Search begins for Marlborough Area’s Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

Written October 8th, updated October 19th.

The search for a Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Marlborough area has begun. Michael Ancram, Devizes Constituency’s current MP announced in August that he would be stepping down at the next general election for health reasons. His announcement came after thirty years in politics and seventeen years as our MP. In addition to Devizes itself, Devizes Constituency covers Marlborough, Pewsey, Tidworth and numerous villages and hamlets. 

Conservative Central Office has advertised the vacancy, or rather a notice has been sent out to approved candidates that they can apply for the post. The deadline for applications is October 12th, at this point the Devizes Constituency Conservative Association Selection Panel will select a number of applicants of whom at least 50% are to be women. It is estimated that there may be around 300 applicants.

Ken Carter, Chairman of the Devizes Constituency Conservative Association told Marlborough People that on October 20th the Constituency Association Selection Panel and Conservative Central Office will select the final six candidates, again with the 50% rule applying, they will also select two reserve candidates.

On October 27th the Devizes Constituency Association’s Executive Council will interview the final six and decide whether to reduce the number of candidates to four or five who then go through to the final selection meeting. This Special General Meeting will be attended by the Devizes Constituency Conservative Association members who will vote by secret ballot to select the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate on November 1st.

This announcement quashes rumours that local people themselves, the voting public of Devizes Constituency, could play a part in selecting the new Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Marlborough area.

The selected candidate may need to jump straight on to the campaign trail- the next general election must take place by June 3rd, 2010 at the very latest.

The Labour candidate for the general election will be Junab Ali, the Green Party candidate is Mark Fletcher and the Liberal Democrats are, like the Conservatives, still in the process of selecting a candidate.