Anna Turley (Redcar)

Oliver Dowden (Hertsmere)

Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green)

Dr Luke Evans (Birmingham, Edgbaston) Suella Fernandes (Fareham)

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PPCs

Nusrat Ghani (Wealden)

Steve Bradley (Bath)

Nigel Huddleston (Mid Worcestershire)

David Rendel (Somerton and Frome)

Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire)

Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove)

Boris Johnson (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) Julian Knight (Solihull)

UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY PPCs

Alan Mak (Havant)

Tim Aker MEP (Thurrock)

Kit Malthouse (North West Hampshire)

Victoria Ayling (Great Grimsby)

Chris Philp (Croydon South)

Nigel Farage MEP (South Thanet)

Rishi Sunak (Richmond, Yorkshire) Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Berwick-upon-Tweed) Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling)

SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY PPCs Joanna Cherry QC (Edinburgh South West)

Matt Warman (Boston and Skegness)

Patrick Grady (Glasgow North)

Helen Whately (Faversham and Mid Kent)

Neil Hay (Edinburgh South)

LABOUR PPCs

Natalie McGarry (Glasgow East) Alex Salmond MSP (Gordon)

Catherine Atkinson (Erewash) Jo Cox (Batley and Spen) Rowenna Davis (Southampton Itchen)

PLAID CYMRU PPCs Liz Saville-Roberts (Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) Rachael Maskell (York Central) Conor McGinn (St Helens)

GREEN PPCs Darren Hall (Bristol West)

Kate Osamor (Edmonton) Sarah Owen (Hastings and Rye) Matt Pennycook (Greenwich and Woolwich) Lee Sherriff (Carlisle) Tulip Siddiq (Hampstead and Kilburn) Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North)

Edited by Richard Kelly & Lewis van Diggele

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ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

In light of the relative uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the Election, the 50 candidates profiled recognise the immediate and crucial impact many will have in either lending their votes to a minority government’s legislative agenda, or propping up a formal coalition. There are big beasts such as Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Alex Salmond whose reputations precede them. There are others, such as Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville-Roberts, whose election to the Commons would represent genuine progress as the party’s first female MP. 89 MPs are stepping down, and once seats change hands, we could see new MPs forming around a quarter of the new House of Commons. In the past the party apparatchiks and high-fliers would be parachuted into these seats. But it isn’t the special advisers, party organisers and campaigners who will dominate the 2015 cohort. Many of the safe-seat candidates that we have chosen to profile have diverse backgrounds and professional experiences. There will be a record number of women MPs. The Labour Party’s all-women shortlists will deliver a Parliamentary Party consisting of over 40% of women MPs. Subtle coercion by Conservative Central Office has seen a third of constituency associations select women candidates in seats where the incumbent MP is retiring. We also anticipate a record number of black, Asian and minority ethnic MPs, and the election of at least one and possibly two MPs of Chinese origin. Conservative Associations are to be commended for selecting BAME candidates in rather unexpected places: such as Rishi Sunak who will inherit Richmond in Yorkshire from William Hague; Nusrat Ghani in Wealden, who hopes to be the first Muslim woman to serve on the Conservative benches; and Suella Fernandes in Fareham. Labour too will have more BAME MPs including Kate Osamor who is fighting to retain the Edmonton constituency for Labour, 26 years after her mother was blocked from selection for the Vauxhall by-election; and Tulip Siddiq, the granddaughter of the first President of Bangladesh, and niece of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s current Prime Minister.

City Hall will be somewhat diminished assuming Boris Johnson, Victoria Borwick, Kit Malthouse and James Cleverly all win their safe Conservative seats. For Labour, Andrew Dismore, another London Assembly Member hopes to win back his ultra-marginal Hendon seat. But while we are seeing fewer special advisers inheriting safe seats, the ranks of lawyers, journalists and trade union officials will continue to expand. Likewise, there is a large cohort of Oxbridge candidates. Five years ago, our PPC Guides profiled many of the 2010 intake. We didn’t do too badly in our predictions. Looking back at our Conservative picks; Sajid Javid is in the Cabinet; DBIS Minister Matt Hancock is regularly deployed in the media; Jo Johnson heads the Number 10 Policy Unit; and Rory Stewart is Chair of the Defence Select Committee. On the Labour benches; Liz Kendall, Rachel Reeves and Chuka Umunna have quickly been promoted to the Shadow Cabinet. Come the election, many psephologists will be watching to see how the Conservatives fare in their 40-40 seats; which of their 106 targets fall to Labour; and whether the Greens, SNP and UKIP make the gains they aspire to. Others will want to know which way the high profile battles such as Thanet South, Thurrock, Bristol West and Norwich South fall. The ICG team will be paying particular attention to how many of our 50 profiled candidates make it over the line. All of us in political advocacy await with baited breath the most unpredictable election in a generation. The State of Opening of the new Parliament will take place on 27 May 2015. As uncertain as its make-up remains, we hope this guide provides you with a sense of the personalities that will define and shape it.

John Lehal

Managing Director, ICG @JohnLehal

#PPCGuide

Edward Argar

The May 2015 General Election will see votes fragmented away from the major political parties, as the once regional and single issue parties are now the insurgents. In this booklet, we have identified the ‘ones to watch’ in the new Parliament; the rising stars that have a strong chance of winning their seats and becoming the next generation’s leading political figures.

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ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Charnwood

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

15,029

BACKGROUND:

Bidding to replace Tory veteran Stephen Dorrell, Edward Argar is a former political adviser and public affairs director. An Oxford graduate, he stood as a PPC in the city in 2010 but was beaten by Labour’s Andrew Smith. A Westminster councillor since 2006, after university he served as advisor to the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party and Shadow Foreign Secretary. Following a short stint in a political advisory role, Mr Argar moved into the business world in 2005. He worked in a public affairs capacity for Serco, Hedra, and infrastructure firm Mouchel. As his business career took off, he moved to represent the Conservative Party in elected office. Elected to Westminster Council as Labour took a pounding in the 2006 local elections, he became a cabinet member with responsibility for city management, transport and infrastructure issues two years later. He stood unsuccessfully for the council’s leadership in 2012 in a close fought battle against eventual victor Philippa Roe.

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He also has experience in a healthcare setting, having served as a non-executive board member of his local NHS trust. Like a whole host of PPCs hoping to get to the Commons, he is also a school governor. While campaigning locally, he has connected with voters on the issue of Leicester Royal Infirmary. Indeed he has vowed to fight in Westminster to ensure the hospital gets the finance and operational support that it requires. Mr Argar’s selection saw his Labour opponent Sean Kelly Walsh accuse his Tory counterpart of never even having been to Leicestershire prior to his selection, something quickly rebutted by Mr Argar. Selected from a four strong all-male shortlist, he was previously a finalist in the Wealden, Mid-Worcestershire, Newark and Tonbridge & Malling selections.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Charnwood sits between Leicester and Nottingham. The constituency was created in 1997 following the Boundary Commission report reflecting population changes in Leicestershire. Conservatives do well here due to a handful of affluent commuter villages and rural parishes.

“We have picked a very good candidate.”

Hanif Asmal, Chair of Charnwood Conservatives

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Edward Argar

A 768 Melton Road, Thurmaston, Leicester, LE4 8BD

T

E [email protected]

w www.edwardargar.org.uk

0116 2608609 None

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Louth and Horncastle

INCUMBENT

Sir Peter Tapsell MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

13,871

BACKGROUND:

Out with the old, in with the new? The Father of the House, Sir Peter Tapsell, who has served in the House of Commons continuously since 1966, announced his decision to stand down from Parliament in March 2014. Hoping to replace him is the Conservative PPC Victoria Atkins, a legal expert who fought her way through an open primary selection. The daughter of the former MP and MEP Sir Robert Atkins, she had an unusual amount of open primary experience, also appearing in the final hustings in Tonbridge and Malling, Mid Worcestershire and North East Hampshire. Her selection was commended by the ConservativeHome website for providing ‘another example of a female candidate being selected to succeed an outgoing male MP, and doing so in a fair contest’. Ms Atkins has had a distinguished career in the legal profession, working in practice as a criminal barrister specialising in serious organised crime. In her own words she has led the prosecution of ‘international drug trafficking rings, gun-runners and fraudsters’ over the years.

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As a fraud expert, Victoria is one of the few legal professionals in England and Wales appointed to both the Attorney General’s and the Serious Fraud Office’s list of specialist prosecutors. Ms Atkins gained political campaign experience in 2015, standing as the Conservative candidate for the position of Gloucestershire’s Police & Crime Commissioner. While she was ultimately unsuccessful with this endeavour, she gained invaluable experience in running a campaign that reached out to 600,000 people across six Parliamentary constituencies. She lives with her husband and has a young son, and they have already moved to the Louth and Horncastle constituency.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

This rural seat has returned the Conservative Sir Peter Tapsell since its creation in 1997 after boundary changes. Located on the cusp of the East Midlands with a stretch of coastline running through Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, the constituency is primarily made up of small market towns and villages that focus their outputs on agriculture.

“For those following debates over the gender balance in the Parliamentary Conservative Party, this is another example of a female candidate being selected to succeed an outgoing male MP – and doing so in a fair contest, not artificially through an allwomen shortlist. That’s a credit to the candidate and the local association.” Mark Wallace, ConservativeHome

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Victoria Atkins

A 12 Nichol Hill, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 9NQ

T

E [email protected]

w www.victoriaatkins.org.uk

01543 509108 @vmatkins

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James Cleverly CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Braintree

INCUMBENT

Brooks Newmark MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

16,121

BACKGROUND:

James Cleverly has built a successful record in the London Assembly and will in this year’s General Election attempt to succeed the outgoing Conservative MP Brooks Newmark in the party’s safe seat of Braintree. A finalist in the selections in Bury St Edmunds and Bexhill and Battle, it was third time lucky for Mr Cleverly. Having been born in and attended school in Lewisham, Mr Cleverly has become one of the Conservatives’ key figures at a local level within the capital, having won the London Assembly constituency of Bexley and Bromley with a majority of 75,237 in 2008 (which was the largest majority in all 14 constituencies). After leading the Assembly’s Conservative Group between 2011 and 2012, he was re-elected in 2012, albeit with a reduced majority of 47,768. Beyond this, Mr Cleverly has held a number of high profile positions in the City including the Mayor of London’s Youth Ambassador, Chairman of the London Waste and Recycling Board (a position he stepped down from in 2012) and Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

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Mr Cleverly has publicly declared he will serve the remaining twelve months of his Assembly Member term. He has, however, resigned his position as Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority However, this will not be his first General Election as a candidate. In 2005 he finished a distant second to Bridget Prentice in the safe Labour seat of Lewisham East. Prior to politics Mr Cleverly joined the army before studying Business at Thames Valley University (now the University of West London). He also has worked in the magazine and web publishing industry and has spent nearly twenty years in the Territorial Army holding the rank of Major.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Having been a Conservative safe seat for years, Braintree was taken by Labour in 1997 and was a marginal until a 2010 boundary change returned it back to its previous status. It is a predominantly rural seat with the largest town being Braintree itself. The constituency is divided into wealthy rural and poorer urban areas, containing large agricultural areas. The Essex countryside which makes up part of the constituency is the subject of several of John Constable’s paintings.

“James has done sterling work steering through important reforms that have helped to produce a 21st century fire service for London… His leadership has brought modernisation and with it a continued reduction in fires and in deaths from fire. That’s a considerable legacy to leave behind, and one for which I am hugely grateful to James for delivering.” Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

CONTACT

A Avenue Lodge, The Avenue, Witham, Essex, CM8 2DL

T

E [email protected]

w www.jamescleverly.wordpress.com

01376 512386 @JamesCleverly

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Hertsmere

INCUMBENT

James Clappison MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

17,605

BACKGROUND:

Oliver Dowden will bring his experience as one of the key players at the very frontline of British politics to his bid to reach Parliament, having worked since 2012 as deputy chief of staff to Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr Dowden who is affectionately known as “Olive” within Downing Street circles is extremely well-regarded by Cameron and his team, and has gained favourable comparisons with the distinguished New Labour spin-doctor Alastair Campbell. Recognised by Tory blogger Iain Dale as one of the ‘100 most influential figures from the Right’ back in 2012, his Parliamentary aspirations have been well-noted for some time. For that reason, and because of his experience at the heart of Government, many commentators will be unsurprised that Mr Dowden has been selected to contest this leafy, solid-Tory seat. His role as deputy chief of staff to the Prime Minister was not his first in the upper echelons of the Conservative party as he has previously worked providing a link between Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) and Number 10 and as both deputy campaigns and political operations director for the party. While several Special Advisers have unsuccessfully sought selection in safe seats, it appears Mr Dowden succeeded because of his local connections to Hertsmere after the sitting MP James Clappison somewhat unexpectedly announced his retirement.

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Born in Radlett within the Hertsmere constituency and living currently just north of the boundary in St Albans with his wife and two children, he has roots within the area leading him to be described by Leader of the Borough Council Morris Bright as “a local man with national credentials”. Before moving to Number 10 Mr Dowden studied law at Cambridge University, and worked for communications agencies LLM as an Account Director and Hill and Knowlton Strategies as a Managing Consultant.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Hertsmere has been held by the Conservatives since its creation ahead of the 1983 General Election and is one of the party’s safest seats. It stretches just outside Greater London and is considered part of the commuter belt. It is a predominantly middle class area consisting of a mixed economy, with the Aldenham East ward having been assessed as the least deprived in England in 2000. Major towns include Bushey, Potters Bar, Radlett and Borehamwood and the headwaters of the River Colne lie within the constituency.

“All four candidates would have made excellent MPs. Oliver Dowden however, being a local man with national credentials, stood out as an exemplary candidate and was whole heartedly supported by members.” Cllr Morris Bright, Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Oliver Dowden

A Hertsmere Conservative Association, 104 High Street, London Colney, Hertfordshire, AL2 1QL

T

E [email protected]

w www.oliverdowden.com

01727 828221 None

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Birmingham, Edgbaston

INCUMBENT

Gisela Stuart MP (Labour)

MAJORITY

1,274

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BACKGROUND:

Unsurprisingly for an NHS doctor, he has strong views on health service funding. He acknowledges that health service funding at current rates is unsustainable – suggesting that by 2060 the UK’s entire GDP will be spent on health should efficiency savings not be made.

Unlike many PPCs parachuted in from CCHQ, Dr Evans has entrenched links to his constituency through his membership of the Edgbaston Rotary Club and Debating Society. However, he has to work hard to oust Labour’s incumbent Gisela Stuart MP, who is a highly effective local campaigner, and unexpectedly bucked the trend in 2010 in retaining this swing seat.

Dr Evans is also clear on the need for reform to mental health policy, suggesting that 15-20% of GPs’ time is spent dealing with problems such as depression and anxiety.

A Birmingham-based GP, Dr Luke Evans has spent his adult life studying and working in the city. Having studied at Birmingham Medical School, he has gone on to work in primary care for the past eight years.

He is a relative political novice, having only started campaigning for the Conservatives in 2010. Just four years after joining the Party, he was selected in August 2014 to contest the seat. Dr Evans cites compassion for the ill and the poor as the main driver behind his bid to represent Edgbaston in the Commons. He believes the role of compassion is often missed out in discussions about Conservatism, and lower taxes and a strong economy are inadequate without social altruism, he claims.

He is heavily concerned about political apathy in the UK, and has argued that alienation stems from politicians’ failure to communicate properly with constituents on locally-relevant issues. He believes politicians should interact with constituents in a way that Doctors communicate with patients.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Birmingham, Edgbaston has been a bellwether seat at recent elections. In 1997, Gisela Stuart’s election was one of the first indications of a Labour landslide. In 2010, it suggested that the Conservatives would fall short of a majority. It is a predominantly middle class constituency with a high proportion of students and white collar workers. The seat is home to the main University of Birmingham campus, Edgbaston cricket ground, and Bartley reservoir.

“We have some excellent candidates…In Edgbaston we have Dr Luke Evans, who has lived in the constituency since attending medical school. He now works as a GP as well as throwing himself wholeheartedly into winning Edgbaston back for the Conservatives.” Rt Hon David Cameron MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Dr Luke Evans

A Gothard House, 9 St. Paul’s Square, Burton upon Trent, DE14 2E

T

E [email protected]

w www.westmidlandsconservatives.com/ person/dr-luke-evans

None @drlukeevans

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Suella Fernandes CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Fareham

INCUMBENT

Mark Hoban MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

17,092

BACKGROUND:

Barrister and free school founder Suella Fernandes is the daughter of East African immigrants. A Cambridge law graduate born to parents ‘who had very little’, she is determined to win a seat in the House of Commons. She has tasted General Election defeat before, however, having been beaten by Labour grandee Keith Vaz in Leicester East in 2005. A political animal since the age of 16, Ms Fernandes joined the Tory party when her mother recruited her help with her county council campaign. She later served as President of the Cambridge University Conservative Association. She studied for a Masters’ degree in law at the Sorbonne and later went on to complete her legal training in the capital. Her legal career culminated in her appointment to the Regional Panel of Treasury Counsel. Tasked with representing the Government in the High Court, Ms Fernandes secured the appointment in 2010. Not content to focus all her efforts on a burgeoning legal career, she took on the not-insignificant challenge of snatching Leicester East away from Labour 10 years ago.

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A figurehead for Tory attempts to cement the Party’s image as being on the side of hard-working families, Ms Fernandes cites self-reliance and aspiration as virtues. With this in mind, she co-founded a free school in Wembley, close to her Harrow birthplace. Fareham was not her first port of call in her mission to get elected in 2015 – she previously fell short in selection processes in Uxbridge, Bexhill and Battle, Braintree, and Croydon South. Sadly her selection campaign in Bexhill and Battle was marred by controversy when John Barnes, a local Tory councillor, suggested that a “double whammy” of “being brown and a woman” would hold back her prospects on Election night, fortunately this was not an issue at her selection. She also has philanthropic interests on the African continent; she is a co-founder and former chair of the Africa Justice Foundation. The charity aims to promote good governance and economic progress in developing countries.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

A Hampshire Conservative stronghold, Fareham is an affluent seat sandwiched between Southampton and Portsmouth. The seat has a strong naval connection – the constituency is home to training facilities for both the Royal and Merchant Navies. Despite evident economic prosperity, the decision of BAE Systems to pull out of the constituency in 2013 dealt a real blow to the area.

