News RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos


All Brighton Pavilion residents to pick next Tory MP candidate

3:00pm Tuesday 15th September 2009 in


The Conservative Party will hold an open primary to pick one of its Brighton candidates for the next General Election.

Every person in the Brighton Pavilion constituency will be invited to vote on who the Tories should put forward as their representative for the national poll, which is expected next May.

Selection decisions are normally only taken by members of the party.

It will be the second time the Conservatives have used the tactic, criticised as a gimmick by opponents, following the selection of GP Dr Sarah Wollaston in Totnes, Devon, last month.

The party will prepare a shortlist of candidates and then ask the constituents to make their selection.

Carol Ramsden, the chairman of Brighton Pavilion Conservative Association, revealed the plan yesterday.

The Tories have been without a candidate for the seat since Dr David Bull abruptly stepped down in June, more than two years after he was selected.

He said he could no longer give enough time after being appointed to head a Conservative policy review on sexual health.

Comments(11)

TheInsider says...
3:46pm Tue 15 Sep 09

I wish all the parties would do this otherwise you get the same old local political failures trying to get seats such as poor old Simon Burgess.
A nice enough fellow but a hopeless local authority councillor now hoping for a seat in the Commons.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

puddingandpi says...
4:20pm Tue 15 Sep 09

That's like asking me to choose a turd. I hate the Conservatives, I don't give a toss! Why ask me?
It should be up to the party members or at least supporters.
How about Peter Tatchell? I propose Peter Tatchell!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

toryinside says...
5:05pm Tue 15 Sep 09

David Bull did not step down beacuse he was asked to head a policy reveiw, it was because his media company in the USA has been doing very well, and the lure of cash was too much!! He hasn't even had the time to put himself on the current electoral role. Why would heading a policy review mean you can't stand as an MP??

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

yorkie44 says...
5:28pm Tue 15 Sep 09

It is a change in the electoral system that is needed, not this window dressing.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

AS-Kemptown says...
6:32pm Tue 15 Sep 09

Could it be tha Dr. David Bull, an opening Gay Conservative could no longer associate himself with a party and Leader that aligns itself to a homophobic, anti-semitic and zenophobic grouping in the European Parliament. Are these the true blue colours of David Cameron and the rest of the Tories?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

bug eye says...
7:02pm Tue 15 Sep 09

AS-Kemptown wrote:
Could it be tha Dr. David Bull, an opening Gay Conservative could no longer associate himself with a party and Leader that aligns itself to a homophobic, anti-semitic and zenophobic grouping in the European Parliament. Are these the true blue colours of David Cameron and the rest of the Tories?
I think you will find David Bull is still a member of the Conservative party, so why are you living in the past and in denial that things have changed, there are many gay Conservatives and supporters, move on. As to non Conservative supporters who do not want to participate then don't. It is ridiculous for anyone to say this is not good, it gives the best candidate the job, not the same old person or a token person. In WISH WARD we ended up with labour Celia Barlow when voted for by the party, from an all woman candidate list ( not discrimination and inequality from labour at all then ).

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

greenpaws says...
4:39am Wed 16 Sep 09

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION is needed and then all votes count, including for independents and smaller parties.

Let the people really decide. Those big parties that hide behind the 1st past the post stifle real democracy and as it amounts to effective discrimination against those with different lives and thoughts, so surely that should be illegal.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Chris in Brighton says...
11:15am Wed 16 Sep 09

greenpaws wrote:
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION is needed and then all votes count, including for independents and smaller parties. Let the people really decide. Those big parties that hide behind the 1st past the post stifle real democracy and as it amounts to effective discrimination against those with different lives and thoughts, so surely that should be illegal.
Grow up! Look at Italy, 60 odd governments since the war with authority held in contempt by the populace. This power vacuum is then filled by organised crime!

First past the post is a flawed system but a government with a working majority is still better than coalitions made up of small party's where nothing ever gets done.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Andre Spooner says...
11:53am Wed 16 Sep 09

This is amazing! I cannot wait to see the parade of Tories! My horse wants me to pick one that looks like David Mellor but with a better football shirt. I reckon a Jonathan-Aitken-a-li
ke is just what Brighton needs.

In fact, I think I will pick the one who looks best on a yacht with George Osborne and Peter Mandelson. Me and my horse were looking at our holiday snaps the other day and there is a picture of Mandy trying to drip pure poison into my horse's ear. Like that scene in Hamlet. Luckily my horse is more than a match for Peter and pushed a heap of Guacamole into his top pocket. Suckers! Spooner rides again!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

lee paul says...
4:59pm Wed 16 Sep 09

How unbelieveably pointless.


I rather pick my nose

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Christophe Hawtree says...
10:34pm Thu 17 Sep 09

A fatuous proceeding.

How will the Tories persuade anybody to vote on candidates at this stage? Will these candidates to be a candidate be going from door to door?

Meanwhile, the Greens and Labour in Pavilion are campaigning with actual candidates.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

More News stories


Most popular







Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »

Local Businesses