The Isle of Wight Conservative Association had planned to hold a selection meeting today (Friday) to decide who would be their prospective parliamentary candidate in the 2017 general election.
Chairman of the association, Cllr Ian Ward, had informed members that only the Executive Group would be making the decision of who was to be selected.
However, an email has been circulated only this morning postponing the selection meeting until after the local council election.
The reason given by Cllr Ward is to “avoid any confusion in people’s mind between the two elections and a lack of clarity over an element of the voting procedure”.
Members’ vote won’t count
Earlier this month, the Association informally stated that current MP Andrew Turner would be their man for the election.
When the selection meeting finally takes place, Cllr Ward has told members they will only be able to give their approval with a show of hands, their vote won’t count.
In his email yesterday (27th April), Cllr Ward said,
“The Executive Committee will vote on whether to support our sitting MP.
“The Executive meetings decision is final. Although the Special Instruction says that members will be invited by a show of hands to support the Executive decision, it is only that, ‘ a show of support’ not a vote.”
Email at odds with earlier letter
Yesterday’s email was at odds with a letter sent to all members on 24th April which read,
Now that a General Election is expected on 8th June it is important that we have our candidate for the Isle of Wight Constituency adopted as soon as possible so that we can begin our campaign.
You are therefore invited to a Special General Meeting of the Isle of Wight Conservative Association to be held on 28 April 2017 at 4pm. The venue will be Town and Parish Rooms, Newport
There will be one item on the Agenda:
Application from Andrew Turner to be adopted as the Conservative Candidate for the Isle of Wight. Our Member of Parliament will address the meeting.The meeting will run consecutively with an emergency meeting of the Association Executive Council.
Should a ballot be necessary at the meeting, please note that only members who have been paid up for the three months preceding the date of the meeting are eligible to vote.
I am sorry for the short notice of this meeting but I am sure you will appreciate the need for us to be in a position to begin our campaign to ensure a Conservative Government is elected with a good working majority to address the vital issues facing the country in the next few years.
