Tory Contest is 'False Idol' says Lib Dems

6.00.00pm GMT Tue 5th Dec 2006

Northampton Liberal Democrats have warned constituents not to be misled by the Conservatives 'Open Primary' contest this week after it has been revealed that Conservative members have ignored similar votes around the Country. In Plymouth a similar 'Open Primary' for the Plymouth & Devonport seat saw residents outraged after they were invited to select the Conservative candidate for the next General Election only to find that the Conservatives ignored who the members of the public voted for and selected a City Councillor instead as candidate.

"The Conservatives are attempting to mislead the public into thinking they make the final choice when in fact it is up to Conservative party members to make the final decision" said Lib Dem Campaign Chair, Malcolm Mildren. "What's more it is clear that some constituencies are running so called 'Open Primaries' in order to avoid David Cameron's call for 50% of shortlist candidates to be women. That appears to be the case in Northampton".

The Conservative Home web site (http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/) states that "Hereford is yet another example of a Conservative Association choosing an Open primary selection process to avoid having to draw up a 'half-women shortlist."

"It is one thing to try and encourage people to get more involved in politics but to spin it as them deciding when it clearly is not just shows this is more spin from the Conservatives". Continued Malcolm