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Party election hopeful defects to Labour
1:59pm Tuesday 25th September 2007
Comments (21)A "feisty" woman who came close to winning a Parliamentary seat in Brighton has turned her back on the Conservative Party.
Judith Symes, who appeared on Tory leader David Cameron's A-list of approved candidates, said she had lost faith in the party and was now a Labour supporter.
Her shock defection will come as a huge embarrassment to the Tories, who had trumpeted Ms Symes as one of a new generation of women candidates.
When Ms Symes, a management consultant, stood for election in Brighton Kemptown in 2005 she came within 2,700 votes of unseating Labour's Des Turner.
Her campaign was taken so seriously by the Conservatives that Sandra Howard, wife of then party leader Michael Howard, was dispatched to the constituency to lend her support.
At the time Mrs Howard, a former model, told The Argus that Ms Symes was one of the party's many "fantastic" women candidates.
She added: "They're feisty and young and in the 21st Century - and they're not dressed in Tory pearls."
Ms Symes, 43, told The Argus about her decision to defect at Labour's annual conference in Bournemouth.
She said: "The Conservatives badly needed reform and David Cameron presented himself as the reformer but he is not succeeding.
"He has not gathered together a cross-section of society. Instead, elitism and exclusivity are at the heart of the party."
Explaining her new-found fondness for Labour, she said: "We have had ten years of record investment in public services and the highest employment ever, as well as a new prime minister who was the most competent chancellor, creating stability and a growing economy.
"I see the positive changes and the great opportunities available to more people of all backgrounds - and I want to work to keep the Labour party in government."
Her pledge of support was welcomed by Labour's prospective candidate for Kemptown, former Brighton and Hove City Councillor Simon Burgess, who said: "I thought she was a reasonable Tory when she stood and I'm glad she's coming across."
Ms Symes's defection suggests Prime Minister Gordon Brown's strategy of reaching out to supporters from other parties is reaping rewards.
Today, in a sign of Labour's growing confidence, Warren Morgan, the party's chief whip on Brighton and Hove City Council, offered Conservative members and councillors an "open invitation" to switch to Labour.
Are you a Tory voter considering to switch your vote to Labour? Tell us below.
Your Say YourThe Argus
Stroller, Hove says...
2:29pm Tue 25 Sep 07
"her decision to defect from Labour's annual conference in Bournemouth."
Jayson Flesher, Burgess Hill says...
2:43pm Tue 25 Sep 07
ComradeK, hard at work says...
2:47pm Tue 25 Sep 07
People are fed up of this sharade and want proper representation. The working class have been abandoned by Labour at their own peril.
visit www.cnwp.org.uk for an opportunity to build a new party for ordinary people. Get involved and actually get listened to.
Peter, Saltdean says...
3:52pm Tue 25 Sep 07
Brian, Hove says...
4:00pm Tue 25 Sep 07
Sue, Hove says...
4:20pm Tue 25 Sep 07
Paul, says...
4:49pm Tue 25 Sep 07
How on earth can she say this when she was a Conservative supporter a few months ago? Does she have any principles?
James, Brighton says...
4:52pm Tue 25 Sep 07
haggis, brighton says...
5:03pm Tue 25 Sep 07
Gordon, Lewes says...
5:04pm Tue 25 Sep 07
Agog, South Coast says...
5:13pm Tue 25 Sep 07
Shortlong, Hayes says...
5:23pm Tue 25 Sep 07
quote
S, Sussex says...
6:44pm Tue 25 Sep 07
B. BANDIDO, HOVE says...
10:05pm Tue 25 Sep 07
Jo, Brighton says...
8:59am Wed 26 Sep 07
Gordon wrote:Sadly, I agree. Cameron seems to be a lot of hot air but at least he's offering a democratic vote on the EU constitution.
I'm a former Labour voter who will 'defect' to the Tories next time. My reason? Labour pledged a referendum before signing Britain up to the new EU constitution. Now they've broken that promise. Cameron is offering us a vote. Brown isn't.
Brown promised a referendum - and it was in the Labour manifesto. To say no now is such a huge breach of trust I can never believe anything else he says. He may sell himself as different to Blair but on this issue, we're learning the truth.
We may not take to the streets about it, but don't doubt our resentment.
Labour activist,Brighton, Brighton says...
2:02am Thu 27 Sep 07
You can't have much confidence in your Leader then as Judith was on the A list of candidates!
Welcome to our Party Judith
Tiernan, London says...
9:26am Thu 27 Sep 07
Terry, Worthing says...
9:31am Thu 27 Sep 07
Roger Parkes, Tunbridge Wells says...
12:45am Fri 28 Sep 07
Mr Angry T Wells, says...
5:01pm Mon 1 Oct 07
Judith Symes
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Darren Stuart, Brighton says...
2:21pm Tue 25 Sep 07