North Ipswich and Mid Suffolk Tories have messed up in their refusal to name a local candidate. One of the points that is often made about the Conservative Party is that it is more democratic in its final selection than the other parties. This is true, but its preliminary rounds are almost (if not quite) as murky as Labour’s. And before people say that the Tories are less corrupt than Labour, I would say the Tories should not give people the chance.
I am not much of a fan of internal party machinations, these things bore me to tears, but I have seen more than my fair share of carve ups when local candidates are ruthlessly carved out at the “paper sift” and “selection committee” levels so that a favourite son can emerge either a national party darling or, as I saw in one selection in London, a wealthy young man with only a sporadic connection to the constituency.
We expect this of Labour, distant elitism is their new clause four along with an oh-so-European dash of “favours”, but the Tories must do better because in the end thay are better.
It is a particular shame to see Sophie Stanbrook and Stephen Wells looked over. I don’t always see eye to eye with either of them but they are talented local campaigners who would have really shaken things up.
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