‘Congratulations Suella Fernandes on being selected as Conservative PPC for Fareham from a very strong shortlist. She’ll do a grand job!’ Penny Mordaunt MP

CONTACT

A 14 East Street, Fareham, PO16 0BN

T

E [email protected]

w www.farehamconservatives.org.uk

01329 822646 @SuellaFernandes

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

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Nusrat Ghani CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Wealden

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Charles Hendry MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

17,179

BACKGROUND:

Selected in an open primary in December 2013, Kashmir-born Nusrat Ghani hopes to become Britain’s first female Muslim Conservative MP by succeeding former Energy Minister Charles Hendry in the East Sussex constituency of Wealden. Prior to selection, Ms Ghani worked in public affairs roles at health charities and for the BBC World Service in war zones. Having stood unsuccessfully in Labour’s Birmingham Ladywood stronghold, Ms Ghani is hoping to strengthen the Conservatives’ hold on the Wealden seat that has existed since its 1983 creation. Selected by over 400 local voters, she defeated Edward Argar, Helen Whately and Tony Caldeira in the open primary. Coincidentally she is also known by her married name of Nusrat Wheeldon, although she has resisted adopting the campaign tagline “Wheeldon for Wealden”. A former Deputy Chairman of the Brentwood and Isleworth Conservative Association, Ms Ghani cites ‘fostering aspiration’ as her foremost political priority. Having grown up in a community blighted by unemployment, she believes Tory rhetoric on building self-reliance first compelled her to join the party. She joined the Conservative Party in 2009, in response to David Cameron’s call for a wider range of people to offer themselves as candidates. Following her graduation from the University of Leeds with a Masters’ degree in International Relations, she was given

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a job researching emerging markets for an investment bank. Following a short stint in the financial services industry, she worked in the public affairs divisions of Age Concern and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. After cutting her political teeth in Westminster, she served as Director of Communications and Fundraising for the BBC World Service. The role saw her work across 28 language services. Ms Ghani was posted in warzones in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Asia. She then returned to the UK to start her political career, and recently joined Jericho Chambers, as a political communications and corporate communications adviser. In advance of the 2010 General Election, Ms Ghani was selected at short notice to contest Birmingham Ladywood – the seat where Channel 4’s “Benefit Street” was filmed. Despite an inner-city upbringing, her priorities for the Wealden constituency are distinctly rural. She stresses that she would fight for farmers at Westminster, and has vowed to lobby for investment for superfast broadband coverage in remote areas.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Wealden is a predominantly rural seat, while approximately half of its population lives in three towns: Uckfield, Hailsham and Crowborough. The constituency is relatively affluent, with a considerable number of residents commuting into London on a daily basis. In 2012, the constituency’s unemployment rate was at less than half the national average.

“Nus is an inspiring candidate who, we hope, will make an excellent local MP and, in time, a contribution to national politics.” Huw Merriman, Chair of Wealden Conservatives

CONTACT

A The Granary, Bates Green Farm, Arlington, East Sussex, BN26 6SH

T

E [email protected]

w www.nusghani.org.uk

01323 489289 @Nus_Ghani

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Mid Worcestershire

INCUMBENT

Sir Peter Luff MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

15,864

BACKGROUND:

It would be difficult to accuse Nigel Huddleston of not having pursued a career outside of politics. He is to resign as the Industry Head of Travel at Google before entering Parliament. A management consultant by trade, 2015 will be his second General Election as a PPC. He previously lost out to Labour’s Gavin Shuker in Luton South in 2010. Having grown up in a working class family in Lincolnshire, he went on to study Politics and Economics at Oxford University. A short period in a London management consultancy firm followed, before he left to study for an MBA at UCLA. He remained in Los Angeles for an extended period working for Andersen and subsequently, Deloitte. Having established himself in the business world, Nigel was selected to fight the Luton South seat in 2010. Mr Huddleston was hoping to capitalise on the fact that the incumbent, Labour’s Margaret Moran, had been embroiled in the Parliamentary expenses scandal. Labour’s Luton South majority was slashed to less than 3,000, but the swing to the Conservatives wasn’t sufficient for him to win the seat. He carried on with his political career unperturbed however, becoming a St Albans District Councillor in 2011. This led to bigger and better things, and by November

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2013 he had been selected in an open primary as the Conservative candidate in Mid-Worcestershire. All three of his opponents for the selection have since been selected in safe seats (Ed Argar, Victoria Atkins and Nusrat Ghani). Clearly confident that he will emerge victorious in May – he upped sticks and re-located his family to Badsey near Evesham, Worcestershire. His campaigning in the constituency has thus far centred on proposals to create a Parkway Station in South Worcestershire. He has also lobbied the local County Council to accelerate the design process for the new site. He is also concerned about the lack of youth engagement in politics, having led a campaign to get 18 to 24 year olds to vote. Mr Huddleston is equally keen to secure the SME vote – having started a campaign encouraging small businesses to develop an online presence.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Mid-Worcestershire is a predominantly rural constituency inclusive of an area of countryside in between Redditch and Worcester, just south of Birmingham. While Labour does command support in Evesham and Droitwich, the seat is solidly Conservative.

“I am confident that your new Conservative candidate, Nigel Huddleston, will campaign vigorously on your behalf and will be an excellent ambassador for Worcestershire.” Sir Peter Luff MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Nigel Huddleston

A Severn House, Prescott Drive, Warndon Business Park, Worcester, WR4 9NE

T

E [email protected]

w www.nigelhuddleston.com

01905 780607 @HuddlestonNigel

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for North East Hampshire

INCUMBENT

James Arbuthnot MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

18,597

BACKGROUND:

A local councillor since 2008, and Deputy Leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Ranil Jayawardena seems set to capitalise on his local connection and succeed in his campaign to represent North East Hampshire. He was selected in an open primary against three other non-local candidates: Victoria Atkins (since selected in Louth and Horncastle), Helen Whately (since selected in Faversham) and Dr Spencer Pitfield. Selected to replace James Arbuthnot MP (who announced he would stand down long ago) through an open primary held in November 2013 (a decision of the North East Hampshire Conservative Association), Mr Jayawardena is one of a number of BAME candidates to have been selected in Conservative safe seats. The 28-year old grew up in the local area – which he “cares passionately” about – and attended a nearby school and sixth form college before reading Government at the London School of Economics. No stranger to politics, he has worked as a government relations manager for Lloyds Banking Group and has experience lobbying MEPs in Brussels on European financial regulation.

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He also previously gained experience working in Parliamentary and Constituency offices, so he would be no stranger to the role of MP. Given his commercial background in financial services, and time spent as Vice-Chairman of the Economic Prosperity and Performance Committee of his council, Mr Jayawardena may wish pursue these interests in Parliament. Mr Jayawardena is said to have a real interest in local history and walks in the local area, whilst shooting, board games and cricket are among his hobbies. He is a supporter of many charities, including Cancer Research UK and the RSPB. He is also a member of the Carlton Club and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

North East Hampshire has been a Conservative stronghold since its formation in 1997, with James Arbuthnot having overseen a steady increase in the Conservatives’ share of vote in subsequent elections. It is highly unlikely that the safe seat will change hands to another party, though UKIP have named a candidate. The constituency wraps around the northern, eastern and southern edges of Basingstoke, covering some of its rural neighbourhoods as well as the affluent and fast-growing towns of Hook, Fleet and Yateley. It is a desirable residential area and home to many London commuters. Companies based in the area include Virgin Media and Serco.

“I am delighted that electors – from all political parties and from none – have chosen Ranil to stand as the Conservative Candidate in the 2015 General Election.” Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Ranil Jayawardena

A North East Hampshire Conservatives, The Mount, Bounty Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 3DD

T

E [email protected]

w www.tellranil.com

01256 322207 @TellRanil

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Uxbridge and South Ruislip

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Sir John Randall MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

11,216

BACKGROUND:

Hoping to swap SE1 for SW1, Boris Johnson – the Mayor of London and Tory leadership favourite – was selected to contest the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency in September 2014. No stranger to the Palace of Westminster, the two-term Mayor and former shadow minister for Higher Education was previously MP for Henley for seven years before leading London’s political scene. His intention is now to replace the retiring Tory veteran, Sir John Randall, by winning this west London seat for the Conservatives. Mr Johnson’s political ambitions are well noted. He is widely regarded as an electoral asset and is, for that reason, extremely popular on the Conservative benches. Speculation is due to mount as to his Prime Ministerial prospects, particularly following David Cameron’s ruling out of a third term. In the short term, there is the issue of whether Mr Johnson will see out his term as Mayor. He certainly intends to carry on his duties at the GLA in the immediate aftermath of the General Election. However, it remains unclear whether he will step aside from the role after Thursday 5th November, which would see his statutory Deputy Mayor see out the remaining six months of the term.

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Mr Johnson also presents a number of potential headaches for the Conservative leadership. To many, his personal ambition is matched only by that of his aspirations for UK infrastructure. An unequivocal HS2 enthusiast whilst a strong critic of Heathrow runway expansion, his position is likely to cause friction on the Tory benches with legislation expected on these topics in the new Parliament. Having been a vocal opponent of Heathrow Airport in the past, given many of his prospective constituents rely on the airport for employment, he may need to hastily soften his stance. Mr Johnson was named as a potential successor to the Conservative leadership by David Cameron himself in March 2015. If Cameron vacates 10 Downing Street in May, Mr Johnson’s name will be at the forefront of any subsequent Conservative leadership contest.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Uxbridge and South Ruislip is an affluent, suburban constituency that has been held by the Conservatives since 1980. A very safe blue seat, it returned the first by-election hold for the Tories in 1997. Uxbridge and Hillingdon represent the urban centre of the constituency, which benefits from good transport links into the capital. The seat is home to a sizeable student community at Brunel University and Northholt Aerodrome is an employer to many.

“Great news that Boris plans to stand at next year’s general election - I’ve always said I want my star players on the pitch.” Rt Hon David Cameron MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Boris Johnson

A Hillingdon Conservatives, Bay Lodge, 36 Harefield Road, Uxbridge Middlesex, UB8 1PH

T

E [email protected]

w www.boris-johnson.com

01923 822876 @MayorofLondon

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#PPCGuide

Julian Knight CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Solihull

INCUMBENT

Lorely Burt MP (Liberal Democrat)

MAJORITY

175

BACKGROUND:

A consumer journalist by trade, Julian Knight is hoping to overcome the Liberal Democrats’ smallest majority in Solihull. After cutting his teeth in broadcast journalism at BBC News, he joined the Independent and became Money and Property Editor. Keen to secure this ultra-marginal seat which Lorely Burt unexpectedly won in 2005, he has moved home to Olton, Solihull to allow him to campaign full time. By his own admission, Mr Knight had a difficult upbringing. Born on a Chester council estate, his father left home when he was ten. Despite obvious challenges, he managed to become the first person in his family to go to university, studying history at Hull. Upon graduation, he ventured to the capital to find work as a journalist. He eventually secured employment at BBC News and rose through the ranks to become a consumer affairs journalist. Mr Knight has pointed out that sheer hard work led to his success; he claims to have worked 80-hour weeks whilst a young journalist in London. While working at The Independent, Julian wrote on consumer finance, the property market, and economics. He also authored six books covering subjects as diverse as the Eurozone crisis, tax law and cricket.

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He was selected in March 2013, coming top in a field of 38 candidates. His local links were said to have delivered the selection for him. Since his selection as a Tory PPC, Mr Knight has led a campaign to improve dementia care provision at Solihull hospital. He has worked with neighbouring MP Caroline Spellman and officials at Solihull CCG to build a broad consensus in favour of investing in adequate dementia care facilities. He has also fought attempts to amalgamate Solihull Council into a Greater Birmingham Authority, claiming that Solihull should remain in charge of its own affairs. The stalled merger may be owed to partisan politics given that Birmingham is controlled by Labour, while the Tories dominate Solihull Council.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Solihull is home to many affluent Birmingham commuters. The area is of high importance to the UK’s manufacturing base – the seat is home to a Land Rover factory. Elmdon and Lyndon are less well-off parts of the constituency, and regularly elect Labour councillors.

“Julian clearly understood the issues facing the residents of Solihull and I very much look forward to working with him to win back Solihull.” Robert Hulland, Chairman of Solihull Conservatives

CONTACT

A 2a Manor Road, Solihull, B91 2BH

T

E [email protected]

w www.julianknight.org.uk

01217 112955 @julianknight15

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#PPCGuide

Alan Mak CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Havant

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon David Willetts MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

12,160

BACKGROUND:

A corporate lawyer by trade, Alan Mak hopes to extend the Tories’ 32-year-long stranglehold on the Havant seat to 2020 and beyond. Mr Mak acted quickly to throw his hat into the ring following former Universities Minister David Willetts’ decision to leave Parliament. He was selected in October 2014 after a strongly-contested open primary. He is set to become the Conservative Party’s – if not Britain’s – first MP of Chinese heritage. A state school-educated son of York shopkeepers, he claims that his time spent working in his parents’ store taught him the importance of conservative values. After reading law at both Oxford and Cambridge, he began working as a corporate solicitor at Clifford Chance. Following this, he left to set up his own business and stand for Parliament. While claiming to be the antithesis of a career politician, Mr Mak does have Westminster experience. He has worked for Culture Minister Ed Vaizey and has served on David Cameron’s Globalisation and Global Poverty Policy Group. He also enjoyed a stint as a research associate at the Adam Smith Institute. Mak’s foremost political goal is the creation of an ‘opportunity society’. He cites the work ethic and aspirations of his immigrant parents as key to his belief in the

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importance of social mobility. He has called for ‘strivers’ on low wages to be freed from the burden of taxation. A vocal proponent of Iain Duncan Smith’s welfare reforms, he believes the Tories’ main task is to deliver long-term social mobility for workers trapped in insecure, low-paid jobs. Acutely aware of the threat posed by increasingly-productive workforces in emerging economies, Mr Mak is an advocate of radical reform in education. Like Tory-backer Carol Vorderman, he believes that all young people should study mathematics and foreign languages up until the age of 18. He also has philanthropic interests, and has backed charities including Magic Breakfast – a group aiming to feed hungry young people. Mr Mak is clearly proud of his achievements, suggesting on his website that a Management Today journalist had said that “the term ‘high flyer’ was surely coined to describe Alan Mak.”

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

While workers in Havant earn less on average that the national median income, the constituency is home to a whole host of high-technology businesses. One of the warmest places in the UK, Havant is also home to a high proportion of retirees who tend to be Conservatively-minded.

“He has got my 100 per cent support.” Rt Hon David Willetts MP

CONTACT

A Havant Conservatives, 19 South Street, Havant, PO9 1BU

T

E [email protected]

w www.alanmak.org.uk

02392 475066 @AlanMak4MP

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for North West Hampshire

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Sir George Young MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

18,583

BACKGROUND:

Hoping to succeed Sir George Young, the long-serving senior Conservative MP, with his election to this very safe Hampshire seat, Mr Malthouse has a strong background in local government, politics and business. Mr Malthouse currently represents the London Assembly constituency of West Central, covering the City of Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham Boroughs. He previously acted as the GLA’s Deputy Mayor for Business & Enterprise, where he took on responsibility for economic development, regeneration, as well as trade and science policy. Having now handed over his cabinet responsibilities, the Mayor of London will need to find a new Deputy Mayor for the City Hall team. Various London Assembly committees, including health, environment and planning, will also need replacement members.

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His background in local government saw him rise through the ranks to become Deputy Leader of Westminster City Council. He was later appointed Deputy Mayor for Policing by Boris Johnson in 2008, a brief he held for four years. Originally from Liverpool, he studied Politics and Economics at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He is married with three children.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

North West Hampshire has been a Conservative safe seat since its creation ahead of the 1983 General Election. Its focal point is the town of Andover, Hampshire’s county town located on the River Anton and home to many after the post-war London overspill of the 1950s. The local economy has a focus on military research and logistics, benefitting from good transport links to the capital. The constituency is also home to wealthy older residents and commuters.

Before starting his career in politics, Mr Malthouse qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte & Touche. He then tried his hand at entrepreneurship, starting a number of companies including the County Finance Group which he is still involved with.

“Kit Malthouse has been a vital part of my team since day one and the force of his personality, combined with his desire to lead from the front, has been key to helping us set new standards across the policing and economic briefs that he has led so successfully.” Boris Johnson

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Kit Malthouse AM

A 2 Church Close, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1DP

T

E [email protected]

w www.kitmalthouse.com

01264 353398 @kitmalthouse

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Croydon South

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Sir Richard Ottaway MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

15,818

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BACKGROUND:

Further business ventures followed, including a recruitment business specialising in training HGV drivers. Having sold the firm in 2006, he co-founded asset management and investment firm Pluto Capital. The company operates internationally, and employs staff in Serbia, Montenegro, and London.

Despite spending most of his adult life in business, he is no political novice. Mr Philp is in fact a former Chairman of the Bow Group and adviser to Andrew Lansley MP.

Mr Philp’s first taste of political office came when he was elected to Camden Council as the Tories made significant headway against Labour at the 2006 local elections. He was selected in November 2013 from a four strong shortlist which included fellow candidates Suella Fernandes and Lucy Frazer.

A serial entrepreneur and physics graduate, Chris is bidding to secure Croydon South which has been in Tory hands since 1974. 2015 will be his second General Election campaign; he suffered an agonising 42-vote defeat in the three-way marginal of Hampstead and Kilburn in 2010.

He cites job creation as his foremost priority and insists that his real-world business experience gives him the edge over MPs who have never worked outside of politics. He has also lobbied for welfare reform in conjunction with the Taxpayers’ Alliance, claiming that benefit recipients should be made to carry out community work. He drew the ire of the then Independent columnist Owen Jones who claimed the proposal amounted to a return to slavery. Mr Philp worked in management consultancy at McKinsey & Company after studying at Oxford. He left to start his own distribution business at the age of 24. The firm proved to be a stunning success, and managed to achieve a £100 million turnover within four years.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Croydon South is perhaps the most-solidly middle class seat in South East London. The constituency is home to prosperous city workers and has a home ownership rate of 80%. Conservatives tend to dominate in local government here, with 83% of wards in the constituency being represented by a Tory councillor.

