In the next month 39 seats will short-list their wannabe Lib Dem MPs

By Stephen Tall | Sat 16th August 2014 - 5:00 pm

Here’s the full list of selection contests in the coming month available for Lib Dems on the approved parliamentary candidates’ list, together with the closing date for applications. They include Watford, on paper the 6th most winnable Tory seat for the Lib Dems, needing a swing of just 1.39%, as well as Redcar, where incumbent MP Ian Swales, whose majority over Labour is 5,214, is stepping down. And if anyone fancies taking on health secretary Jeremy Hunt, his South West Surrey seat is also up for grabs.

The following seats have selections in progress and are currently advertising for candidates:

In addition, applications for Scottish Parliament Regional List Selections are also invited:

Further information, including Returning Officer contact details, can be found on the Lib Dem members’ website: http://www.libdems.org.uk/forms/user_sessions/new and then once you have logged in by following the links: Our Party > Selection Adverts – Latest News. Note you will need to register online and login in order to access the advert webpage.

* Stephen was Editor (and Co-Editor) of Liberal Democrat Voice from 2007 to 2015, and writes at The Collected Stephen Tall.

4 Comments

John Roffey 16th Aug '14 - 5:34pm

Well it should be good practice for those selected – for the time, unfortunately in the distant future, when the Party has a remote chance of gaining, rather than losing, seats.

With the most reliable predictors forecasting the Party retaining only 16 or 17 seats – perhaps the battle to be selected will not be too fierce.

http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/gainloss.html
paul barker 16th Aug '14 - 6:20pm

With “everyone” agreeing that we are doomed now is the Time to stand, you have nothing to lose but your sleep. I think we will get somewhere between 50 & 100 MPs but I am known to be quite mad.
David Evans 16th Aug '14 - 6:31pm

I rarely disagree with my friend John, but I don’t think it will be good practice for those selected at all; merely a totally dispiriting experience done out of a sense of duty to the party. However, with the mess Nick is leaving behind him, it will sadly be very valid practice for most Lib Dem candidates for many years to come.
Simon Banks 17th Aug '14 - 5:38pm

I don’t think the shortage of applicants is just because they expect to get tonked. The activist base is declining and, thank God, most of the PPCs still come from the ranks of the activists.