Category Archives: Selection news

Euro candidate ballots out this week

The ballot papers for the selection of the Liberal Democrats’ European Parliamentary candidates are going in the post Wednesday to Friday 10th to 12th October (in England: Wales and Scotland are using a different timetable). Delivery may unfortunately be delayed by the post office strikes – but we hope most ballot papers will arrive during the week ending 19th October.

The deadline for the return of ballot papers is Wednesday 7th November, and in light of continuing difficulties with the post members should post their ballot papers early.

Jonathan Davies
Senior Returning Officer

4 Comments

Colin Breed to stand down

Colin Breed, Liberal Democrat MP for South East Cornwall has announced that he will not seek re-election at the next general election.

Full story over at the ThisIsPlymouth website.

(Hat-tip: Stephen Gilbert commenting on LDV earlier.)

Also posted in News | Tagged | 18 Comments

Norman to fight Lewes again

Congratulations to Norman Baker on being re-selected by his local party in Lewes to contest the constituency for the Lib Dems whenever Gordon dares to go to the polls. Norman was first elected in 1997, when he defeated Tory Tim Rathbone, and was returned in 2005 with a majority of c.8,500, with more than 52% of the vote.

Full story over at the Eastbourne Herald’s website.

Also posted in News | Tagged | 39 Comments

London Mayor shortlist published

The Liberal Democrats have just announced their shortlist for London Mayor. The final choice will be made by party members in London in a postal ballot.

The people are:

  • Chamali Fernando
  • Fiyaz Mughal
  • Brian Paddick
  • More details, including hustings, over at the party’s website.

    Tagged | 26 Comments

    Selection News: Elwyn Watkins to fight Oldham East

    Rochdale Councillor Elwyn Watkins has been selected to fight Oldham East and Saddleworth for the Lib Dems. Elwyn, 43 beat off 4 other candidates and has now promised to hit Labour hard.

    Elwyn WatkinsElwyn, a financial analyst for a Sheikh in the Middle East said, “I am obviously delighted that local members have shown their faith in me. I will repay that faith by working hard with Councillors and Members to regain this seat. Phil Woolas MP has a poor record and I am going to expose that. People in Oldham East …

    13 Comments

    European selections: candidates named, hustings listed, forum open

    English Party members eligible to vote in the European selections for the 2009 European Parliament elections are being emailed today by Jonathan Davies, the Senior Returning Officer, with three key website links:

    (The Scottish and Welsh European selections are being carried out at a latter date).

    Also posted in News | 25 Comments

    Watch out for a flurry of internal online campaigning

    We could be about to see a flurry of imaginative and energetic online campaigning from party candidates – at least those who are serious about wanting to be a candidate in next year’s London Mayor and the 2009 European elections. (Our candidates for the London Assembly have already been selected.)

    The selection rules for these contests have been simplified and relaxed and now permit a very wide range of internet and other electronic campaigning with – amongst other things – both SMS campaigning and using a campaign blog now possible.

    In another innovation, both selections will see the party running online hustings for the first time, overcoming the geographic barriers which often mean real-world hustings are restricted to a relatively small part of the party’s members.

    Also posted in Online politics | 13 Comments

    European and London Mayor selections

    As the party’s selection process for both our 2009 European and 2008 London Mayor candidates is now kicking off, Liberal Democrat Voice is introducing a slight change in our comment moderation policy for the duration of the selections.

    Although this isn’t an official party site, we’re happy to abide with the spirit of the party’s selection rules. Therefore as the agreed rules for both contests ban endorsements, any comments that would infringe these rules will be withdrawn (e.g. a comment saying “I’ll be voting for Herbie Asquith” or “Don’t vote for Bill Gladstone; he supports chopping down trees”).

    Any coverage of the

    Also posted in Site news | 9 Comments

    London Mayor candidate selection process starts

    Members who may be interested in applying can obtain an application pack, which includes an Application Form and the Selection Criteria agreed by London Region’s Candidates Committee, from London Mayor Returning Officer, c/o London Regional Office, 4 Cowley Street, London, SW1P 3NB or by phone 07956 374220 or, preferably, by email on [email protected]

    Also posted in News | 1 Comment

    Returning officer reports into Leyton and Wanstead PPC contest leaked

    Two internal reports by the returning officer into the Lib Dems’ selection of their prospective Parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead have been leaked to the local press, which reports:

    RULES to prevent postal vote fraud were broken during the election for the Liberal Democrats’ prospective Parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead, the returning officer (RO) has found.