“Congratulations to Chris Philp who will be a fantastic candidate for Croydon South and would make a brilliant MP.” Matt Hancock MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Chris Philp

A 36 Brighton Road, Purley, CR8 2LG

T

E [email protected]

w www.chrisphilp.com

020 8660 0491 @chrisphilp4mp

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Richmond, Yorkshire

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon William Hague MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

23,336

BACKGROUND:

Standing in the safest Conservative seat in the UK, Rishi Sunak is hoping to succeed one of the giants of British politics of the 21st century – former Foreign Secretary and Tory Leader William Hague. A serial entrepreneur with links to companies across the globe, Mr Sunak has impeccable Tory credentials. The son of a GP, he holds a first-class degree in PPE from Oxford University and an MBA from Stanford University, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. Drawing on the inspiration provided by his entrepreneurial pharmacist mother, he went on to co-found a large investment firm. The £1 billion firm quickly developed an extensive international presence, with an investment portfolio including businesses in countries as diverse as India and the United States. More recently, he has worked as Head of Policy Exchange’s new Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Research Unit. The unit’s inaugural project was a landmark publication on the political attitudes of the UK’s BME population. Bidding to develop links in an area that has known little else other than William Hague over the past three decades will have been a challenge for Mr Sunak. He is hoping that a school governorship and his role as a board member of a local youth club will stand him in good stead come May.

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After coming second in the Hertsmere selection, Mr Sunak was shortlisted against three strong local candidates: council group leader Robert Light, former chairman of the local party Wendy Morton and ex-soldier Chris Brannigan. He has been a vocal campaigner on the NHS in Richmond. Claiming that his parents’ vocations ensured community healthcare is ‘in his blood’, he has campaigned to support the local Friarage Hospital. Farming is a mainstay of the local economy in Richmond, and Mr Sunak seems to have grasped its importance to people in the constituency. He has vowed to fight the ‘costly burden of EU regulation’ to ensure agriculture remains a successful part of the local economy. Mr Sunak is married to Akshata Murthy, daughter of the founder of Infosys, Narayana Murthy. Akshsata reportedly has a 1.4% stake in the Indian multinational technology consulting firm.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Richmond is a massive constituency that includes huge chunks of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park. The local economy centres on agriculture and tourism, but the seat also includes the army base at Catterick Garrison.

“He is an exceptional individual and I believe he will be a strong and effective advocate for our community.” Rt Hon William Hague MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Rishi Sunak

A Unit 1, Omega Business Village, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL8 2NJ

T

E [email protected]

w www.rishisunak.com

01609 772060 None

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Berwick-upon-Tweed

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith MP (Liberal Democrat, retiring)

MAJORITY

2,690

BACKGROUND:

Selected by the Conservatives through an open primary process, Anne-Marie Trevelyan will fight the election hoping to end the Liberal Democrats’ long-standing hold on the constituency. A veteran of the 2010 General Election campaign, Ms Trevelyan managed to reduce the majority of Berwick-upon-Tweed’s long-serving MP Sir Alan Beith from 8,632 to 2,690 but was ultimately unsuccessful in winning the seat back for the Conservatives. Since then, Sir Alan has announced his retirement after a 42 year career in the House of Commons. It means that the Liberal Democrat PPC hoping to succeed him Julie Pörksen will not benefit from the incumbency factor, potentially boosting the prospects of Ms Trevelyan. The relatively slim Liberal Democrat majority makes this a key marginal in which a two-way fight between the Coalition partners will take place. A strong campaigning record indicates that Ms Trevelyan will be relishing the challenge.

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The upgrade is thought to help Ms Trevelyan and the Conservatives’ prospects at the General Election; so it is perhaps no coincidence that the constituency served by the A1 upgrade area is one of the party’s 40 target seats. Locally, Ms Trevelyan has a good profile and her work remains rooted in the surrounding area. She remains a Governor at Berwick Academy and was previously Chair of iNorthumberland. A chartered accountant, Ms Trevelyan worked for PWC in the 1990s.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Berwick-upon-Tweed, situated in Northumberland, is the most northerly constituency in England. A large but sparsely-populated seat, this is a rural area with liberal instincts. Sir Alan Beith, the long-serving Liberal Democrat, has held this seat since his by-election win there in 1973. A picturesque coastal constituency, Berwick-upon-Tweed is home to the island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland National Park and several seaside towns.

As founder of the ‘Dual the A1’ group, she has been at the forefront of the successful campaign for an upgrade to this important stretch of road north of Newcastle. In his Autumn Statement of December 2014, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £290 million in funding to do exactly that.

“Politics is the most unpredictable game, but I’m hopeful that the work we will continue to do, on things like A1 dualling and broadband, will be enough to secure the voters’ confidence.” Anne-Marie Trevelyan

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Anne-Marie Trevelyan

A The Gardeners House, Bondgate Without, Alnwick, NE66 1PQ

T

E [email protected]

w www.teamtrevelyan.co.uk

07970 653258 @annietrev

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Tonbridge and Malling

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Sir John Stanley MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

18,178

BACKGROUND:

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Tugendhat looks set to follow in the footsteps of the distinguished Tory Knight of the Shire, Sir John Stanley, bringing with him a wealth of experience of the international stage. An Arabic speaker and former theology student, Tom is an expert in the field of Middle Eastern affairs. He has spent the best part of his career – spanning public relations, diplomacy, journalism and the military – working in the region. Originally from Kent, Mr Tugendhat went to University in Bristol before reading a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies at Cambridge University. After this he worked as a journalist in Lebanon before establishing one of the country’s first public relations companies. He then enlisted as an intelligence officer with the Royal Marines and was subsequently tasked with supporting the economic reconstruction effort in Iraq’s central region, which included Baghdad and its surrounding cities, following the second Gulf War. While reluctant to talk about his military service, he has been quick to point to Labour’s Dan Jarvis as a politician he admires, having shared similar experiences in combat zones.

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He left the Armed Forces in 2014, having served on operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to acting as the military assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff. Whilst a Territorial Army officer, he set up the Armed Forces Muslim Association. Mr Tugendhat also spent time working with the Foreign Office setting up the National Security Council of Afghanistan. In his early 40s, he is married with one son and currently lives back in his home county of Kent. His father is the Hon Mr Justice Tugendhat, a high court judge, and his uncle, Lord Tugendhat is a Conservative Peer. Selected in an open primary, all three of his fellow contenders (Victoria Atkins, Ed Argar and Chris Philp) have subsequently secured selection in safe seats. He writes frequently for a range of newspapers on military and foreign affairs issues.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

A very safe Conservative seat in South East Kent, this is a relatively rural constituency made up of villages. The market town of Tonbridge lies at its centre on the banks of the River Medway, 29 miles east of London. Its industries are varied, comprising of light engineering, financial services, printing and distribution.

“This selection adds to a trend of former army officers finding favour over professional politicians.” Harry Phibbs, ConservativeHome

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Thomas Tugendhat

A Suite 3, 1-7 Commercial Road, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 6EN

T

E [email protected]

w www.tomtugendhat.org.uk

01732 842794 @TomTugendhat

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Boston and Skegness

INCUMBENT

Mark Simmonds MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

12,426

BACKGROUND:

Matt Warman is hoping to follow the well-trodden path from Fleet Street to Westminster in May this year. He is bidding to replace Mark Simmonds who resigned as a Foreign Office Minister in August. Selected in an open primary last year, Mr Warman faces an onslaught from UKIP as the party attempts to capitalise on its surging support in Eastern England. Brought up in Devon and Hertfordshire, Mr Warman joined The Telegraph straight after graduating and has remained there ever since. He read English Literature at the University of Durham and enjoyed a swift rise up the ranks at the newspaper. He was appointed as The Telegraph’s Technology Editor in 2013. He is just the latest in a long line of Warman Tory party activists. One of his earliest childhood memories was delivering party leaflets with his parents in the late 1980s. Prior to his selection as a PPC in Boston and Skegness, Mr Warman was the Chairman of a Local Conservative Association in Hertfordshire.

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Perhaps unsurprisingly for a journalist with a penchant for technology, he has been a vocal proponent of the Government’s superfast broadband rollout scheme. Like investment in transport networks, he claims, improving the UK’s internet capabilities is a key part of the long-term economic plan. While he isn’t originally from the constituency, his wife Rachel’s family live in Boston. His father-in-law is a wellconnected senior teacher at Boston Grammar School. On a shortlist of four well-qualified candidates, he played heavily on his local connections to win the selection.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

The 2011 Census revealed that more than 10% of people living in Boston originate from Eastern Europe – the highest proportion of any constituency in England or Wales. Many migrant workers are employed in the agricultural sector. Social deprivation is a big issue in the constituency – Boston is the UK’s most obese city and has a higher unemployment rate than the national average.

His views on immigration are particularly relevant given that Boston and Skegness has the highest proportion of Eastern European migrants of any constituency. He concedes that immigration is a complex issue, but claims that the Tories have the ‘sophisticated’ answers to issues such as jobs, wages, and public services that UKIP lack.

“It’s patronising to suggest people vote UKIP as a protest, but everyone knows the party plays on people’s fears.” Matt Warman

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Matt Warman

A 16 Main Ridge West, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 6QQ

T

E [email protected]

w www.mattwarman.net

01205 351804 @mattwarman

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CANDIDATE

Conservative PPC for Faversham and Mid Kent

INCUMBENT

Sir Hugh Robertson MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

17,088

BACKGROUND:

A mammoth Tory majority in Faversham and Mid Kent means Helen Whately is a safe bet to fill the shoes of former Olympics Minister Sir Hugh Robertson in Parliament. An Oxford Politics, Philosophy & Economics graduate and McKinsey & Company healthcare consultant, Helen’s route to Westminster resembles that of countless MPs before her. 2015 will be Ms Whately’s second General Election as a PPC. She lost out to Energy Secretary Ed Davey in the contest for the Kingston and Surbiton seat five years ago. While Davey won comfortably in the end, Ms Whately’s efforts ensured his majority had been cut by more than a thousand. Ms Whately was something of a regular fixture on selection shortlists, although was unsuccessful in Wealden, North East Hampshire, South Cambridgeshire, Bury St Edmunds and Banbury. She cites the NHS as her number one political priority, having been born to a surgeon father and doctor mother. She first became interested in politics in the late 1980s as the Soviet Union began to crumble. Before going to university, she expanded her horizons with a year teaching in Kathmandu, Nepal.

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After leaving Oxford, she worked in management consultancy at PWC, before later being appointed to a position at AOL. There she helped launch the first online film subscription service in the UK. At McKinsey & Company, Ms Whately works as an engagement manager focusing on strategic issues for health commissioners and hospitals. As well as enjoying a burgeoning career in the private sector, Helen also provided strategic advice to the Conservative leadership. She was previously an advisor to the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Jeremy Hunt MP, who has been vocal in his support of her candidacy. She is a keen horse rider, and managed to secure a place in the British Junior Event Team as a youngster.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Faversham and Mid Kent is a well-heeled constituency in the heart of the Garden of England. The constituency is mainly home to white-collar workers and their families. Faversham is a medieval market town surrounded by fruit farms in which fewer than 3% of people are unemployed.

“I’ve known Helen for several years and I’m convinced she’ll make an excellent MP. With her experience working in healthcare, she’ll make a particularly valuable contribution to the challenge of improving the NHS.” Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Helen Whately

A 91 High Street, West Malling, Kent, ME19 6NA

T

E [email protected]

w www.helenwhately.co.uk

01732 842794 @Helen_Whately

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#PPCGuide

Catherine Atkinson CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Erewash

INCUMBENT

Jessica Lee MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

2,501

BACKGROUND:

A barrister specialising in personal injury, employment, and criminal fraud, Catherine Atkinson is aiming to snatch back Erewash from the Conservatives. Jessica Lee, the Conservative MP who took the seat in 2010 and is a fellow barrister, called time on her parliamentary career after just one term. Ms Atkinson is an experienced Labour campaigner, having stood previously for the party in 2005 in Kensington, finishing behind Sir Malcom Rifkind. She is Secretary of the Society of Labour Lawyers and was a local councillor before the 2010 General Election. Having studied to become a Master of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, Ms Atkinson went on to qualify as a barrister in 2007. Working from Chambers at 9 Gough Square, she frequently appears before the Coroner’s Courts in cases including industrial disease and clinical negligence. A Grade 2 prosecutor, she acts in the Criminal Courts for the Crown against alleged criminal fraudsters. Her legal work also extends to representing problem families in the High Court. With many workers in Erewash employed on the national minimum wage, she has campaigned for the introduction of a Living Wage. Keen to dispel an image of cosmopolitan aloofness, Ms Atkinson has also campaigned to erect a memorial to ironworkers

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who were formerly employed at the Stanton site in the constituency. The campaign has garnered support from high-profile figures including the actor Robert Lindsay. Ms Atkinson moved to Sandiacre in the constituency before the selection process commenced and is married to Dan, an Army Reservist who deployed to Afghanistan. She was one of only four females to have applied for the seat and was involved in a run-off with another local woman. A Labour PPC is never far away from a campaign to save the NHS from the Conservatives and Ms Atkinson’s approach is no different. Her doorstep conversations have focused on the topic of extending the opening hours of Ilkeston Community Hospital. Addressing the Labour Party Conference in 2014, she was unusually joined at the platform by her new-born baby Jacob, who has been frequently seen on the campaign trail since.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Erewash has routinely shifted between Labour and Conservative control since its inception. The seat was formerly industrial but has developed into a relatively affluent residential and commuter area. Split between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands, the seat was the launchpad for Robert Kilroy-Silk’s bid to get into the Commons in 2005.

“Catherine has extremely deep seated Labour roots and beliefs, so everything she would undertake would have to pass stringent tests in this regard, thus ensuring first class representation and fairness. She would always seek out the best deal possible for the people of Erewash.” Councillor John Frudd

CONTACT

A Freepost RTGJ-LYAH-LHXY, Erewash Labour Party, Nottingham, NG9 6AD

T

E [email protected]

w www.catherineatkinson.com

07827 917156 @catkinson80

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#PPCGuide

Jo Cox CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Batley and Spen

INCUMBENT

Michael Wood MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

4,406

BACKGROUND:

Jo Cox is in the running to succeed the veteran Labour backbencher Michael Wood in the Batley and Spen seat in West Yorkshire. She will go head-to-head in this bellwether seat with Conservative candidate Imtiaz Ameen, a Dewsbury-based solicitor. A former Oxfam Head of Policy and Labour Women’s Network Chair, Ms Cox was born in the constituency she is aiming to represent. Well-connected and a passionate campaigner, she has acted as a trusted adviser to both Sarah Brown and Baroness Kinnock. Given her local roots, Batley and Spen was the only constituency for which she sought selection and was one of five candidates to put themselves forward. Selected from an all-woman shortlist in 2014, Ms Cox was the first person in her family to complete university studies. Upon graduating from the University of Cambridge in 1995, she spent six years working in political campaigning in Westminster and the European Union. It was in Brussels that she spent a two-year stint assisting Baroness Kinnock in the European Parliament. Ms Cox then began working in the voluntary sector, where public policy roles at Save the Children and the NSPCC preceded her Oxfam role. Having gained extensive experience in the third sector, Ms Cox’s

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expertise was then called upon by Sarah Brown and deployed in her campaign to stop African mothers dying in childbirth. When in London, she lives on a boat on the Thames with her partner Brendan Cox, who is Director of Policy & Advocacy at Save the Children. A passionate champion of women’s rights, Ms Cox founded UK Women, a think-tank aimed at promoting a better understanding of the lives of British females. She has also boosted her international profile having been nominated as a Young Global Leader at the 2009 Davos World Economic Forum. Closer to home, Ms Cox claims to have never forgotten her Yorkshire roots. She is leading on the plight of Dewsbury and District Hospital in her doorstep canvassing in the Batley and Spen constituency. Fully signed-up to Ed Miliband’s ‘cost of living’ mantra, she has called on the Government to reduce demand for food bank services.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

A somewhat significant socio-economic divide exists in Batley and Spen. The town of Batley was formerly heavily industrial and traditionally working class, while semi-rural Spen is mostly home to Conservative voters. Like much of West Yorkshire, the constituency has a large immigrant population. Fortunately, the area was not impacted by the race riots that blighted nearby Bradford in 2001.

“I’m confident she is just what we need to best represent the people of Batley and Spen in Parliament. She will uphold Mike Wood’s legacy and will continue and enhance the service Mike provided for his constituents.” Coun O’Neill, Kirkless Council

CONTACT

A 90 Highfield Chase, Staincliffe, WF13 4DG

T

E [email protected]

w www.jocox.co.uk

01924 410130 @Jo_Cox1

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CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Southampton Itchen

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon John Denham MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

192

BACKGROUND:

Labour won Southampton Itchen by a hair’s breadth last time out, but Rowenna Davis will be hoping 2015 sees her elected to Parliament with a more solid majority. Ms Davis is bidding to get to Westminster by the age of 30 – making her less than half the age of the incumbent John Denham. A journalist by trade, she is also the author of a book on Blue Labour – a fringe movement within the party driven by Lord Glasman. She has worked on a freelance basis for newspapers across the political spectrum including The Guardian, The Mail on Sunday and The Economist. Should Ms Davis be elected in May, she will join the legion of Oxford Politics, Philosophy & Economics graduates in the Palace of Westminster. While studying for a degree at Balliol College, she won a £4,000 prize for an essay on political leadership. 2015 won’t be her first shot at election to public office. She stood as the Labour candidate for the Cathedrals ward of Southwark in 2010. The campaign ended in failure however, as the Liberal Democrat candidate emerged victorious.

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Undeterred, she stood again in local government elections the following year. She was elected as a Councillor in Peckham, and has since campaigned to stop the proliferation of betting shops in South East London. Despite having no links to the Hampshire area, in 2013 Ms Davis was selected to defend the Southampton Itchen seat after spending months campaigning with activists there and meeting local party members. Ms Davis cites the 2003 campaign against the war in Iraq as the main source of her enthusiasm for politics. Together with friends, she set up a ‘Hands Up for Peace’ campaign aimed at stopping the invasion of Iraq that year.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Southampton Itchen includes the eastern part of the City of Southampton and economically-deprived areas, such as the Thornhill Housing Estate. It is also home to the Port of Southampton, one the of the UK’s pincipal ports. As a key marginal, the constituency will frequently host Cabinet members and Shadow Ministers during the election period. The seat was formerly held by the House of Commons Speaker Horace King back in the 1960s.

