Chris Leslie selected to fight Nottingham East
THE Labour Party has selected ex-minister Chris Leslie as its candidate to contest the Nottingham East seat at the General Election.
A panel of the party's ruling body, the National Executive Committee, chose Mr Leslie, following interviews at a London hotel yesterday.
The panel overlooked three local candidates, including city council leader Jon Collins.
The vacancy has arisen because John Heppell, who has held the seat for Labour since 1992, is stepping down.
Coun Collins mounted a vigorous campaign in an attempt to secure the selection.
He accompanied a group of Nottingham East Constituency Labour Party members to Birmingham on Monday, where the NEC was meeting to compile the shortlist.
The Post understands NEC panel members were also lobbied by email.
A petition was set up by Nottingham East members, which had at least 90 names attached.
However, Coun Collins did not have the support of the unions and the Constituency Labour Party was not united in its support either.
The NEC took soundings among constituency officers, Labour councillors in Nottingham East and Mr Heppell.
Mr Leslie, who lost his seat in Shipley in 2005, was widely tipped to be the favourite. He is seen as an ally of Gordon Brown and acted as his leadership campaign manager.
Interviews of the nine shortlisted candidates lasted just 15 minutes.
The other local candidates were Coun Brian Parbutt, a former leader of the city council, and Coun Jane Urquhart, an executive board member.
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by R, Nottingham
Monday, May 03 2010, 7:39PM
“Chris Leslie is a carpet-bagger. Vote Green (without illusions) in Nottingham East.”
by Ted, Notts
Thursday, April 15 2010, 4:33PM
“Of course they shop around for seats. Imagine a good socialist like you wishing to stand for Parliament but you just happen to have lived in Rushcliffe for the past 40 years. What do you do?”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Thursday, April 15 2010, 4:15PM
“Just shows how some politicians like shopping around for seats.”
by Not Again In 2010, Nottingham East
Thursday, April 15 2010, 3:26PM
“Oh goody. Yet another Labour 'tes man' parachuted into an ultra safe seat. When previously elected, he dodn't deviate from the official party line once. A bit like Heppell, then.
http://notagainin2010.blogspot.com/”
by Ted, Notts
Thursday, April 15 2010, 1:41PM
“I meant, why is that ¿interesting¿?”
by Ted, Notts
Thursday, April 15 2010, 1:40PM
“Interestingly, elsewhere in this race, I notice that the UKIP candidate is Pat Wolf. She stood in Broxtowe in 2005.
Why is the ¿interesting¿?”
by Ann, Bilborough
Thursday, April 15 2010, 11:46AM
“So glad that Jon Collins and any of his cronies did not get selected , It's made my day that this horrid little man as come a cropper .”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Thursday, April 15 2010, 11:01AM
“I think they should have selected a local candidate.
Interestingly, elsewhere in this race, I notice that the UKIP candidate is Pat Wolf. She stood in Broxtowe in 2005.”
by Ted, Notts
Thursday, April 15 2010, 10:08AM
“Quelle surprise¿.another shoo-in. This is a wise choice really. He¿s a young, pretty boy, so he will get plenty of media coverage and draw the female and gay vote (rather like Blair). He is totally loyal to the party, so John The Whip Heppell would have backed him. And, of course, he is not Jon Collins. There is a very good chance he will win.”
by Albert, Arnold
Thursday, April 15 2010, 8:58AM
“John, Carlton,
"Another career politician, straight out of college, works for the party and becomes an MP never done a real job in his life. No knowledge of the world at all, just another party robot."
Well, it seems to have worked Ok for David Cameron and George Osborne, hasn't it?
Oh, sorry, I forgot! George DOES have real world experience - from his part-time shelf-stacking job at Waitrose.”