    Former Mayor of Waltham Forest, Cllr Farooq Qureshi, was selected ahead of nearest rival Nasser Butt to stand against sitting Labour MP Harry Cohen at the next general election.

    The full story is here.

    Also posted in News | 8 Comments

    Selection news: Brentford & Isleworth and Feltham & Heston

    On Tuesday Cllr Andrew Dakers was selected as the PPC for Brentford & Isleworth. On Thursday Cllr Munira Hassam was selected as the PPC for Feltham & Heston.

    Thanks to Michael Wilson for letting us know.

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    Selection news: Matthew Green steps down as Ludlow PPC

    Former Liberal Democrat MP for Ludlow, Matthew Green is stepping down as Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Ludlow to concentrate on his planning consultancy business Green Planning Solutions LLP.

    Matthew Green said “When I started my planning consultancy in 2005, I could not have anticipated the growth of the business. Although I am in the process of recruiting additional staff much of the business is dependent on my time. I am regularly working 16 hour days, I also need to spend time with my family and eventually something has to give”.

    Matthew Green added “It’s a frustrating decision to come to as …

    Also posted in News | 3 Comments

    Selection news: Lewisham West & Penge

    Hearty congratulations to Alex Feakes, selected to fight the new seat of Lewisham West and Penge.

    Unusually, Dorset-based Lib Dem blogger Justine McGuiness has raised questions about the selection process on her blog.

    6 Comments

    PPC News: Vauxhall

    Congratulations to Caroline Pidgeon, selected to fight Vauxhall at the next election.

    Thanks to Rob Blackie for the info.

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    PPC news: two more women candidates

    Congratulations to Rebecca Hunt, selected to be PPC for Maidstone and The Weald, and to Sarah Carr who has been selected to take the baton from Paul Keetch in Hereford.

    Thanks to Mark Valladares and Colin Ross for the head’s up.

    9 Comments

    Oldham East & Saddleworth PPC Alison Smith quits

    THE Liberal Democrat candidate to fight MP Phil Woolas for his Oldham East and Saddleworth seat has unexpectedly quit — to work in Russia.

    Alison Smith — the first woman parliamentary hopeful chosen to contest the seat — stepped down yesterday and held a farewell social last night.

    The party says the law graduate from Aberdeen is quitting politics to work in Russia. Privately she told friends she was going to study Russian at Oxford hoping to get work in Russia.

    More from the Oldham Chronicle.

    Also posted in News | 4 Comments

    Sutton (Notts) By-election

    Remember that Simon Hughes told conference in the closing session before Ming’s speech that he was planning to help in a Nottinghamshire County Council by-election on his way home?

    Despite the filthy weather that day, Simon’s help clearly paid off. Today was polling day, and an intrepid count-goer has texted the result to Lib Dem Voice’s Night Editor.

    Members of the Labour Party should look away now.

    UKIP 70 2%
    Con 222 8%
    Lab 435 16%
    Lib Dem 1979 73%

    Congrats to all concerned, including newly elected Cllr Jazon Zadrozny. I’m sure someone will be along in the morning who can calculate swing properly, but my calculation from the

    Also posted in News | 11 Comments

    PPC news: Kate Clarkson selected for Penrith and the Border

    The Cumbria News & Star reports that Kate Clarkson has been selected to stand for Penrith and the Border – congratulations to Kate.

    6 Comments

    Selection news: more seats advertised

    The following seats have recently announced they are seeking Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (people to run as the Lib Dem candidate for MP at the next General Election).

    We list the constituency name, application closing date, and the contact details of the Returning Officer, whom you should contact for an application form. The details are lifted manually from Liberal Democrat News, the party’s newspaper.

    • Calder Valley & Halifax, 30 March 07, Ian Cuthbertson
    • Huntingdon, 23 March 07, Jo Dawson
    • Kenilworth & Southam, 2 April 07, Dr Napier Penlington (telephone only – email me for number)
    • Waveney, 23 March 06, Barbara Rix
    • Wyre Forest, 23

    9 Comments

    Candidate news: PPC ads

    The following seats have recently announced they are seeking Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (people to run as the Lib Dem candidate for MP at the next General Election).