“I know that Rowenna Davis has the drive and vision to represent Southampton superbly in the years ahead, and to tackle the many challenges the government will leave.” Rt Hon John Denham MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Rowenna Davis

A 20-22 Southampton Street, Southampton SO15 2ED

T

E [email protected]

w www.rowennadavis.org.uk¢

07835 103090 @RowennaDavis

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Helen Hayes CANDIDATE

Dulwich and West Norwood

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Dame Tessa Jowell MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

9,365

BACKGROUND:

Town planner Helen Hayes is bidding to replace Labour grandee and former Olympics Minister Dame Tessa Jowell. Ms Hayes is a partner at a leading architecture practice and has sat on Southwark Council representing College ward in the Borough since 2010. She will be hoping that voters in the South East London constituency maintain their 18-year-long habit of returning Labour candidates to Westminster. As a self-styled champion of local causes in Brixton, Dulwich, and Crystal Palace, Ms Hayes has thus far said little on national policy issues. Instead she is basing her campaign around salient local issues – such as the redevelopment of Crystal Palace Park and a new health centre on the site of the old Dulwich Hospital. Ms Hayes will now be hoping to strike a chord with voters who live in a constituency that is socio-economically diverse enough to contain both the playing fields of Dulwich College, and the now-vibrant Brixton streets that saw race riots during the 1980s. Ms Hayes secured the Labour candidacy following a tightly-fought contest. Fiona Twycross, the constituency party chair and a London Assembly Member, was perceived

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to be the front-runner, whilst New Jersey-born community activist Amy Lamé was also in the running. Ms Hayes managed, however, to secure the backing of Labour top brass, including three Shadow Cabinet Members: Douglas Alexander, Rachel Reeves and Chuka Umunna. She set up a small business aged 23 and is a vocal advocate of more government help for SMEs operating out of markets in Brixton and Herne Hill. Ms Hayes has also expressed concern that rental prices in South East London are quashing ordinary working people’s chances of ever owning their own home. Ms Hayes studied at the University of Oxford. Her children were born at King’s College Hospital and attend local schools.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Dulwich and West Norwood is a very diverse South London seat, containing both areas of conspicuous affluence and social housing. The presence of a liberal middle-class in more affluent areas and traditional working-class Labour voters in poorer wards will mean that the Conservatives are unlikely to make much headway.

“Douglas Alexander, Rachel Reeves and Chuka Umunna saw sufficient evidence of Hayes’ talent to endorse her candidacy.” Jonathan Todd, Labour Uncut

CONTACT

A 4tr, 46 Tower Bridge Road, Southwark, London SE1 4TR

T

E [email protected]

w www.helenhayes.org.uk

020 7787 0573 @helenhayes

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CANDIDATE

Labour Cooperative PPC for Aberavon

INCUMBENT

Dr Hywel Francis MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

11,039

BACKGROUND:

“If Labour wants to convince disaffected voters that its politicians aren’t drawn from a narrow, selfserving Westminster elite, it has a few problems,” wrote Sophie McBain in the New Statesman. The criticism levelled at Stephen Kinnock is that he and other so-called ‘Red Princes’ set Labour’s efforts at promoting diversity a step back. Hopefuls from the political dynasties of the Blair years – including the Straws and the Prescotts – also have their previous work in politics as a common characteristic. The son of Neil, Labour’s longest-serving leader of the opposition, and Glenys, a former Labour Member of the European Parliament and Minister for Europe, Mr Kinnock’s ties to Labour and South Wales, where he will fight his campaign are without question. Born in Tredegar in 1970, he was schooled in his local comprehensive and subsequently went on to study modern languages at the University of Cambridge. Mr Kinnock’s outlook is ‘pro-business, but not business as usual’. As an active trade unionist and Cooperative Party member he will be conscious of the industrial history of his West Glamorgan seat which has been held by the Labour Party since 1922. He has already committed to providing greater support for the Tata Steel plant – a

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significant employer in Aberavon – so his affiliation with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Steel can be expected, assuming he makes it to the green benches. His business-focused campaign will be informed by his own learnings from the private sector. Until recently, Mr Kinnock was Managing Director of Xynteo UK, an energy efficiency consulting firm. This follows the best part of a decade working abroad, firstly leading the British Council’s diplomacy strategy in Sierra Leone and, later, heading-up the Europe & Central Asia directorate at the World Economic Forum. Mr Kinnock is married to the Danish Social Democrat Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt and is a father of two. He is fluent in five languages and is a keen rugby fan.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

A coastal constituency in the South Welsh Labour heartland, Aberavon was once represented by Ramsay MacDonald, the three-time British Prime Minister who formed a National Government in 1931. Since then, the seat has been held by Labour stalwarts including William Cove, John Morris and more recently, Hywel Francis. Port Talbot, the largest town in the constituency, features a large steelworks as well as gas plants and bio-mass power stations. The constituency also contains a significant number of public sector workers, particularly those in health and social care jobs.

‘In the many years that I’ve known him, Steve has proved to be very bright and hardworking, with a strong sense of service and deep roots in our Labour Movement. His wide background outside formal politics, his drive, and his passion for justice all mean that he’ll stand up for Aberavon with great commitment and determination.’ Eluned Morgan, Shadow Minister for Wales, House of Lords

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Stephen Kinnock

A 5a Old Market Place, Cwmavon, Port Talbot SA12 9DA

T

E [email protected]

w www.stephenkinnock.co.uk

07771 616695 @SKinnock

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Rachael Maskell CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for York Central

INCUMBENT

Sir Hugh Bayley MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

6,451

BACKGROUND:

Rachael Maskell, a physiotherapist and Head of Health at Unite, has promised to win the York Central seat in this election and protect the NHS from a second Tory-led Government. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of Sir Hugh Bayley after his impressive 22 year hold on the seat. Ms Maskell has been a member of the Labour Party for some 24 years, campaigning for social justice. She joined a trade union on starting her first job and quickly became a union representative in her hospital. Later, she went on to become a regional official for Unite and, shortly after, joined the national team. In this capacity she led many campaigns, including the union’s equality agenda campaigning for equal pay. Since becoming the Head of Health for Unite, Ms Maskell has represented over 100,000 staff working in the NHS. She also serves on the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party. Ms Maskell was selected as the Labour candidate from an all-woman shortlist, defeating Jo Coles, a Labour Party staffer, and Katie Ghose. Julie Gunnell, a former Lord Mayor of York was somewhat controversially not shortlisted. If selected, Ms Maskell will become the first female MP for York Central. She was shortlisted for Leicester West in 2009, but was narrowly beaten by Liz Kendall MP.

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Ms Maskell has promised to make the NHS and social care her primary focus in this election campaign, saying “I am sure that people in York are going to want an MP who understands the health service, and understands public services”. Ms Maskell has been a harsh critic of the changes the Coalition Government has made to the NHS, opposing privatisation and the creation of the 111 helpline. Instead she is committed to joining up health and social care. Other issues at the top of her agenda include introducing a progressive living wage, creating more skilled jobs in the area and increasing the amount of affordable housing in the constituency. Interestingly, both her Liberal Democrat and Conservative opponents – Nick Love and Robert McIlveen – have chosen to focus their campaigns instead around improving York’s local economy.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

York is relatively successful economically, which has been reflected in the significant rise of house prices since 1997. Unemployment is below the national average and there is a prevalence of financial services and the confectionery industry in the area. The city has been a centre for social research since it was the subject of Rowntree’s poverty report and has more recently been used to conduct studies in the fields of health and road accidents.

“I welcome Rachael’s selection as our candidate and will do all I can to support her. As York’s MP, I have worked closely with a wide range of residents, businesses and other institutions, and I look forward to introducing Rachael to them.” Sir Hugh Bayley MP

CONTACT

A City of York Labour Party, Freepost NEA9769, 59 Holgate Road, York, YO24 4ZZ

T

E [email protected]

w www.rachaelmaskell.com

01904 622925 @RachaelMaskell

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Conor McGinn CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for St Helens North

INCUMBENT

David Watts MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

13,101

BACKGROUND:

Conor McGinn is already well-connected within Westminster, having worked for the Shadow Defence Team as Vernon Coaker’s political advisor and represented 21 affiliated socialist societies on Labour’s National Executive Committee. The Irish-born politician has worked hard to distance himself from his father’s Sinn Fein background, insisting that his political allegiance has always been with Labour. He will almost certainly succeed David Watts, the well-respected incumbent who has held this seat with an impressive fivefigure lead since 1997. Mr Watts waited until the New Year to announce his retirement, although Mr McGinn is rumoured to have been tipped off that this retirement was imminent. Although he beat local favourite and Leader of St Helen’s Council, Barrie Grunewald, in the last round of voting, Mr McGinn’s selection turned out to be a close-run thing. Labour members voted for him 75 to 54 and Mr McGinn has had to work to consolidate the support of the local constituency party, a challenge of which he is all too aware, saying “It’s up to me to prove to people that I can do the job.” Although Mr McGinn is campaigning for a Westminster seat, he remains committed to his roots, chairing the Labour Party Irish Society until 2012 and has been known to defend Roman Catholic values in the Labour Party. If Mr McGinn wins the St Helens North seat on the 7th May he is likely to be a valuable connection to the significant Irish community in the UK.

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Since being selected, Mr McGinn has resigned from his position as advisor to Vernon Coaker in order to concentrate on the election campaign, suggesting his confidence in securing this seat. However, Mr McGinn insists that he will not be complacent about the security of the seat promising to “fight this campaign like it’s the most marginal seat in the country”. Mr McGinn’s campaign will focus on reducing living costs for constituents and increasing job opportunities in the area, problems that are prevalent in a constituency where the uptake of Job Seekers’ Allowance is significantly higher than the national average, at 48%. Because of this he is supportive of the potential rail freight development opportunity in the constituency. He also has a great interest in the NHS and has promised to vote to scrap the Coalition’s Health and Social Care Act if elected.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

With an industrial past, this constituency has large areas of derelict land and a low skill-base; unemployment is high and in 2013 a third of residents were struggling with debt. The area is culturally homogenous, with 98% of the residents being white. The key political issue in the area is economic development. Improvement is reliant on the potential development of the direct rail freight line to the North West, which would provide EU trade links. This venture was originally suggested in 2014, but is now being re-proposed by the firm Langtree who plan to redevelop the Parkside colliery for this project.

“I have worked with Conor McGinn on the Labour Party National Executive and in the Shadow Cabinet. I believe he would make an excellent MP for St Helens North.” David Watts MP

CONTACT

A Labour North West, Suite 97, Spencer House, Dewhurst Road, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 7PG

T

E [email protected]

w www.labournorthwest.org.uk

01925 574913 @ConorMcGinn

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Kate Osamor CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Edmonton

INCUMBENT

Andy Love MP (Labour Cooperative, retiring)

MAJORITY

9,613

BACKGROUND:

Labour’s Kate Osamor will contest the London constituency of Edmonton, defending the 9,613 majority cultivated by Andy Love MP who has held the seat since 1997. Widely tipped to win, she is the daughter of Martha, a highlyregarded activist in Labour circles whose application for the Party’s by-election candidacy for Vauxhall was controversially blocked in 1989. The selection process, which took place in early 2015, saw Ms Osamor emerge from a field of 100 prospective applicants that included local councillors and London Assembly Members. Shortlisted by an NEC panel chaired by Keith Vaz MP, the momentum generated subsequently carried her through the three-way run-off with Kate Anolue, the Mayor of Enfield Borough and Ayfer Orhan, a Cabinet Member of Enfield Council.

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Levelling the playing field in education and creating a fairer workplace are her key priorities. Ms Osamor’s affiliation to the Labour Campaign for Free Education, a group that has highlighted problems with the Party’s stance on tuition fees perhaps indicates her independence from the leadership on certain issues. Ms Osamor enjoys a high national profile in the Labour movement and serves on the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee, representing local constituency parties.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Located in the London Borough of Enfield, the Edmonton constituency returned a Tory MP, Dr Ian Twinn, between 1983 and 1997 when the constituency was characterised by its middle-class, London commuter base. More recently however, Edmonton’s local council wards have been regarded as Labour-leaning areas.

Ms Osamor is a GP surgery practice manager and trade union activist with strong community links – she is a Trustee of a women’s charity based in Willesden Green.

“I very much look forward to working with Kate. We will be working together to transform our community, especially with the exciting new projects coming up. She will be a fantastic MP for all the people of Edmonton.” George Savva MBE, Enfield Council

CONTACT

A Broad House, 205 Fore Street, London, N18 2TZ

T

E [email protected]

w www.kateosamor.co.uk

020 8807 1627 @KateOsamor

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CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Hastings and Rye

INCUMBENT

Amber Rudd MP (Conservative)

MAJORITY

1,993

BACKGROUND:

Sarah Owen has enjoyed a varied career to date. Currently a political advisor to Labour peer Lord Sugar, she is aiming to unseat the current Energy Minister, Amber Rudd MP. A local candidate, she was born and raised in the East Sussex constituency that she is hoping to represent in Westminster. If successful, she would become Labour’s first MP of Chinese origin. Having attended a comprehensive school in Hastings, Ms Owen worked as a nursing assistant at Conquest Hospital in the constituency. A period spent studying for a Masters’ degree at the University of Sussex then followed. After graduating she went to work in the Emergency Planning Department at the London Fire Brigade. Her specialist brief focused on planning for pandemic flu and flooding. She also has a background in local government – having dealt with casework for Brighton & Hove Council. A natural campaigner, Ms Owen has been particularly active in fundraising for a number of causes. She recently climbed the three highest peaks in the UK to raise money for Hastings Pier. She has also worked with the League Against Cruel Sports with a view to fighting any future attempt to decriminalise hunting with dogs.

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Her foremost political priority is to achieve reforms to the labour market for the benefit of low-paid workers. Ms Owen bemoans the fact that workers in Hastings and Rye earn on average £10 per hour – below the mean national wage. She also believes that a campaign to stop the closure of maternity services in Hastings is a real vote winner. She has lobbied East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust as it considers streamlining local maternity provision. She has not shied away from challenging Ms Rudd on a range of local and national issues. Earlier this year, Ms Owen accused her Tory counterpart of ‘paying lip service’ to Hasting residents while voting against extra investment in flood defences for the town. A GMB Union representative, Ms Owen is also on the Executive Committee of Chinese for Labour.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

An area much in need of regeneration as a result of a long-term decline in British seaside tourism, both Rye and Hastings, in particular, have seen better days. Local council elections since 2010 demonstrate that support for the Conservatives in the constituency is far from deep-rooted.

“Winning back Labour support in the south in places like Hastings and Rye is a big part of winning our way back into Government. With Sarah Owen, local people have a strong and talented Labour candidate ready to take the fight to David Cameron’s Tories.” Malcolm Powers, Labour Party Regional Director

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Sarah Owen

A 84 Bohemia Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 6RN

T

E [email protected]

w www.sarahowen.org.uk

01424 424125 @SarahOwen

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CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Greenwich and Woolwich

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

10,153

BACKGROUND:

A Labour Councillor for Greenwich West since 2010, Matthew Pennycook has a strong background in local politics as well as the voluntary and charity sectors. He grew up in a single parent household in South London, where he attended the local state school. He was the first member of his family to attend University, studying History & International Relations at the London School of Economics, then going on to receive a scholarship helping him gain an MPhil in International Relations from Balliol College, University of Oxford. Mr Pennycook’s background made him acutely aware of social inequalities and it was his determination to be part of a movement that would fight for a more equal society that led him to join the Labour Party in 1993. He lives with his wife Joanna in West Greenwich, in the ward he represents. Following Nick Raynsford’s announcement in 2013 that he would be stepping down at the next election, Mr Pennycook was selected as Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate, beating former Leader of Greenwich Council and London Assembly member Len Duvall, and David Prescott, son of John Prescott. His success was partly due to the backing he received from Unite and the GMB unions during his campaign, as well as strong support as the non-partyestablishment candidate.

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Mr Pennycook was a senior research and policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation, where he undertook extensive research on poverty, benefits and unemployment. He has also held a number of other roles in the charity and voluntary sectors, including at the Fair Pay Network, Child Poverty Action Group and the Institute of Public Policy Research. Through such roles he has helped to shape the national debate on issues such as welfare reform, low pay, affordable housing and working poverty. Recently, he has been very vocal about the changing development plans for the Greenwich Peninsula, stressing the importance of maintaining affordable housing for locals in the Borough. Mr Pennycook is also a trustee of Greenwich Housing Rights, serves on the Living Wage Foundation’s advisory board and has previously been a Governor at James Wolfe primary school.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

This Parliamentary constituency was created in 1997 after boundaries were redrawn to combine both the Greenwich and Woolwich constituencies. Before this the Greenwich seat had a history as a safe Labour one until it fell to the Social Democratic Party in 1983, but was quickly reclaimed again at the next election. The area is home to iconic landmarks such as the O2 Arena, the Royal Observatory and the Cutty Sark, but often appears more prosperous than it actually is. Unemployment in the constituency is well over the local average and the homeownership level is among the lowest in the country.

“Could not be prouder of my friend and the next Member of Parliament for Greenwich and Woolwich, Matthew Pennycook.” Chris Kirkby, Cabinet Member, Greenwich Council

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Matthew Pennycook

A 32 Woolwich Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 0JU

T

E [email protected]

w www.matthewpennycook.com

020 8853 1261 @mtpennycook

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Lee Sherriff CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Carlisle

INCUMBENT

John Stevenson MP (Conservative)

MAJORITY

853

BACKGROUND:

Hoping to become Cumbria’s first female MP, Lee Sherriff’s background is far-removed from that of the vast majority of prospective Parliamentarians. A mother of three and a Carlisle City Councillor, Ms Sherriff worked as a shop assistant until the recession put paid to her job at a fashion store. Now a support worker for a mental health charity, she is bidding to unseat John Stevenson, who somewhat unexpectedly took the seat for the Conservatives in 2010. Ms Sherriff was selected to contest the Carlisle seat for Labour, despite having only joined the party following the last General Election. She cites Shadow Cabinet duo Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham as her political heroes. She has stated that bringing employment and investment to Carlisle are her top priorities, complaining that jobseekers are often forced to leave Carlisle in order to earn a wage. An opponent of ticket-touts, unscrupulous employers, and payday lenders, Ms Sherriff was elected to Carlisle City Council in 2012 to represent the Harraby ward. Like Stevenson, Ms Sherriff has lived and worked in Carlisle for the majority of her life. Having attended the local comprehensive, she embarked on a career in retail, working as an assistant in a variety of shops in Carlisle City Centre.

