Conservative candidate faces de-selection over affair

Elizabeth Truss is the Conservative candidate for Norfolk South-West. She is also a woman who has had an affair. This is well in the past now, four years ago to be precise. However, some in the local association are getting all huffy. They are going to vote on her future on 16 November. No doubt it will make them feel a bit better.

Ms Truss has apologised, been open about it, made up with her husband, and just wishes to move on. One wonders what tiny minds are operating in this part of Norfolk. If we are to have fully verified saints as MPs how about having fully verified saints as members of a Conservative association?

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All-women short lists? Surely not!

David Cameron has come out in favour of all-women shortlists for the Conservative Party, or rather the Modern Conservatives. He thinks it's a good wheeze. Will get his benches filled with Dave's Babes just like Blair did in 1997 for his side of the House, so it will. It's probably a sign of the times. It's not really democracy as we know it. More a kind of set menu instead of a la carte.

I wonder what those great Tory women MPs of the past would have made of it. Imagine Margaret Thatcher pitted against five other women. How did she get selected at Finchley? Was she favoured in some way? I rather doubt it.

Edwina Currie, Dame Jill Knight, Nancy Astor, Peggy Fenner, Lady Olga Maitland, Dame Irene Ward (plus large hat!), Ann Widdecombe, Angela Rumbold, Joan Hall and Lady Tweedsmuir are ten notable women who have served the Conservative Party with both distinction and independent minds. Get those ten in a room (if only it were possible!) and get Dave to tell them that they faced an all-women shortlist and he may very well get a load of all-women short shrift!

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Norwich North By-Election

The Norwich North by-election is getting along nicely, now entering its last two-week phase. 12 candidates up for election to be confirmed later today.

They are -

Peter Baggs - Independent
Thomas Burridge - Libertarian Party
Anne Fryatt - NOTA (None Of The Above)
Bill Holden - Independent
Alan Hope - Monster Raving Loony Party
Graig Murray - Put An Honest Man In Parliament
Chris Ostrowski - Labour
April Pond - Liberal Democrat
Rupert Read - Green Party
Chloe Smith - Conservative
Glenn Tingle - UK Independence Party
Robert West - British National Party

That makes a dozen to choose from. However, the front runners are the Labour, Conservative, Greens, and Craig Murray's coalition. Who comes third will be as interesting as who comes first. I also think voters should give young Thomas Burridge a good hearing and consider him too!

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