Geoffrey Theobald, opposition leader on Brighton and Hove Council, was last night chosen as the Tory candidate for Brighton Kemp Town at the next general election.

Coun Theobald, 53, beat a London-based candidate for the right to take on sitting Labour MP Des Turner in the traditionally marginal seat.

Coun Theobald easily won in a poll of members at the annual general meeting of the Kemp Town Conservative Association at Woodingdean Primary School.

It will be his first general election fight despite his extensive experience in local elections.

The former Mayor of Brighton beat a younger opponent, Kim Humphreys, 34, from Dulwich, to the Tory nomination.

After his selection he said: "I am very pleased to be chosen by the members of the association. I expect to win at the general election. I do not go into things without expecting to win."

Mr Theobald's selection will create strong local and national interest in the seat, which Labour won in 1964 with a majority of just seven, making it the most marginal in the country

With two strong local candidates fighting it out for Kemp Town, the battle between Geoffrey Theobald and Des Turner will revive memories of the Bowden-Hobden contests in the late Sixties and Seventies.

Local councillor Dennis Hobden won the seat in 1964 and 1966 but it was held by Tory Andrew Bowden, later Sir Andrew, from 1970 to 1997.

Boundary changes have seen the seat lose the Hanover area to Brighton Pavilion and take in Peacehaven, Telscombe Cliffs and East Saltdean.

In the Labour landslide of 1997 Des Turner won with a 3,534 majority, a 13.6 per cent swing to Labour.

Geoffrey Theobald needs a 3.83 per cent swing to win the seat.

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