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Having been made redundant in 2012, the experience, she says, gives her insight into the importance of the welfare state in supporting people who fall on hard times. She frequently deploys Labour’s ‘cost of living’ narrative when doorstep canvassing and is a vocal supporter of Ed Miliband’s energy price freeze pledge. In 2014, Ms Sherriff was criticised by The Guardian for her ‘woolly’ answers to questions on such contentious political issues as fracking and immigration. She combines her work as a mental health worker and local councillor with a governorship at her children’s school. Her sister, Paula, is fighting Dewsbury for Labour.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

This is a key marginal seat – the constituency is 15th on Labour’s hit-list. An overwhelmingly white constituency, this is home to food manufacturing firms employing around 4,000 people. Local health service provision is particularly controversial in Carlisle, with the Cumberland Infirmary having been on the receiving end of acute criticism in recent years.

“When out door-knocking with Lee Sherriff, her dedication is astonishing.” Annosh Chakelian, The New Statesman

CONTACT

A Carlisle Labour Party, 135 Botchergate, Carlisle, CA1 1RZ

T

E [email protected]

w www.leesherriff4carlisle.co.uk

07803 203618 @MissleeCarlisle

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CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Hampstead and Kilburn

INCUMBENT

Glenda Jackson (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

42

BACKGROUND:

This former Camden councillor, who was named by The Guardian as “one to watch” in British politics, was chosen in 2013 to follow Glenda Jackson as the Labour candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn. Ms Siddiq beat fellow councillor Sally Gimson and the deputy mayor of Hackney Council, Sophie Linden for the seat, when the contest was thrown open after Fiona Millar, the education campaigner quit the race. Ms Siddiq has praised Glenda Jackson for her work in the area, but has also promised to be a different kind of MP who will be more present in the community, saying “I’m someone who lives in the constituency and works for their constituency”. Ms Siddiq’s campaign has received widespread support from colleagues in the Labour Party, such as Lord Kinnock and Angela Eagle MP, as well as celebrities, including Alan Davies, who have all praised this PPC for her dedication to local politics. She is the granddaughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, first President of Bangladesh, and niece of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s current Prime Minister. Despite having a close relationship with her aunt, this has very little bearing on Ms Siddiq’s life and politics.

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Having lived in Kilburn since the age of 15, Ms Siddiq would often spend her weekends campaigning to save local hospitals, fire stations and post offices, making her a very familiar figure in the area for which she hopes to become MP. Her experience as a Camden councillor, an office to which she was elected in 2010, and where she rose quickly to become a cabinet member, has further cemented her close connection to the area since. She worked at Amnesty International as a press officer before joining consultancy firm Philip Gould Associates. She later went on to work as a Parliamentary assistant for former Labour MP Harry Cohen. Most recently she has worked for Brunswick Group.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

The Hampstead and Kilburn seat was created in 2010 and became the most marginal seat in England after Glenda Jackson narrowly won it with a majority of just 42. Hampstead itself is very much a middle-class area, a trend which is growing as it becomes an even more desirable location, Hampstead Heath and direct good transport links to Central London mean that more young professionals are moving into the area and house prices are consequently rocketing. Kilburn, however, is a more socially deprived area with a large proportion of social housing and significant Irish and Caribbean communities.

“I’ve worked with Tulip for years and she is a dedicated and passionate campaigner. I know she will work tirelessly for the people of Hampstead and Kilburn, and its many communities.” Glenda Jackson

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Tulip Siddiq

A 288 Kilburn High Road, London, NW6 2DB

T

E [email protected]

w www.tulipsiddiq.com

020 3441 7676 @TulipSiddiq

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CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Stoke-on-Trent North

INCUMBENT

Joan Walley MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

8,235

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BACKGROUND:

Much of her campaign will be focussed on the job market, with her priorities stated as: bringing skilled and well-paid jobs to the area; getting rid of zero hours contracts; and, reducing the number of minimum wage employers.

Ms Smeeth was born in Edinburgh to trade unionist parents. In her working life she has carried on this family tradition as a trade union officer. However, she has also worked in a number of public relations and public affairs roles for Sodexo and Nestle, and the Britain Israel Communications & Research Centre (BICOM). She currently is the Deputy Director of HOPE not hate, the anti-racism and counter-fascism advocacy group.

Interestingly, an apparent 2009 US Embassy cable from London published by Wikileaks has emerged from when Ms Smeeth was working at BICOM, suggesting she is a source the US should “strictly protect”. When asked about the link by The Daily Telegraph in 2011, she admitted attending a meeting at the American Embassy, but said “I would not consider myself to be a source for the US government”.

Ms Smeeth stood for election in Staffordshire before; in 2010 she attempted to succeed Janet Dean MP in the Burton-on-Trent seat where Labour held a majority of 1,421 prior to the General Election, but an 8.7% swing to the Conservatives saw her miss out to Andrew Griffiths.

Stoke-on-Trent is a Labour stronghold with the party holding all three of its seats. Stoke-on-Trent North has been held by the party at every election since the constituency’s creation in 1950. Two of the six wards that make up the city, Burslem and Tunstall lie within the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency. The majority of local industry is made up of Stoke-on-Trent’s internationallyrenowned porcelain and pottery trade. In November 2012, 5.2% of the population were claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to a national average of 3.8%.

Ruth Smeeth can be seen as fitting the mould of the archetypal Labour politician nowadays, with previous job roles that fit both past and present images of the party.

Around ten women expressed an interest in the selection, But having established local connections as a campaigner and local activist, Ms Smeeth was the clear winner in Stokeon-Trent from a shortlist that included Katie Ghose, CEO of the Electoral Reform Society and local woman Zaeba Hanif.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

“I look forward to working with and campaigning for Ruth Smeeth who I am sure will be an excellent representative for our proud communities.” Joan Walley MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Ruth Smeeth

A Stoke-on-Trent North Labour Party, 80 High Street, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 5TJ

T

E [email protected]

w www.ruthsmeeth.org.uk

01283 564015 @RuthSmeeth

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CANDIDATE

Labour Cooperative PPC for Holborn and St Pancras

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Frank Dobson MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

9,942

BACKGROUND:

Labour’s candidate for this inner-London constituency fought a tough selection campaign that saw four challengers contesting the seat. He won the candidacy after just one round of voting, securing 365 votes, defeating both the current Camden Council Leader, Sarah Hayward, and the former one, Raj Chada, in the process. Named after the former Labour Party leader Keir Hardie (its first independently-elected Parliamentarian), Sir Keir will fight to ensure that the cluster of inner-North London constituencies stay red alongside those neighbouring seats where Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry are the incumbents. He has held several high-profile roles within the UK’s legal system, most recently as a defence lawyer specialising in human rights cases. He was also head of the Crown Prosecution Service for England and Wales from 2008 to 2013. During this tenure he took the decision to prosecute Chris Huhne, becoming the first British Minister compelled to resign following the commencement of criminal proceedings. Sir Keir also led Labour’s review of victim treatment, aimed at finding better ways to ensure further protection for victims in cases of rape and child abuse. What he describes as his ‘political conscience’ was developed while working on issues such as victims’ rights. His view was that this area often raises “tricky questions of political leadership”, potentially explaining his desire to move across from the legal to the legislative forum.

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Newspaper reports at the time suggested the Labour Party was keen for him to extend his advisory role stand for Holborn and St Pancras, with speculation mounting further as he attracted high-profile and influential backers such as Ken Livingstone, Lord Kinnock, David Miliband and Alastair Campbell. Also contesting Holborn and St Pancras at this year’s General Election will be the leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett. However (and despite her party’s surge in popularity) the Greens are unlikely to win this safe Labour seat. Sir Keir was educated at Reigate Grammar School, the University of Leeds and Oxford University. He currently works out of his private Doughty Street Chambers and has authored several books about criminal law as well as human rights.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

This inner-city seat has traditionally been a safe Labour stronghold. The constituency mixes the vibrancy of Camden High Street and the student area of UCL with the old world architecture and West-End hubbub of Bloomsbury and Holborn. It combines the affluence of Primrose Hill and Highgate with the large estates of Kentish Town and Gospel Oak. The seat is also at the centre of major London infrastructure developments, with plans in place to see Crossrail and HS2 run through a redeveloped Euston Station.

“I have known him since the 1980s and he is always ready to stand up for what is right. Rebuilding Britain – and building Labour – is going to take brains and guts. Keir has both.” Rt Hon David Miliband

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Sir Keir Starmer QC

A Camden Labour, 110 Gloucester Avenue, London, NW1 8HX

T

E [email protected]

w www.keirstarmer.com

07442 693767 @Keir_Starmer

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Jo Stevens CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Cardiff Central

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Jenny Willott MP (Liberal Democrat)

MAJORITY

4,576

BACKGROUND:

Jo Stevens is leading Labour’s fight back in the downtown area of Cardiff Central, one of the Welsh capital’s four constituencies. Jenny Willott MP took the seat from Labour at the 2005 General Election. Partly in recognition of the challenge she faces to retain it, Willott stepped down from her role as Assistant Government Whip in November 2014. Quickly onto the attack, Ms Stevens responded to the news saying: “Voters in Cardiff Central will see this resignation for what it really is – a shameful admission that Jenny Willott has neglected her constituency.” The Liberal Democrats’ ongoing hold on the constituency clearly stings but her attack underlines the intensely local focus of the campaign. A Cardiff resident, Ms Stevens has herself lived in all four of the city’s constituencies and forged a 26-year-long career working in its legal services sector. By profession she is a Solicitor and Director of Thompsons Solicitors, a UK-wide legal services firm specialising in supporting trade union members and people that have been injured or mistreated in the workplace. She has helped ‘tens of thousands of people’ in the civil and criminal courts during this time. Her particular areas of expertise are individual and collective employment rights as well as occupational health and safety.

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Ms Stevens has been a member of the Labour Party for some 30 years and is also actively involved in the GMB and Unison trade unions as well as the Cooperative Party. Ms Stevens identifies knowing how to run a business that promotes equality and diversity as a cornerstone of her work. Ms Stevens describes herself as an internationalist with a particular interest in Colombia’s trade union movement and the various human rights campaigners active in that country. She is also a keen supporter of her city’s local professional sports teams regularly watching the homes games of the Cardiff Blues rugby union team, Cardiff City FC and Glamorgan County Cricket Club.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

This seat has changed hands between all three of the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour Parties since 1983. The seat features the city centre, its commercial areas and the Millennium Stadium. Its students were also very influential in securing a Liberal Democrat victory for Jenny Willott at the 2005 and 2010 General Elections.

“It is completely arrogant of the Lib Dems to think that having delivered the Bedroom Tax, given a £100,000 tax cut to millionaires and trebled tuition fees that people will conveniently forget what they have done.” Jo Stevens

CONTACT

A 116 Albany Road, Cardiff, CF24 3RU

T

E [email protected]

w www.jostevens.co.uk

02920 877803 @JoStevensLabour

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CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Rossendale and Darwen

INCUMBENT

Jake Berry MP (Conservative)

MAJORITY

4,493

BACKGROUND:

Will Straw, son of former Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, may continue his family’s presence in the House of Commons if successful as the Labour PPC in marginal Rossendale and Darwen. Located next door to the Blackburn constituency his father is vacating, the seat is regarded as a bellwether that has swung between Labour and Conservatives since its creation. One of the ‘Red Princes’, standing for election in 2015, Mr Straw has held a variety of positions within the British political and more specifically, policy sphere. Currently he is an Associate Director and lead researcher on energy, climate change, transport, EU and industrial policy at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). His team have been involved in advocating lowering energy prices and calling to rebuild the public transportation system. Previously Mr Straw held similar roles as policy advisor in areas such as manufacturing and industry for HM Treasury and as Associate Director for public policy and advocacy group the Center for American Progress in Washington D.C. In 2009, he set up successful political website Left Foot Forward, in an attempt to provide a counter-balance in politics, policy and current affairs to what was seen as a predominantly right-wing British media. The website is estimated to be read by approximately 150,000 people each month and brought Mr Straw significant media exposure as he appeared on television several times representing the blog’s views on current political issues.

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He studied at Oxford University and was President of the Junior Common Room of New College and later the university’s Student Union. He was also a Fulbright Scholar at Colombia University. Mr Straw grew up in London attending the comprehensive Pimlico School and currently lives with Texan wife Clare and son Matthew in Kennington. A Blackburn Rovers supporter, he spends weekends with his family walking in the West Pennines and Ribble Valley.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

The area covered by Rossendale and Darwen is known for its rural presence on the door-step of Manchester. The Darwen and Rossendale valleys as well as the West Pennine moors are contained within the constituency together with the major towns of Rawtenstall, Bacup and Darwen which are seen as becoming part of Manchester’s commuter belt. The seat itself has been a marginal since its creation in 1983, being held by the Tories until it was gained by Labour in 1992. In 2005 the Conservatives regained the seat, although it features as the 70th of Labour’s 106 target seats in this year’s election.

“Will would be a fantastic candidate and MP.” Simon Danczuk MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Will Straw

A 22 Hardman Mill, BB4 6AJ/ 13 Railway Road, BB3 2RG

T

E [email protected]

w www.willstraw.org

01706 212940 / 01254 865485 @wdjstraw

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Anna Turley CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Redcar

INCUMBENT

Ian Swales MP (Liberal Democrat, retiring)

MAJORITY

5,214

BACKGROUND:

Anna Turley wants to follow in the footsteps of her political heroine Mo Mowlam and become Labour MP for Redcar. A former political adviser, Ms Turley is hoping that a national swing away from the Liberal Democrats will be enough to carry her to Westminster. She was selected from a six strong all-woman shortlist in July 2012, and says tackling youth unemployment is her top priority. Like many PPCs bidding for election in 2015, Ms Turley has served as an adviser to various Government Ministers. She furthered her political career in an advisory position to David Blunkett and former Cabinet Office Minister and Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong. Her brief was to provide strategic advice on child poverty and social exclusion policy. Her Labour credentials are further bolstered by her leadership role at the Co-operative Councils Network. In campaigning for a massive devolution of power to councils to drive regional economic growth, she has called on local authorities to partner more closely with industry. Ms Turley also has extensive experience in think-tanks. She followed her stints as a Party adviser at the New Local Government Network, where she served as Deputy to Chris Leslie, now Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to

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the Treasury. She also led efforts to promote reforms to digital services and budgeting in local government. Ms Turley has been a contributor to The Guardian and LabourList. Writing online in January 2014, she said that a pre-election deal with the Liberal Democrats would spell disaster for Labour. She also founded a website aimed at promoting progressive localism at local authority level – ProgLoc. Ms Turley has been subjected to criticism from Labour members in Redcar who claim her London background might preclude her effectively representing the constituency. The candidate seems untroubled by this, however, pointing out that none of Redcar’s past three MPs have been born in the constituency. She is a big Arsenal fan, but is likely to keep this to herself during the campaign due to Redcar’s large population of Middlesbrough FC supporters.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Redcar is hampered by severe economic deprivation as a result of long-term decline in heavy industries in the North East. Communities such as Dormanstown, Eston and Grangetown have an unemployment rate twice that of the national average. In this respect it is regarded as a safe Labour heartland.

“Anna has been a very good and active member of our local constituency, always part of the campaigns and life of our Party. She makes a huge contribution to our local community as well and understands people and their needs.” Jeremy Corbyn MP

CONTACT

A 10 Milbank Terrace, Redcar, TS10 1ED

T

E [email protected]

w www.anna4redcar.org.uk

01642 485138 @annaturley

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CANDIDATE

Labour PPC for Hornsey and Wood Green

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Lynne Featherstone MP (Liberal Democrat)

MAJORITY

6,875

BACKGROUND:

Highly-respected local figure Catherine West will challenge the incumbent Lynne Featherstone MP, in what on paper is a marginal Liberal Democrat seat. Local electoral trends (the Lib Dems lost 14 of its 23 councillors in last May’s Borough elections) would suggest that this constituency will be a key target for Labour in May 2015. Ms West was the Council Leader of the neighbouring London Borough of Islington from 2010 to 2013, where she gained the Local Government Information Unit award for ‘Local Authority Leader of the Year’ in 2013. She was praised in particular for her work in the creation of the Islington Fairness Commission, which sought to improve conditions in a number of areas, including around the London Living Wage, the Islington student bursary scheme for students affected by the removal of Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), council home-building and getting young people into work or apprenticeships. Eight further Fairness Commissions have since been established across London Boroughs.

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Ms West is running a campaign based around the preservation of local services such as those for health run at Whittington Hospital and maintaining levels of local police numbers. Unsurprisingly, considering her previous work, she has also claimed that her priorities if elected would be job creation for young people and home-building. The respect at a local level for Ms West, who lives in nearby Archway, can be seen in her decisive victory for the Labour Party candidacy for the constituency, where she triumphed against two fellow candidates with over 75% of the vote.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Hornsey and Wood Green was held by the Conservatives from its creation in 1983 to 1992 when Labour gained the seat and enjoyed large majorities here until 2005. In the General Election of that year, a 17.5% swing to the Liberal Democrats led to the seat changing hands yet again. The area contains a diverse ethnic population with large Jewish, Cypriot and Afro-Carribean communities. Middle-class and suburban areas, such as Crouch End and Highgate, as well as the more working-class Wood Green, lie within the boundaries of the constituency.

“I’ve seen Catherine in action, I’ve watched her amazing work in Islington and she is exactly what we need here in Hornsey and Wood Green.”

Nicky Gavron AM, Labour London Assembly Member and former Deputy Mayor of London

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Catherine West

A 28 Middle Lane, London, N8 8PL

T

E [email protected]

w www.catherinewest.org.uk

020 8340 7362 @CatherineWest1

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Steve Bradley CANDIDATE

Liberal Democrat PPC for Bath

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Don Foster MP (Liberal Democrat, retiring)

MAJORITY

11,883

BACKGROUND:

In May 2014 Bath Liberal Democrats selected Steve Bradley from a six-strong shortlist as their Parliamentary candidate to replace Don Foster, the city’s MP of 22 years, who is standing down. Mr Bradley has strong ties to Bath, having completed a management degree there and worked as a sabbatical officer at the city’s university during the early nineties, before returning in 2011 to work as a sustainability consultant. Since then he has specialised in sustainable regeneration issues, having set up his own company as a consultant on transport, sports and heritage issues. In this role he has worked on a number of community projects with local groups. Before his return to the city in 2011, Mr Bradley worked in marketing roles for leading global firms such as Proctor & Gamble and Walt Disney. Should Mr Bradley

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be elected, he is clear that he will prioritise tackling Bath transport issues, bringing his environmental instincts to the fore. Mr Bradley is keen to see improvements in the local bus network, an issue which he conducted a local survey on last year, and will continue to promote the merits of cycling and electric transport.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Bath is an ‘ancient constituency’ that has been represented in Parliament since the 13th Century. Contained within it are two universities and a thriving tourism sector. It is one of only two Parliamentary constituencies in the UK to be surrounded entirely by another, North East Somerset (currently held by Jacob Rees-Mogg). The seat was also once the constituency of William Pitt the Elder and Chris Patten. As a former Conservative Party Chairman, Lord Patten spent much of the 1980s fighting off the threat from the SDP until the 1992 General Election when his Party won the election, but he lost his own seat.

