A-List (Conservative)
The Conservative A-List or Priority List is a list of United Kingdom candidates drawn up by Conservative Central Office at the behest of David Cameron after his election as party leader in December 2005, aimed as a means of broadening the number of Conservative Members of Parliament, potential Peers of the Realm and MEPs from minority groups and women as well as other preferred candidates for candidature — where the preferred forums for selection are held at least two members from the list is put to every open primary. Where these are not held the A-list are recommended directly, particularly to the top target seats.
History [edit]
In April 2006, a Conservative Party committee on candidates set out to deliver a promise by David Cameron to transform the Conservative party at Westminster. The committee reduced 500 aspiring politicians on the party's list of approved parliamentary candidates to an "A-list" of between 100 and 150 priority candidates.[1] The result was a list on which more than half of the names were of women. The list included the former Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt, the environmentalist Zac Goldsmith, the author Louise Bagshawe (later Mensch), and Margot James.[2]
Amid controversy the "A-list" approach was endorsed by Michael Portillo, the party's MP until 2005, who in 2006 said that
| “ | [based on current membership]...much of the Parliamentary Party is reactionary and unattractive to voters.[3] | ” |
Conservative chairmen and activists in seats considered potentially winnable were in the run-up to the 2010 election urged by Conservative Central Office to select candidates from the new A-list and were in many cases included in open primaries, new and preferred open-to-all selection meetings.[4]
The 2010 general election saw failures as well as successes for the "A-listers" selected for 'winnable' seats. Success was epitomised by, for example, Zac Goldsmith in Richmond Park, but failure by Joanne Cash, Philippa Stroud and Shaun Bailey.[5]
Listed [edit]
Those on the 'A' List include: '*' marks people chosen for seats that were Conservative before 2010 [6][7][8]
Notes and References [edit]
- Notes
- ^ PPC Barnsley East & Mexborough 2005
- ^ PPC Croydon North 2005
- ^ PPC Manchester Blackley 2005
- ^ PPC Devon North 2001, PPC Somerton and Frome 2005
- ^ PPC Stockton North 2005
- ^ PPC Lancaster & Wyre 2005
- ^ PPC Tooting 2005
- ^ PPC Hove 2005
- ^ PPC Manchester Withington 2005
- ^ London Assembly Member
- ^ PPC Warrington South 2005
- ^ East Midlands European Parliament candidate 2004
- ^ PPC Eastleigh, 2005
- ^ Former Camden LB opposition lead councillor. PPC Bristol West 2001
- ^ PPC Northampton North 2005
- ^ Westmoreland and Lonsdale MP 1997–2005
- ^ PPC Hastings & Rye 2001 and 2005
- ^ PPC Exeter 2005
- ^ PPC Portsmouth South 2005
- ^ PPC Cynon Valley 2005, London Borough of Wandsworth councillor
- ^ PPC Pendle 2005
- ^ PPC Hendon 2001 and 2005
- ^ PPC Leicester East 2005
- ^ PPC Stevenage 2005
- ^ PPC Brighton Pavilion 2001
- ^ PPC Cornwall SE 2001 and 2005
- ^ PPC Corby and East Northamptonshire, 2001 and 2005
- ^ PPC Dudley North 2001; European candidate in 2004
- ^ PPC Salford 2005
- ^ PPC Luton North 2005
- ^ Special Adviser to Tim Yeo
- ^ MEP for the East Midlands, 1999–2009
- ^ Daventry (district) Councillor
- ^ PPC Camberwell & Peckham 1997, PPC Dulwich & West Norwood 2005
- ^ PPC Holborn & Pancras 2005
- ^ PPC Truro & St Austell 2005
- ^ PPC Broxtowe 2001
- ^ 2005 Knowsley South PPC
- ^ PPC Blaenau Gwent 2005
- ^ Leader of Brentwood Borough Council
- ^ PPC Hull East 2005
- ^ PPC Sedgefield 2005
- ^ Bristol councillor
- ^ PPC Blaydon 2005; PPC Ayrshire North and Arran 2001
- ^ former deputy Leader of Westminster Council
- ^ PPC Bristol East 2005
- ^ PPC Twickenham 2005
- ^ PPC Lewisham Deptford 2001
- ^ PPC Oxford West and Abingdon 2005
- ^ PPC Islington South and Finsbury 2005
- ^ PPC Wirral West 2005
- ^ PPC Selby 2005
- ^ By-election candidate for Hartlepool 2004
- ^ PPC Aberavon 2001; PPC Watford 2005
- ^ former Chairman, Conservative Future
- ^ PPC Nottingham North 2005
- ^ PPC Nuneaton 2005
- ^ PPC Normanton 2005
- ^ PPC Harrogate 2005
- ^ PPC Makerfield 2005
- ^ PPC Somerton & Frome 2010
- ^ Hammersmith & Fulham LB councillor. PPC Wolverhampton NE 2005
- ^ Dover (district) councillor
- ^ PPC Liverpool Garston 2005
- ^ PPC Battersea 2001
- ^ PPC Pudsey 2005; PPC Pontefract and Castleford 2001
- ^ PPC Gedling 2005
- ^ PPC Liverpool Wavertree 2005
- ^ Macclesfield councillor
- ^ PPC Birmingham Ladywood 2005
- ^ PPC Brighton Kemptown 2005; PPC Bootle 2001
- ^ PPC Calder Valley 2005
- ^ PPC Dewsbury 2005
- ^ PPC Coventry South, 2001 & 2005
- ^ Leader of Trafford Council 2004-2009
- References
- ^ Will Woodward and Tania Branigan, The A-list: new leader's drive for women and minority candidates in The Guardian, 19 April 2006
- ^ Will Woodward, chief political correspondent, Former soap star on Cameron's A-list of Tory candidates in The Guardian, 11 May 2006
- ^ Michael Portillo, Cameron’s A-list could give Tories the X factor in The Sunday Times dated July 30, 2006, online
- ^ A-list 'not snubbing' NE England dated 20 October 2006 at bbc.co.uk
- ^ Carol Driver, What happened to Cameron's A-listers? Zac Goldsmith wins... but 'Cutie' Cash fails dated 7th May 2010 at dailymail.co.uk
- ^ Rosemary Bennett, The A-list in The Times dated June 12, 2006, at timesonline.co.uk
- ^ Who is on the A-list? at conservativehome web site
- ^ Conservative A-List and selections dated 4th Jun 2006 at colin-ross.org.uk
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