CCHQ’s Seat Selection Chaos as Close of Nominations Deadline Nears
CCHQ have been scrambling to find Tory candidates for seats ever since Sunak’s helpful decision to call a snap election. It was reported by Michael Crick that the day after Sunak’s announcement, there were 190 Tory vacancies. Nominations officially close tomorrow, though it looks like CCHQ are still struggling to fill all the spots…
The exact number of vacancies is unknown, though there are reports that they still have around 80 spaces left to fill. If that is the case, it’s possible that not all seats will have a Tory candidate, with the deadline just over 24 hours away. Tory SpAds who have been parachuted by CCHQ into safe seats – such as the likes of Tanner, Goss and Clarke – have royally upset the local Tories. Even SpAd Alice Hopkin has been sent up to be the Tory candidate in a Labour safe seat – an area “she can’t wait get to know”. While other Tory locals tell Guido of their rage that CCHQ de-selected David Duguid and parachuted Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross into the safe seat of Banff and Buchan. They say it has nothing to do with Duguid being “unwell“. Shafting the local associations in this way is not something members will forget…
Meanwhile, outrage over Tory Chair Richard Holden bagging a safe seat – courtesy of him being the only candidate in the selection process – doesn’t look set to die down. One Tory MP tells Guido they are “still furious”, and that there is a “settled white cold anger” over the stitch-up. It appears the turmoil for Holden isn’t over yet either. A Tory source tells Guido:
“When a ship is sinking and everyone’s running for the lifeboats, someone is expected to shout ‘women and children first’. In this case, Richard Holden, shouted ‘me first’ – then left dozens of Tory MPs and candidates on the Titanic looking desperately for the lifeboat he has obtained.”
Holden may be heading into unchartered waters…