“Steve understands that our city deserves a visible MP who is a real part of the community. I know that, day in day out, he will demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the residents of Bath.” Rt Hon Don Foster MP

CONTACT

A 31 James Street West, Bath, BA1 2BT

T

E [email protected]

w www.stevebradley.info

01225 316316 @bradley_steve

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CANDIDATE

Liberal Democrat PPC for Somerton and Frome

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon David Heath MP (Liberal Democrat, retiring)

MAJORITY

1,817

BACKGROUND:

David Rendel is a highly experienced parliamentary campaigner, having served as the MP for Newbury from 1993 to 2005. He won his previous seat for Newbury in the 1993 by-election, in which he gained a 22,055 majority in a previously safe Conservative seat, the largest Liberal Democrat Westminster majority in history. He was selected in Somerset and Frome after Sarah Yong stood down as the Liberal Democrat candidate after just six months. Mr Rendel ran for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats in 1999, but finished fifth, and after the 2010 election was the only member of the Liberal Democrats’ Federal Executive to vote against the formation of the Coalition. Mr Rendel has held various influential roles in Parliament, including being the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Higher & Further Education, in which capacity he led the campaign against university tuition and top-up fees. In the past Mr Rendel has also voted on the issue of House of Lords reform and is strongly in favour of removing hereditary peers and creating a wholly-elected house. Despite his experience, this is anticipated to be a tough campaign for the 65 year-old and his younger competitors may have ever more stamina. Mr Rendel was a very effective MP and used the positions he held to pursue matters important to him. As the frontbench spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats on social security, he led the rebellion against their

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Government’s plans to scrap single parent benefits, which became the largest revolt of MPs in Parliament. During this election campaign, Rendel has shown his commitment to continuing David Heath’s efforts to improve the capacity of the A303 and to the Liberal Democrats’ promise to produce further tax cuts of up to £1,200. An old Etonian, he studied at Oxford University where he gained and degree in Physics and Philosophy and a spot on their prestigious rowing team. Before becoming an MP, he worked in the energy industry as a manager in the computing and finance departments for companies such as Shell, British Gas and Esso. He lives with his wife Sue, a GP, and has three sons. He is known for being a keen environmentalist and for his commitment to animal welfare.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

The Somerton and Frome constituency was created in 1983 and was a strong Conservative seat until 1997 when David Heath took the seat with a majority of just 137, and which he narrowly held ever since. The Liberal Democrats are aware that their hold on this seat is fragile with David Warburton, the dynamic Conservative candidate fighting hard for the seat. The constituency is predominantly agricultural but, despite this focus, and a lack of major industrial employers, unemployment remains low.

“I am very pleased that David has been selected as our candidate for Somerton and Frome, he is an experienced parliamentarian who knows how to get things done for businesses, towns and rural communities. He will stand up for local people in Parliament.” Rt Hon David Heath MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

David Rendel

A The Liberty, Old Kelways, Somerton Road, Langport, TA10 9SJ

T

E [email protected]

w www.davidrendel.org.uk

01458 251572 @DavidRendel_PPC

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CANDIDATE

Liberal Democrat PPC for Hazel Grove

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Sir Andrew Stunell MP (Liberal Democrat, retiring)

MAJORITY

6,371

BACKGROUND:

A former Chief Executive of an international development charity, Lisa Smart will be hoping that the Hazel Grove constituency remains immune to any national backlash against the Liberal Democrats. Originally from London, she successfully parachuted herself in to contest the Greater Manchester seat, following in the footsteps of former Local Government Minister Sir Andrew Stunell. Ms Smart is working full-time to defend one of the party’s 57 Westminster seats. She moved to Romiley – a ward in the centre of the Hazel Grove constituency. As a council candidate in Wandsworth she was criticised in 2011 when her election mailing failed to mention the Liberal Democrats. After studying mathematics at Durham University, Ms Smart took an MBA from the London Business School. She then embarked on a 12 year career in international finance. She uses her financial acumen in her current role as the Director of Stockport Credit Union. With the

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She was Chief Executive of the Genesis Charitable Trust – a fund supporting international development projects. Ms Smart has grown her profile in Stockport via her membership of voluntary organisations such as the Marple and District Women’s Institute and Marple Civic Society. She combines such memberships with her role as a trustee at the New Horizons Canal Boat for Disabled People. She is also a Trustee at La Vida – an anti-poverty charity focusing on Latin America.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

A prosperous commuter area for people working in Manchester, the constituency contains small towns including Bredbury, Romiley, and Marple. Farms to the east of the constituency straddle the Pennine hills. Traditionally a Liberal stronghold, the constituency has a high proportion of homeowners, and an unemployment rate substantially below the national average.

Liberal Democrats’ national record coming under attack, she has largely stuck to local issues in her campaigning thus far. Her lead local issue is the campaign to make Hazel Grove’s Stepping Hill Hospital a specialist one.

“Andrew will be sorely missed in Hazel Grove and in Westminster, but Lisa will be an absolutely brilliant successor.” Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Lisa Smart

A 34 Stockport Road, Romiley, Stockport, SK6 3AA

T

E [email protected]

w www.lisasmart.org.uk

01614 060342 @lisa_smart

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Tim Aker MEP CANDIDATE

UKIP PPC for Thurrock

INCUMBENT

Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative)

MAJORITY

92

BACKGROUND:

At the age of just 29, Tim Aker boasts an impressive political CV: a local councillor, MEP for the East of England, prospective parliamentary candidate for Thurrock and until recently UKIP’s Policy Chief. He has also served as campaign director for the Euro-sceptic group, Get Britain Out, and as a co-ordinator for the TaxPayers’ Alliance. Formerly UKIP’s Head of Policy, he left this role at the end of January 2015 after a UKIP official admitted that the party’s manifesto draft, for which Aker was responsible, was little more than “a series of bullet points”. At the time, a party spokesman stressed that Aker had not been sacked but had decided to stand down in order to focus on his campaign for a seat in Westminster. Focussing his efforts in Thurrock could see this well-tipped candidate add yet another job title to his CV, and deal both Conservatives and Labour a major blow. Mr Aker has already clashed with the Conservatives locally, having accused them of resorting to “desperate” and “incredibly cheap” tactics after the party referred to him in a by-election leaflet by his full Turkish name of birth, which he had shortened as a schoolboy.

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He will hope to make use of his local roots and build on UKIP’s gains in recent local and European elections (where he was elected with 34.5 percent of the vote). He was born in Aveley, and attended Havering Sixth Form College before going to study History and Politics at the University of Nottingham. Aker will take on Labour’s Polly Billington, a former Special Adviser to Ed Miliband, and the incumbent Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price, in what will be a very close contest, and which will attract extensive media interest in the run up to polling day.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Sitting on the border of Greater London, just north of the Thames, the Essex seat of Thurrock includes the towns of Grays, Tilbury and Purfleet. The seat contains a major container port and power station. Primarily a working class seat, the constituency also has more affluent areas like the recent Chafford Hundred development near the large Lakeside shopping centre. The seat had been a safe Labour seat, but is now considered a three-way marginal with UKIP doing well in local polls and at recent local and European elections.

“Representing UKIP on three fronts makes it tricky to say he hasn’t done much for the party.” Sebastian Payne, The Spectator

CONTACT

A 64a Orsett Road, Grays Thurrock, Essex, RM17 5EB

T

E [email protected]

w www.timakermep.org

01375 415650 @Tim_Aker

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Victoria Ayling CANDIDATE

UKIP PPC for Great Grimsby

INCUMBENT

Austin Mitchell MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

714

BACKGROUND:

Labour needs to brace itself for a “vicious scrap” to hold on to the seat of Great Grimsby, according to the New Statesman. Victoria Ayling, a councillor on East Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire County Council, claims that UKIP will “throw the kitchen sink” at winning this marginal seat. Having previously contested the seat for the Conservative Party in 2010, Ms Ayling is hoping that her subsequent defection to UKIP will pay off. She came within 714 votes of becoming the Conservative MP for Great Grimsby at the 2010 General Election, but told David Cameron of her decision to defect at the party’s 2013 spring conference. At the time, she said she was leaving because the Conservatives were “no longer the party of aspiration”. She lost out in 2010 to Labour’s Austin Mitchell, who has been the incumbent MP since 1977, and has since announced his retirement from the role. Ms Ayling may therefore feel more confident taking on Labour’s new candidate Melanie Onn, particularly given the small majority of 714 votes Labour is hoping to defend. Nigel Farage has claimed his party is now taking votes from both Labour and the Tories, and Great Grimsby is a key target for UKIP. Whilst the Conservatives will also hope to break Labour’s historic hold on the seat, their decision not to include Great Grimsby as part of their 40/40 target seat strategy could also play into Ms Ayling’s hands.

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From a policy perspective, UKIP’S pledge to spend an extra £3 billion a year on the NHS was welcomed by Ms Ayling, who also accused the main parties of trying to smear UKIP over its position on the health service, while ‘presiding over expensive PFI deals and a costly reorganisation of the NHS’. Ms Ayling has also claimed that her local area can “massively benefit” if UKIP achieves its key policy of leaving the European Union. She has stated joining the European Union was “the final nail in the coffin of Grimsby’s fishing industry, and by leaving it, we can build on our tradition in fishing, manufacturing and food processing and use the natural deep port to attract investment”. Her forthright interventions in the policy sphere have sometimes been her downfall. One particular public gaffe caught the attention of Westminster lobby correspondents when she asked a room full of business leaders in her constituency “what happens when renewable energy runs out?”

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Situated in North East Lincolnshire, Grimsby is a major North Sea port and industrial centre. However, Grimsby’s deep-sea fishing fleet, the busiest in the world in the 1950s, has since declined. Nonetheless the town remains a notable container port, and one of Europe’s leading food processing centres. Additionally, significant numbers of local people work in oil refineries, chemical plants, and maritime engineering hubs based on the Humber Estuary. Great Grimsby has been held by Labour since 1945, though the majority with which it has done so has proved highly volatile.

“The three traditional parties ignored us; then they smeared us; and now they are calling us a flash-in-the-pan, but if UKIP can secure an MP and break through, then it will have a domino effect and Great Grimsby could be the constituency to start it rolling.” Victoria Ayling

CONTACT

A c/o UKIP Head Office, PO Box 408, Newton Abbot, TQ12 9BG

T

E [email protected]

w www.victoria4grimsby.co.uk

07764 536867 @VAylingUKIP

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Nigel Farage MEP CANDIDATE

UKIP PPC for South Thanet

INCUMBENT

Laura Sandys MP (Conservative, retiring)

MAJORITY

7,617

BACKGROUND:

Nigel Farage, the outspoken and self-styled “man in the pub” who has led the UK Independence Party from the fringes to the frontline of Westminster politics, will contest the Kent constituency of South Thanet. The rise of Mr Farage’s party and the growth of his own public profile have been amongst the stories of the 2010-15 Parliament, as indicated by sustained media interest and strong performances at by-elections, European and local council elections. The defection of Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless were viewed by many as a watershed moment in the transformation of the UK political landscape, underlining the ever-greater importance of the smaller, single-issue parties as Britain heads towards another hung Parliament. Mr Farage, however, despite his media profile and experience of public office as an MEP in Brussels, needs to win South Thanet finally to reach the House of Commons. He received The Times ‘Briton of the Year’ award in 2014 and his party has been officially recognised (by Ofcom) as a ‘major political party’, yet it is a seat on the green benches that still eludes him. To his critics, Mr Farage’s background as a commodities Trader in the City, broker and Dulwich College alumnus does not sit well with the image of political outsider that

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he makes efforts to project. To those commentators, he is as much a part of the establishment as the old Etonians on the Conservative frontbench. Nevertheless, the personal animosity between the UKIP leader, David Cameron and Ed Miliband has been Well-noted and could colour any post-General Election negotiations. Despite this, current polling suggests Mr Farage could well have a role to play in this area. Notwithstanding this, his South Thanet campaign is a political homecoming of sorts. Born in Kent where he currently resides, the main challenge to Mr Farage’s electoral prospects will come from Will Scobie and Craig Mackinlay the Labour and Tory contenders respectively in what is a clear three-way marginal.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

A solid ‘blue’ seat until 1997, this coastal constituency centred on the Isle of Thanet is now a General Election bellwether seat that holds promise for UKIP, Labour and the Conservatives. Its main urban centre, Ramsgate, has suffered from economic decline in recent years and has fuelled the immigration debate in the constituency. Nevertheless, tourism remains important given its beaches and seaside entertainment. The elderly remain a key demographic, meaning the grey vote will be roundly targeted by all the candidates.

“The consequences of me failing to secure a seat for myself in the Commons would be significant for both myself and the party. It is frankly just not credible for me to continue to lead the party without a Westminster seat.” Nigel Farage MEP

CONTACT

A The Old Grain Store, Church Lane, Lyminster, BN17 7QJ

T

E [email protected]

w www.nigelfaragemep.co.uk

01903 885573 @Nigel_Farage

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CANDIDATE

SNP PPC for Edinburgh South West

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP (Labour, retiring)

MAJORITY

8,447

BACKGROUND:

An Edinburgh native and graduate of the city’s university, Joanna Cherry QC is an experienced campaigner on both Scottish independence and social justice. On paper, she has the makings of an ideal SNP candidate to challenge for the retiring Alistair Darling’s seat of Edinburgh South West. A member of the SNP since 2008, Ms Cherry campaigned during the independence referendum in 2014 and was a co-founder and convener of Lawyers for Yes, a group which persuaded nearly 200 lawyers to publicly declare their support of the ‘Yes’ campaign. During the campaign, she wrote newspaper articles, spoke at debates and public meetings, and appeared on radio and television. Ms Cherry has been in practice as an Advocate for about 20 years. She became a QC in 2009 and has been ranked by the Legal 500 as one of the leading QCs in Scotland.

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Ms Cherry has appeared at the UK Supreme Court on a number of occasions, including twice on behalf of the Lord Advocate. Her strong commitment to social justice has seen her carry out pro bono work as well as working with bodies such as Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Encompassing affluent suburbs and picturesque countryside to the south west of Edinburgh, the constituency was considered a safe Conservative seat until Sir Malcolm Rifkind was defeated in 1997. It has since been in Labour’s hands. Whilst Alistair Darling leaves with a reasonable majority of 8,447, polling by Lord Ashcroft has suggested that a swing in the region of 22% to the SNP could take place, giving the nationalists the seat.

She has previously held public office as Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Government and Advocate Depute and she was one of the first specialist sex crimes prosecutors in the Crown Office’s pioneering National Sex Crimes Unit.

“Joanna Cherry is just the type of MP the SNP needs – articulate, intelligent and determined to secure the best for Scotland. I look forward to campaigning with her and working with her at Westminster and in Scotland.” Alex Salmond MSP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Joanna Cherry QC

A Lamb House, 3 Jackson’s Entry, Edinburgh, EH8 8PJ

T

E [email protected]

w www.snp.org/people/joanna-cherry

01315 258900 @joannaccherry

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CANDIDATE

SNP PPC for Edinburgh South

INCUMBENT

Ian Murray MP (Labour)

MAJORITY

316

BACKGROUND:

As an SNP candidate with a small majority to challenge, there are surely expectations of Neil Hay toppling Labour’s one-term incumbent Ian Murray MP. Whilst the SNP came fourth at the 2010 General Election with just 7.7% of the vote share, there are hopes that the Party will leapfrog the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats and overturn Labour’s slim majority. Having spent several years living in Spain and building up a business, Mr Hay saw the SNP’s victory at the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections as his cue to return to his native Scotland and get “thoroughly involved” in the referendum campaign. Since returning “home” with his wife and two young sons to the constituency, he has worked as the SNP Organiser for both the Edinburgh Southern Constituency and SNP City Association, as well as the Yes Scotland Lead for Edinburgh Southern. Despite Edinburgh eventually voting ‘No’ in a ratio of 61.1% to 38.9%, Mr Hay will have gained crucial experience from his role organising the local ‘Yes’ campaign in the constituency, getting to know the area in detail, and just as importantly, building up and working with an enthusiastic team of activists, both SNP and non-SNP. Mr Hay has also managed two SNP Council elections and has completed project work for Jim Eadie MSP.

#PPCGuide

Neil Hay

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48

Outside of politics, Mr Hay’s career background is in large-scale retail (John Menzies and Iceland Frozen Foods), incorporating training and working in the education sector. With his experience, he claims to “know how hard business can be” and has stated that “good business is vital to the economy of our country and we shouldn’t see it as a dirty word”. He has been self-employed for the last 14 years building up an international company including divisions as diverse as business consultancy, project management, retail, trading and distribution. He also currently works for the third sector charity Cyrenians Edinburgh which is predominantly an early intervention service to help prevent homelessness.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Historically a Conservative seat until 1987, Edinburgh South has since become a Labour-Liberal Democrat marginal. However, in 2011 at the Scottish Parliament elections, the equivalent seat, Edinburgh Southern, was won by the SNP with a landslide, whilst polling conducted by Lord Ashcroft in the neighbouring seat of Edinburgh South West suggests a significant swing in the SNP’s favour. Geographically, the seat covers residential suburbs towards the south of the city around the Braid hills. Many constituents work in civil service jobs associated with the Scottish Parliament; indeed almost half of all workers in the seat are employed in public administration, education or health. Mr Hay will hope to draw on student areas like Newington and affluent neighbourhoods such as Morningside for support.

