The Horsell's Mouth Politics, pedantry and personal interests

The notification for the candidates selected for the Woking Open Primary was issued last night and picked up by ConservativeHome and will, one assumes, be in the local press later on this evening (for subscribers like me) or tomorrow.

I’m very happy with the four names that we have ended up with and particularly that we sidestepped a few potential landmines on the way! The Woking selection process has been pretty drawn out and has taken much, much longer than it should have done. It leaves us with just seven months to get our candidate known.

But whoever wins (and more of that in a moment), I’m convinced they will become known very soon. All four have  personal charm and the ability to connect with people and all four have the local connections that I insisted were so important. Not perhaps, the nooks-and-crannies knowledge that I envisaged – but none have been “parachuted in”.

My views on the candidates are not intended to sway opinion and I will not be lobbying on anyone’s behalf ahead of the open primary on September 30, although I considered doing so. I would encourage everyone with an interest to come along and take part - including political opponents. If you are looking for a weak candidate to try to get elected, you won’t find one in Woking.

Fiona Kemp, my preferred candidate - but they are all good!

I will be voting for Fiona Kemp because I think her experience, broad knowledge and personality are not only perfect for the constituency but are potent weapons with which to fight Rosie Sharpley. I think she will be someone who can connect easily to people on the doorstep and whose expertise on the NHS will prove valuable to the Conservative Party and the country if she is elected.

The same could be said of Dr Lynne Hack too, who has a great record with the county council and in Reigate and even garnered praise from Private Eye. Jonathan Lord, current chairman of Guildford Conservatives, has an enviable electoral record and is very highly thought of, while Stephen Phillips has an astounding intellect coupled with gracious humour that make him anything but a stuffy lawyer.

In short, I’m very proud that we as a constituency and a party have been able to attract candidates (and there were many, many, applications) of such calibre and it’s very encouraging to think that the complete shambles currently residing in Whitehall will be replaced in 2010 by people of real ability, fresh thought and committed duty. I know too, that none of them would forget Woking, nor the electorate that put them where they were.

Roll on 2010.