Wolverhampton South West Conservatives

11.32.42am GMT Mon 5th Feb 2007

Wolverhampton South West Conservatives have announced their 'final five' for their prospective Parliamentary Candidate. I believe they will be having an open hustings (I am told they do not have enough members to avoid doing so).

The final five are:

Christine Emmett

Councillor Eddie Hughes

Giles Inglis-Jones

Kulveer Ranger

Paul Uppal

Christine Emmett does not appear to have stood for Parliament before but is, as all five are, on the Conservative Party A-List. She is listed as a businesswomen and activist.

Eddie Hughes is a Councillor in Walsall, in Streetly Ward, and therefore the 'local' candidate. He stood in Birmingham Hall Green in 2005 but lost 3.8% of the Conservative vote share.

Giles Inglis-Jones recently failed to get selected in Hereford. He stood in Ashfield last time he also lost vote share but just 0.1%

Kulveer Ranger stood in Makerfield in 2005 losing 5.4% of the vote share.

Paul Uppal stood in Birmingham Yardley in 2005 and continuing a trend amongst these candidates lost vote share - this time 3% in a seat where the Liberal Democrats won.

It is interesting that none of the candidates live in, or come from, Wolverhampton and I can't (from a quick google search) see any connection with the City. Can it be there are no Conservatives in Wolverhampton that are interested in standing (and if not why not) or did they apply but are not considered good enough?

The candidates that have stood before, all lost vote share in an election (2005) that was actually very good for the Conservatives.