“I believe Neil will make an excellent candidate and represent us well as an MP.” Alyn Smith MEP, SNP Agricultural Spokeperson

CONTACT

A Lamb House, 3 Jackson’s Entry, Edinburgh, EH8 8PJ

T

E [email protected]

w www.snpedinburghsouthern.scot

01314 779931 @NeilHaySNP

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

CANDIDATE

SNP PPC for Glasgow North

INCUMBENT

Ann McKechin MP (Labour)

MAJORITY

3,898

BACKGROUND:

SNP National Secretary since 2012, Patrick Grady is wellversed in the socioeconomic factors at play in the Glasgow North constituency. He stood unsuccessfully in the seat in 2010, coming in third and registering 10,000 fewer votes than Labour’s Ann McKechin. Mr Grady is a public policy professional, and has worked on campaigns for third sector organisations. He grew up in Inverness, but later moved to Glasgow to complete his university studies and find work. Shortly before going to university, he joined the SNP. He became a member aged 17 against the backdrop of a surging New Labour force in Scotland and almost immediately became an active doorstep canvasser. After university, he has worked for international development charities. Mr Grady cites Malawi and London as the places in which he has spent the majority of his working life. His professional background ensures his foremost area of political interest is international development policy.

#PPCGuide

Patrick Grady

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49

Having developed a profile significant enough to sustain standing for the SNP in a key Westminster seat, he was selected to fight Glasgow North in 2010. Despite early talks of a Scottish Nationalist surge, Mr Grady was usurped by both incumbent Ann McKechin and Liberal Democrat Katy Gordon. He in fact gained fewer votes than the 2005 SNP candidate Kenneth McLean. As SNP National Secretary, Mr Grady has been tasked with ensuring the discipline and proper behaviour of the party’s members. In 2014, he was forced to make a complaint to the Party’s Disciplinary Committee about SNP councillors who had publicly burned copies of the Smith Report into strengthening the powers of Scottish Parliament. Unsurprisingly, he claims Scotland is making good progress under the SNP Scottish Government in Holyrood. He blames the Westminster political establishment for social ills such as food banks and zero-hour contracts.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

There is an interesting mix of housing stock in Glasgow North. While there are impoverished tenement blocks, there are also large Victorian houses that are lived in by middle class Glaswegians. The seat is also home to a community of academics and students in the shape of Glasgow University.

“Patrick would be a great addition to the SNP team in Glasgow North and I know he’s got what it takes to win at Westminster.” Bob Doris MSP

CONTACT

A Glasgow North SNP, 68 St Vincent Terrace, Glasgow, G3 8DX

T

E [email protected]

w www.snp.org/people/patrick-grady

01315 258900 @GradySNP

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

#PPCGuide

Natalie McGarry CANDIDATE

SNP PPC for Glasgow East

INCUMBENT

Margaret Curran MP (Labour)

MAJORITY

11,840

BACKGROUND:

Hoping to take advantage of the enduring SNP feelgood factor following the Independence Referendum, in which Glasgow narrowly voted ‘Yes’ with 53.49 per cent support, Natalie McGarry and the SNP are eager to knock out the high-profile Margaret Curran MP given her role as Labour’s Shadow Scottish Secretary in the ‘No’ campaign. However, she will have to overturn a not insubstantial Labour majority in Glasgow East. Ms McGarry combines campaigning for the SNP with her work as a policy advisor to a voluntary organisation. She is also convenor of the SNP’s Glasgow Region Association. Despite never having been identified as a feminist, she was instrumental in coordinating the SNP’s womanspecific campaigning activities in the run-up to the 2014 independence referendum. In initiating the ‘Women for Independence’ campaign, she claimed that women’s voices were missing from both sides of the referendum debate. Ms McGarry has found herself at odds with the SNP leadership in the past on the subject of nuclear weapons. In direct opposition to Nicola Sturgeon’s calls for an independent Scotland to join NATO as a non-nuclear state, she has called on SNP officials to reject calls to join the Alliance at all.

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50

2015 will not be her first attempt to win public office. Indeed she contested, unsuccessfully, the 2014 Cowdenbeath by-election for the Scottish Parliament. She is a prolific SNP commentator on television and radio as well as a frequent contributor to STV’s Scotland Tonight programme. She has also appeared on the BBC’s coverage of politics in Scotland. Born in Inverkeithing, she later went on to study law at Aberdeen University. Even before her stint as a student in Aberdeen, she was politically active. Her mother, Alice, has been a councillor in Fife since 1986. Her family is very well-connected to officials in the highest echelons of the Scottish political establishment. Her aunt, Tricia Marwick MSP, for example, is the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

This seat is home to relatively well-off areas such as Mount Vernon and Bailleston. Tenement blocks and impoverished council estates feature prominently in other areas of the constituency, however. Unemployment, Class A drugs and gang culture are enduring problems in Glasgow East.

“Natalie’s feisty but inclusive approach to politics wins goodwill for the SNP wherever she goes.” Cllr Mhairi Hunter, Southside Central (Glasgow)

CONTACT

A Suite 413, 103 Byres Road, Glasgow, G11 5HW

T

E [email protected]

w www.nataliemcgarry.com

01315 258900 @nataliemcgarry

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

#PPCGuide

Alex Salmond MSP CANDIDATE

SNP PPC for Gordon

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Bruce MP (Liberal Democrat, retiring)

MAJORITY

6,748

BACKGROUND:

To Alex Salmond, the Westminster election is “all about delivering to Scotland what was promised.” He hopes to return to the green benches where he previously spent over two decades campaigning for independence as the Member of Parliament for Banff and Buchan between 1987 and 2010. If returned in May, his responsibilities in the Scottish Parliament will continue, but Mr Salmond would pursue what he has previously referred to as a ‘dual mandate’ in the corridors of the Palace of Westminster as well as Holyrood, continuing his campaign for Scottish home rule over its domestic affairs. Despite his West Lothian roots, the North East of Scotland is, in Mr Salmond’s own words, his ‘political home’. However, one of the obstacles standing in the way of his return to Westminster is a local anti-SNP movement made up of unionist activists from the ‘Better Together’ campaign as well other local business and farm owners. Mr Salmond has been nothing but deferential to the SNP Nicola Sturgeon and her Parliamentary Group Leader in Westminster, Angus Robertson. However, to many he has been more forthright with his post-May predictions.

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51

In particular, he stated his belief that the SNP and its ‘progressive allies’ would support a minority Labour Government after the General Election. The Liberal Democrats who currently hold the seat are also certain to put up a firm defence for this Aberdeenshire constituency. The retiring Sir Malcolm Bruce will look to hand over to the Liberal Democrats’ candidate and ex-Special Adviser, Christine Jardine, though the indications are strongly in the favour of SNP success on polling day. Born on Hogmanay in Linlithgow, journalists and commentators have noted how Mr Salmond and his wife Moira are particularly guarded about their private life. However, the scrutiny of the independence referendum is yet to dampen his enthusiasm for a life at the centre of politics, as his Westminster ambitions demonstrate.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Gordon spans the Aberdeenshire countryside and reaches as far as the city of Aberdeen’s northern suburbs of Danestone and Bridge of Don. Its economy is focused on North Sea oil and gas, an industry that has brought immense benefits to the residents of the constituency as a result.

“I have been First Minister of Scotland. I have no interest in titles... I am perfectly content as a constituency Member of Parliament and will seek to have a role in negotiating the progress for Scotland which would arise from a powerful group of SNP MPs and our allies.” Alex Salmond MSP

CONTACT

A 84 North Street, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, AB51 4QX

T

E [email protected]

w www.snp.org/people/alex-salmond

01467 670070 @alexsalmond

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

CANDIDATE

Plaid Cymru PPC for Dwyfor Meirionnydd

INCUMBENT

Rt Hon Elfyn Llwyd MP (Plaid Cymru, retiring)

MAJORITY

6,367

BACKGROUND:

Unusually for a Plaid Cymru politician, Liz Saville-Roberts was not born in Wales. Growing up in Eltham, South London, she is an experienced county councillor and activist. She has spent her career pioneering the teaching of the Welsh Language in Further Education Colleges. Ms Saville-Roberts was selected to fight the Dwyfor Meirionnydd seat in 2013, held by Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd since 1992. If elected, she will become the party’s first female MP in Westminster. Having grown up in South East London, she moved to Aberystwyth to study languages at the university in the coastal town. It was here that she first developed a passion for the Welsh language. After graduating, she worked on promoting Welsh as a worthwhile study option for school leavers and mature students. She is no political novice. As a champion of the Welsh language, Plaid Cymru was her natural home. She has represented the wards of both Morfa Nefyn and Edern on Gwynedd Council since 2004.

PAGE

52

Her campaign to be selected to fight the Dwyfor Meirionnydd seat was far from straight-forward. The competition she faced was considerable; both Gwynedd Council Leader Dyfed Edwards and Blaenau Ffestiniog Council Chair Cllr Mandy Williams-Davies also stood to be selected. Ms Saville-Roberts additionally beat off competition from Mabon ap Gwynfor who had fought the Clwyd South seat in the 2011 Welsh Assembly elections. In a bold move, she also tried to secure the Plaid Cymru nomination in 2006 for the Dwyfor Meirionnydd seat in the Welsh Assembly. She challenged the Assembly’s Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas, claiming that his role as both that and an Assembly Member could create a conflict of interest.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

The constituency includes the Llyn peninsula, Snowdon National Park and the slate-mining village of Blaenau Ffestiniog. This area is mountainous and isolated, with tourism and agriculture the main sources of employment. The seat has the highest proportion of Welsh speakers of any constituency in the country.

“Liz Saville-Roberts is an excellent choice and brings with her a wealth of experience, intelligence, and empathy with everyone she meets. I am delighted she will be contesting this seat on behalf of Plaid Cymru.” Rt Hon Elfyn Llwyd MP

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Liz Saville-Roberts

A Tŷ Gwynfor, Anson Court, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF10 4AL

T

E [email protected]

w www.partyof.wales/liz-saville-roberts-1

02920 472272 @LSRPlaid

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

CANDIDATE

Green Party PPC for Bristol West

INCUMBENT

Stephen Williams MP (Liberal Democrat)

MAJORITY

11,336

BACKGROUND:

Touted as a major player in the Green surge, Darren Hall is currently a freelance project manager. Bristol West is a key target seat for the Greens, as the Liberal Democrats face a backlash from the large number of debtsaddled students in the constituency. Anti-Liberal Democrat sentiment may also be expressed in a significant swing to Labour’s Thangam Debbonaire, making Bristol West an interesting seat to watch. Mr Hall has friends in high places; Ann Treneman of The Times suggested that the ‘impressive’ candidate’s office was paid for by fashion designer and Green Party activist Vivienne Westwood. Mr Hall spent his childhood in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. He later went on to study mechanical engineering at Swansea University. In 1990 he began working for the Royal Air Force as an Engineering Officer. Following a successful stint in the armed forces, he moved to the West Country in 2001 to work for the Home Office as a drugs and crime manager. He was later promoted to become Regional Manager. Mr Hall’s Home Office role involved him working to reduce alcohol and drug abuserelated crime in the City of Bristol. On leaving the Home Office, he set up a project management consultancy.

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53

As well as his professional career and politics, Mr Hall is very active in the community. Indeed he is a Founding Director of www.thepaleblue.org – a leadership organisation that aims to promote community support for environmental projects. The initiative was initially set up to support the Bristol Green Capital Partnership in its attempt to win the European Green Capital Award. He also serves as an Executive Director of Big Green Week Community Interest Company. This complements his role as the Editor of Good Bristol magazine. The magazine promotes ethical and sustainable local businesses and community organisations in the West Country. Mr Hall is also a Board Member at the Bristol Community Land Trust. The Trust seeks to open up opportunities for acquiring and developing land for its members and strives to promote the cause of self-organised housing across the Bristol city region. He is an active surfer and cyclist in his spare time.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:

Bristol West includes the centre of the city and the suburb of Clifton. The seat is home to Edwardian and Victorian terraces and prosperous leafy suburbs such as Coltham. It is also the city’s student seat, with a high proportion of residents in full-time education.

“Darren Hall is a fantastic candidate and has already been an advocate for Bristol on an international stage.” Natalie Bennett

CONTACT

#PPCGuide

Darren Hall

A Bristol Green Party, 47 Abbey Rd, Bristol, BS9 3QN

T

E [email protected]

w www.darrenhall.org.uk

01179 052829 @DarrenHall2015

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

MP

Constituency

Party

Majority

Year entered the House

Bob Ainsworth

Coventry North East

Labour

11,775

1992

James Arbuthnot

North East Hampshire

Conservative

18,597

1987

Sir Tony Baldry

Banbury

Conservative

18,277

1983

Greg Barker

Bexhill and Battle

Conservative

12,880

2001

Hugh Bayley

York Central

Labour

6,451

1992

Alan Beith

Berwick-upon-Tweed

Liberal Democrat

2,690

1973

Joe Benton

Bootle

Labour

21,181

1990

Brian Binley

Northampton South

Conservative

6,004

2005

Hazel Blears

Salford and Eccles

Labour

5,725

1997

David Blunkett

Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Labour

13,632

1987

Annette Brooke

Mid Dorset and North Poole

Liberal Democrat

269

2001

Jeremy Browne

Taunton Deane

Liberal Democrat

3,993

2005

Gordon Brown

Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

Labour

23,009

1983

Sir Malcolm Bruce

Gordon

Liberal Democrat

6,748

1983

Aidan Burley

Cannock Chase

Conservative

3,195

2010

Dan Byles

North Warwickshire

Conservative

54

2010

Martin Caton

Gower

Labour

2,683

1997

Menzies Campbell

North East Fife

Liberal Democrat

9,048

1987

James Clappison

Hertsmere

Conservative

17,605

1992

Sir Tony Cunningham

Workington

Labour

4,575

2001

Alistair Darling

Edinburgh South West

Labour

8,447

1987

John Denham

Southampton Itchen

Labour

192

1992

Frank Dobson

Holborn and St Pancras

Labour

9,942

1979

Frank Doran

Aberdeen North

Labour

8,361

1987 (for Aberdeen North 2005)

Stephen Dorrell

Charnwood

Conservative

15,029

1979 (for Charnwood 1997)

#PPCGuide

Retiring MPs

PAGE

54

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

MP

Constituency

Party

Majority

Year entered the House

194

1992 (for Cardiff North 2010) 1992

Jonathan Evans

Cardiff North

Conservative

Don Foster

Bath

Liberal Democrat

11,883

Hywel Francis

Aberavon

Labour

11,039

2001

Lorraine Fullbrook

South Ribble

Conservative

5,554

2010

David Hamilton

Midlothian

Labour

10,349

2001

Dai Havard

Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney

Labour

4,056

2001

Peter Hain

Neath

Labour

9,775

1991

William Hague

Richmond (Yorks)

Conservative

23,336

1989

David Heath

Somerton and Frome

Liberal Democrat

1,817

1997

Charles Hendry

Wealden

Conservative

17,179

1992 (for Wealden 2001)

David Heyes

Ashton-under-Lyne

Labour

9,094

2001

Mark Hoban

Fareham

Conservative

17,092

2001

Glenda Jackson

Hampstead and Kilburn

Labour

42

1992

Siân James

Swansea East

Labour

10,838

2005

Tessa Jowell

Dulwich and West Norwood

Labour

9,365

1992

Eric Joyce

Falkirk

Independent (expelled by Labour Party)

7,843

2000

Chris Kelly

Dudley South

Conservative

3,856

2010

Andrew Lansley

South Cambridgeshire

Conservative

7,828

1997

Jessica Lee

Erewash

Conservative

2,501

2010

Elfyn Llwyd

Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Plaid Cymru

6,367

1992

Andy Love

Edmonton

Labour

8,613

1997

Peter Luff

Mid Worcestershire

Conservative

15,864

1992

Francis Maude

Horsham

Conservative

11,460

1983 (for Horsham 1997)

Jim McGovern

Dundee West

Labour

7,278

2005

Anne McGuire

Stirling

Labour

8,354

1997

#PPCGuide

Retiring MPs

PAGE

55

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

MP

Constituency

Party

Majority

Year entered the House

Anne McIntosh

Thirsk and Malton

Conservative

11,281

1997

Andrew Miller

Ellesmere Port and Neston

Labour

4,331

1992

Austin Mitchell

Great Grimsby

Labour

714

1977

George Mudie

Leeds East

Labour

10,493

1992

Meg Munn

Sheffield Heeley

Labour

5,807

2001

Conor Murphy

Newry and Armagh

Sinn Fein

8,341

2005

Paul Murphy

Torfaen

Labour

9,306

1987

Brooks Newmark

Braintree

Conservative

16,121

2005

Stephen O’Brien

Eddisbury

Conservative

13,255

1999

Richard Ottaway

Croydon South

Conservative

15,818

1983 (for Croydon South 1992)

James Paice

South East Cambridgeshire

Conservative

5,946

1987

Dame Dawn Primarolo

Bristol South

Labour

4,734

1987

Sir John Randall

Uxbridge and South Ruislip

Conservative

11,216

1997

Nick Raynsford

Greenwich and Woolwich

Labour

10,153

1986 (for Greenwich and Woolwich 1992)

Sir Malcolm Rifkind

Kensington

Conservative

8,616

1974 (for Kensington 2005)

Andrew Robathan

South Leicestershire

Conservative

15,524

1992

Hugh Robertson

Faversham and Mid Kent

Conservative

17,088

2001

Lindsay Roy

Glenrothes

Labour

16,448

2008

Joan Ruddock

Lewisham, Deptford

Labour

12,499

1987

David Ruffley

Bury St Edmunds

Conservative

12,380

1997

Laura Sandys

South Thanet

Conservative

7,617

2010

Mark Simmonds

Boston and Skegness

Conservative

12,426

2001

Richard Shepherd

Aldridge-Brownhills

Conservative

15,266

1979

Jack Straw

Blackburn

Labour

9,856

1979

#PPCGuide

Retiring MPs

PAGE

56

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

MP

Constituency

Party

Majority

Year entered the House

Sir John Stanley

Tonbridge and Malling

Conservative

18,178

1974

Andrew Stunell

Hazel Grove

Liberal Democrat

6,371

1997

Gerry Sutcliffe

Bradford South

Labour

4,622

1994

Ian Swales

Redcar

Liberal Democrat

5,214

2010

Sir Peter Tapsell

Louth and Horncastle

Conservative

13,871

1959 (for Louth and Horncastle 1966)

Sarah Teather

Brent Central

Liberal Democrat

1,345

2003

Joan Walley

Stoke-on-Trent North

Labour

8,235

1987

Robert Walter

North Dorset

Conservative

7,625

1997

David Watts

St Helens North

Labour

13,101

1997

Mike Weatherley

Hove

Conservative

1,868

2010

David Willetts

Havant

Conservative

12,160

1992

Mike Wood

Batley and Spen

Labour

4,406

1997

Shaun Woodward

St Helens South and Whiston

Labour

14,122

1997 (for St Helens South and Whiston 2001)

Tim Yeo

South Suffolk

Conservative

8,689

1983

Sir George Young

North West Hampshire

Conservative

18,583

1974 (for North West Hampshire 1997)

Data sourced from Zetters’ Political Companion, November 2014.

