Tory Councillor Suspended for Complaining that Candidates Have 'Foreign' Names
THE TELEGRAPH: A Conservative councillor has been suspended after complaining that the party's would-be MPs do not have "normal" English names.

Peter Hobbins, a former parliamentary candidate, wrote a series of emails to fellow party members complaining that applicants for the Orpington seat in Kent sounded "foreign".

He also complained that candidates approved by Conservative Central Office all mention Africa on their CVs, describing their cover letters as "ridiculous" and "pathetic".

"I have been contacted by a Mr Dilon Gumraj and a Zerha Zaidi and others who are all on the approved Conservative Parliamentary Candidates list," he wrote in one email. "Not one of them has a ‘normal’ English name." >>> Matthew Moore | Saturday, November 21, 2009

David Cameron to 'Open Up Candidate List to Everyone'
THE TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has said he will open up the Conservative Party's candidate list to people with no previous involvement in the party, in a reaction to the expenses scandal.

David Cameron, the Tory leader, has pledged to open up the Conservative candidate list. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
The Conservative leader spoke as Andrew Mackay, the MP for Bracknell, was the latest Tory to announce he will step down at the next general election.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr show on BBC1, Mr Cameron said he wished to attract people who "believe in public service".

"What I'm going to do today is I'm going to reopen the Conservative candidate list to anybody who wants to apply," he said.

"They may not have had anything to do with the party before. But I'm saying, if you believe in public service, if you share our values, if you want to help us clean up politics, come and be a Conservative candidate. We want to open up the talent that is available."

Mr Cameron said he hoped successful headteachers and small business leaders could be among those attracted to running for candidacy.

"We've got to try and find them and persuade them to stand," he added.

"Right now I expect many people are saying 'I'm not going anywhere near this nest of vipers'.

"We've got to work hard at it because our politics really matters and this is an opportunity to do that." >>> By Chris Irvine | Sunday, May 24, 2009