Mark Pack

Conservative candidate troubles in London

By | Wed 31st March 2010 - 9:26 pm

Dave Hill has the news from Croydon regarding Andrew Pelling:

“Croydon Central seat promises to be one of the most open and unpredictable in the country,” says Croydon Today, in response to the decision of the sitting MP to contest the constituency again. Andrew Pelling, also a former London Assembly member, snook home as a Tory in 2005 but in 2007 had the parliamentary whip withdrawn following his arrest after his wife alleged assault. No charges were ever brought, but at the end of that year Pelling declared that he would not seek re-election.

Well, now that he’s confirmed persistent rumours that he would change his mind and run as an independent, all previous electoral arithmetic can be binned.

The second (ex) Tory in the news is Bertha Joseph, of whom Adam Bienkov reports:

Boris Johnson’s disgraced former fire chief Bertha Joseph will no longer be a candidate for the Conservative Party one of her colleagues said today.

Senior Brent Tory John Detre told me that Bertha had been a “hard working councillor” who was “hounded out by the Labour Party.”

Hounded out by Labour is one way of describing it of course. But the other way is that she was found guilty of misconduct as a councillor and suspended for six months from serving on Brent Council.

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One Comment

  • Mark G 1st Apr '10 - 6:43am

    I have to confess an interest in this one. I was previously at University with Gavin Barwell and also lived in Croydon for a number of years.

    I always thought this was likely – as far as I understand it, Pelling felt that he was basically pushed out of the Conservatives in order that Barwell could get the seat. Nothing would give him greater satisfaction than depriving Barwell of the seat.

    That said, I would still have Barwell as hot favourite. He is a good campaigner and well in with Ashcroft. Would love to be at the count, though!

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