#PPCGuide

Retiring MPs

PAGE

57

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Constituency

Incumbent MP

Party

Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Labour PPC

North Warwickshire

Dan Byles

Conservative

54

Yes

Mike O'Brien

Thurrock

Jackie Doyle Price

Conservative

92

No

Polly Billington

Hendon

Matthew Offord

Conservative

106

No

Andrew Dismore

Cardiff North

Jonathan Evans

Conservative

194

Yes

Mari Williams

Sherwood

Mark Spencer

Conservative

214

No

Léonie Mathers

Norwich South

Simon Wright

Liberal Democrat

310

No

Clive Lewis

Stockton South

James Wharton

Conservative

332

No

Louise Baldock

Broxtowe

Anna Soubry

Conservative

389

No

Nick Palmer

Lancaster and Fleetwood

Eric Ollerenshaw

Conservative

333

No

Cat Smith

Bradford East

David Ward

Liberal Democrat

365

No

Imran Hussain

Amber Valley

Nigel Mills

Conservative

536

No

Kevin Gillott

Waveney

Peter Aldous

Conservative

769

No

Bob Blizzard

Wolverhampton South West

Paul Uppal

Conservative

691

No

Rob Marris

Morecambe and Lunesdale

David Morris

Conservative

866

No

Amina Lone

Carlisle

John Stephenson

Conservative

853

No

Lee Sherriff

Stroud

Neil Carmichael

Conservative

1299

No

David Drew

Weaver Vale

Graham Evans

Conservative

991

No

Julia Tickridge

Lincoln

Karl McCartney

Conservative

1,058

No

Lucy Rigby

Brighton Pavilion

Caroline Lucas

Green

1,252

No

Purna Sen

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Oliver Colvile

Conservative

1,149

No

Luke Pollard

Dewsbury

Simon Reevell

Conservative

1,526

No

Paula Sherriff

Warrington South

David Mowat

Conservative

1,553

No

Nick Bent

Brent Central

Sarah Teather

Liberal Democrat

1,345

Yes

Dawn Butler

Bedford

Richard Fuller

Conservative

1,353

No

Patrick Hall

Brighton Kemptown

Simon Kirby

Conservative

1,328

No

Nancy Platts

Pudsey

Stuart Andrew

Conservative

1,659

No

Jamie Hanley

Brentford and Isleworth

Mary Macleod

Conservative

1,958

No

Ruth Cadbury

Hove

Mike Weatherley

Conservative

1,868

Yes

Dr Peter Kyle

Enfield North

Nick de Bois

Conservative

1,692

No

Joan Ryan

Hastings and Rye

Amber Rudd

Conservative

1,993

No

Sarah Owen

Manchester, Withington

John Leech

Liberal Democrat

1,894

No

Jeff Smith

Burnley

Gordon Birtwistle

Liberal Democrat

1,818

No

Julie Cooper

#PPCGuide

The Labour Party’s 106 Target Seats

PAGE

58

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Incumbent MP

Party

Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Ipswich

Ben Gummer

Dundee East

Labour PPC

Conservative

2,709

No

David Ellesmere

Stewart Hosie

SNP

1,821

No

Lesley Brennan

East Dunbartonshire

Jo Swinson

Liberal Democrat

2,184

No

Amanjit Jhund

Halesowen and Rowley Regis

James Morris

Conservative

2,023

No

Nuneaton

Mark Jones

Conservative

2,069

No

Stephanie Peacock Vicky Fowler

Gloucester

Richard Graham

Conservative

2,420

No

Sophy Gardner

Northampton North

Michael Ellis

Conservative

1,936

No

Sally Keeble

Bury North

David Nuttall

Conservative

2,243

No

James Frith

Kingswood

Chris Skidmore

Conservative

2,445

No

Jo McCarron

Erewash

Jessica Lee

Conservative

2,501

Yes

Blackpool North and Cleveleys

Paul Maynard

Conservative

2,150

No

Catherine Atkinson Sam Rushworth

City of Chester

Stephen Mosley

Conservative

2,583

No

Chris Matheson

Arfon

Hywell Williams

Plaid Cymru

1,455

No

Alun Pugh

Croydon Central

Gavin Barwell

Conservative

2,879

No

Sarah Jones

Worcester

Robin Walker

Conservative

2,982

No

Joy Squires

Keighley

Kris Hopkins

Conservative

2,940

No

John Grogan

Wirral West

Esther McVey

Conservative

2,436

No

Cannock Chase

Aidan Burley

Conservative

3,195

Yes

Margaret Greenwood Janos Toth

Loughborough

Nicky Morgan

Conservative

3,744

No

Harrow East

Bob Blackman

Conservative

3,403

No

Dr Matthew O’Callaghan Uma Kumaran

Warwick and Leamington

Chris White

Conservative

3,513

No

Lynette Kelly

Birmingham, Yardley

John Hemming

Liberal Democrat

3,002

No

Jess Phillips

South Swindon

Robert Buckland

Conservative

3,544

No

Anne Snelgrove

Ealing Central and Acton

Angie Bray

Conservative

3,716

No

Rupa Huq

Pendle

Andrew Stephenson Stephen McPartland Alec Shelbrooke

Conservative

3,585

No

Azhar Ali

Conservative

3,578

No

Sharon Taylor

Conservative

4,521

No

Veronica King

Stevenage Elmet and Rothwell

#PPCGuide

The Labour Party’s 106 Target Seats Constituency

PAGE

59

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Incumbent MP

Party

Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Labour PPC

Edinburgh West

Mike Crockart

Liberal Democrat

3,803

No

Cammy Day

Watford

Richard Harrington

Conservative

1,425

No

Simon Hart

Conservative

3,423

No

Matthew Turmaine Delyth Evans

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Vale of Glamorgan Argyll and Bute

Alan Reid

Alun Cairns

Conservative

4,307

No

Chris Elmore

Liberal Democrat

3,431

No

Mary Galbraith

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

David Mundell

Conservative

4,194

No

Archie Dryburgh

Jonathan Edwards

Plaid Cymru

3,481

No

Calum Higgins

Norwich North

Chloe Smith

Conservative

3,901

No

Jessica Asato

High Peak

Andrew Bingham

Conservative

4,677

No

Caitlin Bisknell

Milton Keynes South

Iain Stuart

Conservative

5,201

No

Andrew Pakes

Rossendale and Darwen

Jake Berry

Conservative

4,493

No

Will Straw

Cleethorpes

Martin Vickers

Conservative

4,298

No

Peter Keith

North East Somerset

Jacob Rees-Mogg

Conservative

4,914

No

Todd Foreman

Great Yarmouth

Brandon Lewis

Conservative

4,276

No

Lara Norris

Dudley South

Chris Kelly

Conservative

3,856

Yes

Natasha Millward

Dover

Charlie Elphicke

Conservative

5,274

No

Clair Hawkins

Colne Valley

Jason McCartney

Conservative

4,837

No

Jane East

South Ribble

Lorraine Fullbrook

Conservative

5,554

Yes

Veronica Bennett

Peterborough

Stewart Jackson

Conservative

4,861

No

Lisa Forbes

Stafford

Jeremy Lefroy

Conservative

5,460

No

Kate Godfrey

Stourbridge

Margot James

Conservative

5,164

No

Pete Lowe

Harlow

Robert Halfon

Conservative

4,925

No

Suzy Stride

Aberconwy

Guto Webb

Conservative

3,398

No

Mary Wimbury

Ilford North

Lee Scott

Conservative

5,404

No

Wes Streeting

Preseli Pembrokeshire

Stephen Crabb

Conservative

4,605

No

Paul Miller

Brigg and Goole

Andrew Percy

Conservative

5,147

No

Jacky Crawford

Crewe and Nantwich

Edward Timpson

Conservative

6,046

No

Adrian Heald

Bristol North West

Charlotte Leslie

Conservative

3,274

No

Darren Jones

#PPCGuide

The Labour Party’s 106 Target Seats Constituency

PAGE

60

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Incumbent MP

Party

Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Battersea

Jane Ellison

Finchley and Golders Green

Labour PPC

Conservative

5,977

No

Will Martindale

Mike Freer

Conservative

5,809

No

Sarah Sackman

Calder Valley

Craig Whittaker

Conservative

6,431

No

Redcar

Ian Swales

Liberal Democrat

5,214

Yes

Josh FentonGlynn Anna Turley

Crawley

Henry Smith

Conservative

5,928

No

Chris Oxlade

Hornsey and Wood Green

Lynne Featherstone Liberal Democrat

6,875

No

Catherine West

Reading West

Alok Sharma

Conservative

6,004

No

Victoria Groulef

Rugby

Mark Pawsey

Conservative

6,000

No

Claire Edwards

Burton

Andrew Griffiths

Conservative

6,304

No

Jon Wheale

Cardiff Central

Jennifer Willott

Liberal Democrat

4,576

No

Jo Stevens

South Basildon and East Thurrock Stephen Metcalfe

No

Mike Le-Surf

Tamworth

Conservative

5,772

Conservative

6,090

No

Carol Dean

Redditch

Christopher Pincher Karen Lumley

Conservative

5,821

No

Rebbeca Blake

Chatham and Aylesford

Tracey Crouch

Conservative

6,069

No

Tristan Osborne

North Swindon

Justin Tomlinson

Conservative

7,060

No

Mark Dempsey

Cambridge

Julian Huppert

Liberal Democrat

6,792

No

Daniel Zeichner

Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Simon Hughes

Liberal Democrat

8,530

No

Neil Coyle

Bristol West

Stephen Williams

Liberal Democrat

11,366

No

Leeds North West

Greg Mulholland

Liberal Democrat

9,103

No

Thangam Debbonaire Alex Sobel

Data sourced from LabourList’s 106 battleground target seats.

#PPCGuide

The Labour Party’s 106 Target Seats Constituency

PAGE

61

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Conservative PPC

Liberal Democrat

2,690

Yes

Anne-Marie Trevelyan

Richard Burden

Labour

2,782

No

Rachel Maclean

Constituency

Incumbent MP

Party

Berwick-upon-Tweed

Alan Beith

Birmingham, Northfield Bolton West

Julie Hilling

Labour

92

No

Chris Green

Brecon and Radnorshire

Roger Williams

Liberal Democrat

3,747

No

Chris Davies

Cheadle

Mark Hunter

Liberal Democrat

3,272

No

Mary Robinson

Cheltenham

Martin Horwood

Liberal Democrat

4,920

No

Alex Chalk

Chippenham

Duncan Hames

Liberal Democrat

2,470

No

Michelle Donelan

Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle

Labour

2,593

No

Rob Loughenbury

Colchester

Bob Russell

Liberal Democrat

6,982

No

Will Quince

Corby

Andy Sawford

Labour

7,791

No

Tom Pursglove

Delyn

David Hanson

Labour

2,272

No

Mark Isherwood

Derby North

Chris Williamson

Labour

613

No

Amanda Solloway

Dudley North

Ian Austin

Labour

649

No

Les Jones

Eastbourne

Stephen Lloyd

Liberal Democrat

3,435

No

Caroline Ansell

Gower

Martin Caton

Labour

2,683

Yes

Byron Davies

Halifax

Linda Riordan

Labour

1,472

No

Philip Allott

Hampstead and Kilburn

Glenda Jackson

Labour

42

Yes

Simon Marcus

Harrow West

Gareth Thomas

Labour

3,143

No

Hannah David

Hazel Grove

Andrew Stunell

Liberal Democrat

6,371

Yes

William Wragg

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland

Tom Blenkinsop

Labour

1,677

No

Will Goodhand

Mid Dorset and North Poole

Annette Brooke

Liberal Democrat

269

Yes

Michael Tomlinson

Morley and Outwood

Ed Balls

Labour

1,101

No

Andrea Jenkyns

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Paul Farrelly

Labour

1,153

No

Tony Cox

North Cornwall

Dan Rodgerson

Liberal Democrat

2,981

No

Scott Mann

North Devon

Nick Harvey

Liberal Democrat

5,821

No

Peter HeatonJones

North East Derbyshire

Natascha Engel

Labour

2,445

No

Lee Rowley

Nottingham South

Lillian Greenwood

Labour

1,772

No

Jane Hunt

#PPCGuide

The Conservative Party’s Target Seats

PAGE

62

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Constituency

Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Conservative PPC

3,362

No

Flick Drummond

Incumbent MP

Party

Portsmouth South

Mike Hancock

Independent (former Liberal Democrat)

Solihull

Lorely Burt

Liberal Democrat

175

No

Julian Knight

Somerton and Frome

David Heath

Liberal Democrat

1,817

Yes

David Warburton

Southampton Itchen

John Denham

Labour

192

Yes

Royston Smith

St Austell and Newquay

Steven Gilbert

Liberal Democrat

1,312

No

Steve Double

St Ives

Andrew George

Liberal Democrat

1,719

No

Derek Thomas

Sutton and Cheam

Paul Burstow

Liberal Democrat

1,608

No

Paul Scully

Telford

David Wright

Labour

981

No

Lucy Allen

Torbay

Adrian Sanders

Liberal Democrat

4,078

No

Kevin Foster

Vale of Clwyd

Chris Ruane

Labour

2,509

No

Dr James Davies

Walsall North

David Winnick

Labour

990

No

Douglas Hansen-Luke

Wells

Tessa Munt

Liberal Democrat

800

No

James Heappey

Wirral South

Alison McGovern

Labour

531

No

John Bell

Data sourced from ConservativeHome’s list of Conservative target seats.

#PPCGuide

The Conservative Party’s Target Seats

PAGE

63

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

#PPCGuide

Liberal Democrat’s Target Seats Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Lib Dem PPC

Conservative

66

No

Julia Goldsworthy

Nicola Blackwood

Conservative

176

No

Layla Moran

Sheffield Central

Paul Blomfield

Labour

165

No

Joe Otten

Ashfield

Gloria De Piero

Labour

196

No

Jason Zadrozny

Edinburgh South

Ian Murray

Labour

316

No

Pramod Subbaraman

Truro and Falmouth

Sarah Newton

Conservative

435

No

Simon Rix

Newton Abbot

Anne Marie Morris

Conservative

523

No

Richard Younger-Ross

Chesterfield

Toby Perkins

Labour

549

No

Julia Cambridge

Swansea West

Geraint Davies

Labour

504

No

Chris Holley

Hampstead and Kilburn

Glenda Jackson

Labour

42

Yes

Maajid Nawaz

Kingston upon Hull North

Diana Johnson

Labour

641

No

Mike Ross

Rochdale

Simon Danczuk

Labour

889

No

Andy Kelly

Harrogate and Knaresborough

Andrew Jones

Conservative

1,039

No

Helen Flynn

Watford

Richard Harrington

Conservative

1,425

No

Dorothy Thornhill

Montgomeryshire

Glyn Davies

Conservative

1,184

No

Jane Dodds

Edinburgh North and Leith

Mark Lazarowicz

Labour

1,724

No

Martin Veart

St Albans

Anne Main

Conservative

2,305

No

Sandy Walkington

Newport East

Jessica Morden

Labour

1,650

No

Paul Halliday

Derby North

Chris Williamson

Labour

613

No

Lucy Care

Weston-Super-Mare

John Penrose

Conservative

2,691

No

Mike Bell

Constituency

Incumbent MP

Party

Camborne and Redruth

George Eustice

Oxford West and Abingdon

Data sourced from UK Polling Report’s list of Liberal Democrat target seats.

PAGE

64

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

Constituency

Incumbent MP

Party

Aylesbury

David Lidington

Conservative

Majority

UKIP PPC

12,618

Chris Adams

Boston and Skegness

Mark Simmonds

Conservative

12,426

Robin HunterClarke

East Worthing and Shoreham

Tim Loughton

Conservative

11,105

Mike Glennon

Eastleigh

Mike Thornton

Liberal Democrat

1,771

Patricia Cullingham

Forest of Dean

Mark Harper

Conservative

11,064

Steve Stanbury

Great Grimsby

Austin Mitchell

Labour

714

Victoria Ayling

Great Yarmouth

Brandon Lewis

Conservative

4,276

Alan Grey

North Thanet

Roger Gale

Conservative

13,528

Pier Wauchope

Portsmouth South

Mike Hancock

Independent (Former Liberal Democrat)

3,362

Douglas Denny

Sittingbourne and Sheppey

Gordon Henderson

Conservative

12,383

Richard Palmer

South Thanet

Laura Sandys

Conservative

7,617

Nigel Farage

Thurrock

Jackie Doyle Price

Conservative

92

Tim Aker

Sourced from Sky News, August 2014.

#PPCGuide

UKIP’s Target Seats

PAGE

65

ICG | PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH

#PPCGuide

The Green Party’s Target Seats Majority

Incumbent retiring?

Green PPC

Liberal Democrat

11,366

No

Darren Hall

Julian Huppert

Liberal Democrat

6,792

No

Rupert Read

Holborn and St Pancras

Frank Dobson

Labour

9,942

Yes

Natalie Bennett

Liverpool, Riverside

Louise Ellman

Labour

14,173

No

Martin Dobson

Norwich South

Simon Wright

Liberal Democrat

310

No

Lesley Grahame

Oxford East

Andrew Smith

Labour

4,581

No

Ann Duncan

Reading East

Rob Wilson

Conservative

7,605

No

Rob White

Sheffield Central

Paul Blomfield

Labour

165

No

Jillian Creasy

Constituency

Incumbent MP

Party

Bristol West

Stephen Williams

Cambridge

Solihull

Lorely Burt

Liberal Democrat

175

No

Howard Allen

St Ives

Andrew George

Liberal Democrat

1,719

No

Tim Andrews

York Central

Hugh Bayley

Labour

6,451

Yes

John Tyler

Sourced from The Observer, October 2014.

PAGE

66

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PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES TO WATCH