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 North West Hampshire – where, if rumours are to be believed, the Lib Dem candidate may get to take on Boris Johnson – and my home town of Horsham, so I’ll be watching that one with interest!
The following seats have selections in progress and are currently advertising for candidates:
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North West Hampshire, 25th April
Bexhill and Battle, 2nd May
Windsor, 8th May
Crawley, 9th May
Horsham, 9th May
Tatton, 9th May
Richmond (Yorks), 31st May
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.
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6 Comments
Wannabe MPs is the wrong description – hoping to cling onto 2nd place might be nearer the mark. North West Hants tories have denied Boris is on the shortlist. http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/11174719.Could_Boris_Johnson_become_next_MP_for_North_West_Hampshire_/?ref=mry
Richmond (Yorks) was the scene of an own goal in the 1989 by-election between former members of the Alliance, when a Social Democrat stood against the Liberal Democrat, allowing a certain William Hague to win!
A more interesting and formidable opponent than Boris.
“Wannabe MPs is the wrong description – hoping to cling onto 2nd place might be nearer the mark”
So true. The dire state of the party is also shown by the failure to put up a full slate of candidates in some London Boroughs. I am not aware of the full information but seeing a short piece on Ch4 News it is obvious that this is true across England. From Enfield to Salford the party is in such a poor state. I am told that even in Liverpool, once the proud symbol of Big City success for us, we are unable to find candidates for all the contests.
Undeniable evidence of the impact of the years of Clegg.
Any decent political party leader who has brought their party so low would do the decent thing and simply go.
Obviously if you wannabe an MP, you have to campaign for a hopeless seat first. Then, if you’re lucky, tick the right boxes etc., you might get the opportunity 5 years later to campaign for a less hopeless seat. Or if you really wannabe an MP, you might consider whether the LDs are the best vehicle for your ambitions.
Jenny Barnes
If you think about it a number of our MPs did not follow your rule of going for a hopeless seat first.
Nick Clegg and David Laws for example eased themselves comfortably into a seat in Parliament which was still warm from their Liberal Democrat predecessors.
They inherited teams of willing workers and local councillors who had made real sacrifices to build the party so that one day a Liberal Democrat MP would stand up to the Labour and the Tories in Parliament.
Of course we should not mention that in return they have driven the party into a ditch and squandered the inheritance that they were lucky enough to be given on a plate.
JohnTilley
David Laws stood in Folkstone in 1997 and Nick Clegg stood as an MEP.
Without double checking all our MPs I recon around half either stood elsewhere and lost or stood in their current seat and lost before wining.
Interesting you mention David Laws taking over a ‘warm’ seat. If you read Paddy’s autobiography, youll see how much hard work and graft he put in to win and then hold that seat.