    We list the constituency name, application closing date, and the contact details of the Returning Officer, whom you should contact for an application form. The details are lifted manually from Liberal Democrat News, the party’s newspaper.

    • Birmingham Selly Oak, 28 March 07, Dr Napier Penlington (no e-mail)
    • Brentford & Isleworth, 16 March 07, Monty Cooke
    • Feltham & Heston, 16 March 07, Monty Cooke
    • Lewisham West & Penge, 16 March 07, Ashley Lumsden
    • Portsmouth North, 16 March

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    Selection news: Maidenhead

    Congratulations to Tony Hill, selected to fight Maidenhead at the next General Election.

    Thanks to Mark Valladares for letting me know!

    Leave a comment

    Selection news: Bristol South

    Congratulations to local Councillor Mark Wright, selected to fight Bristol South.

    Thanks to Nic Rattle for letting me know

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    Selection news: Sutton seats

    Carshalton & Wallington have unanimously re-selected Tom Brake MP, and Sutton & Cheam have unanimously re-selected Paul Burstow MP as their candidates for the next General Election.

    Thanks to Dominic Mathon for letting me know.

    5 Comments

    Selection news: Holborn & St Pancras

    Congratulations to Jo Shaw, selected to fight Holborn & St Pancras.

    5 Comments

    Selection news: Heywood & Middleton, and Stratford on Avon

    Congratulations to Martin Turner, selected for Stratford on Avon, and to Wera Hobhouse, selected in Heywood & Middleton.

    Thanks to Colin Ross and David Hennigan for the news.

    Also posted in News | 1 Comment

    Candidate news: Wiltshire North, Devizes, Wirral South

    Congratulations to Mike Evemy, selected to take on controversial Tory MP James Gray in Wiltshire North. Also congratulations to Wendy Johnson, selected to stand against guitar-strummin’ Michael Ancram in Devizes.

    Finally in the feast of congratulations, congrats to Paula Southwood selected in Wirral South.

    Thanks to Jen Yockney and Mike Evemy for the info.

    2 Comments

    Selection news: Islington South & Finsbury

    Bridget FoxCongratulations to Bridget Fox, re-selected to fight Islington South – Bridget came within 484 votes of taking the seat last time.

    If you know of a selection I’ve missed, please give me a shout, and in addition the party maintains an official list of PPCs here.

    21 Comments

    Selection news: London seats

    Congratulations to two candidates selected in interesting, winnable seats.

    Cllr Chris Maines has been selected to fight Lewisham East, and Ed Fordham has been selected to fight Hampstead & Kilburn.

    The Westminster List is being dropped from this site as the party’s website is now listing selected candidates – however,I will continue to flag up candidates as they’re selected, so please keep them coming. Thanks to Cathy Priddey for letting me know about Lewisham, and Chris Maines for the info on Hampstead.

    2 Comments

    Candidate news: selection ads, new PPCs announced

    Big Ben LondonOK, this is a bit of a bumper update. Congratulations to Gareth Epps, selected in Reading East and Farid Ahmed who was reselected to fight Walthamstow (thanks to Peter Dunphy for letting me know).

    The party is now publishing its official list of PPCs on the party website, which may mean that the Lib Dem Voice Westminster List of selected candidates may be withdrawn.  There’s a case for Lib Dem Voice independently tracking gender & minority stats, but I’d welcome input on the future of the Westminster List.

    The following seats …

    4 Comments

    Candidate news: Lucy Care selected for Derby North

    Derby Liberal Democrats have selected local councillor, Lucy Care to be their Parliamentary Spokesperson for the new Derby North constituency.

    At the selection meeting on Saturday, party members overwhelmingly chose Lucy Care to be their prospective candidate for the next General Election, from a shortlist of three.

    Lucy Care said “I am delighted by this vote of confidence in me by my party colleagues. We have shown again and again that the Lib Dems can win locally, and next time it is likely that voters in Derby will elect a Lib Dem MP. I have lived here most of my life; my family use local health services and my school-aged children attended local schools. I therefore know how important it is to have good local services.

    “I have worked hard for local people and the city in my years as a councillor, but I know that we need changes nationally to get the changes people want in Derby. For example, we need to give our doctors and nurses more freedom to treat patients according to their professional judgement, instead of being driven by government targets. Pupils need freeing from being taught just to pass tests at school, and local people should be given more power over planning decisions.

    Tagged | 1 Comment
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