Fury in the Tory Ranks

Rishi Sunak’s allies have been accused of “operating a chumocracy” in ”parachuting” special advisers and people close to the inner circle around the prime minister for winnable seats in the general election.

David Goss, the prime minister’s deputy political secretary, became the latest high-profile figure from Downing Street to be selected for a winnable seat in Wellingborough and Rushden, having recently lost to Labour in a gruelling by-election.

He followed former army officer James Clark, a special adviser to defence secretary Grant Shapps, being selected for Great Yarmouth last night.

who won the Weald of Kent constituency last year

Others to win winnable seats include former Home Office special adviser Katie Lam, who won the Weald of Kent constituency last year.

Ameet Jogia, another Downing Street spad, has landed a Hendon seat, while yet another former number 10 spad, Luke Gardiner, has been selected in Mid Derbyshire.

Alice Hopkins, the current special adviser to home secretary James Cleverly, has been shortlisted for Rochford and the South East. Rishi Sunak’s deputy chief of staff, Will Tanner, was a favourite for Stratford upon Avon, vacated by former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, but has since been shortlisted for Bury St Edmunds.

Michael Gove’s son, Henry Newman, is in line for Bexhill and Battle in Sussex. Another number 10 pad, Declan Lyons, is being promoted from Stratford upon Avon. Lord Cameron’s former spad, Tim Chatwin, was shortlisted for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

Head of strategy Jamie Njoku-Goodwin is in the running for the Cities of London and Westminster and is still understood to be hoping for a winnable constituency.

The chancellor’s sister, Hannah Galley, is understood to be hoping to be selected after narrowly missing out on Calder Valley last year.

party chairman Richard Holden

Most pressingly, party chairman Richard Holden, who used to work for CCHQ as a press officer, is looking for a seat after his North West Durham constituency disappeared in the boundary review. He is said to be set for Northamptonshire South after earlier suggestions that he might go to Billericay and Basildon.

Further back, George Osborne’s former adviser Rupert Harrison was selected last year for the new Bicester and Woodstock seats, while Theresa May’s ex-spad Nick Timothy got Matt Hancock’s West Suffolk seat.

Since the election was called last week, the party has had to fill around 191 seats, plus those for MPs who stood down, such as Michael Gove in Surrey Heath.

Party officials have gone into emergency by-election rules, which means constituency associations are asked to pick from a shortlist of three imposed on them or just have a candidate imposed if the association is considered to be too small.

Mr. Clark, despite the dispute.

The Independent has learned that the Great Yarmouth Party Association had a disagreement with Tory bosses at CCHQ about the shortlist they received. Last night, they decided to choose Mr. Clark despite the dispute. Currently, it is claimed that a similar row is taking place with Billericay and Basildon.

Outside special advisers, the party has refused to comment on anger that LBC presenter Iain Dale was shortlisted for Tunbridge Wells, even though there are claims he has not gone through vetting procedures or carried out the campaigning work expected for those to be allowed on the candidate list. Mr. Dale, though, has unsuccessfully run for the Tories in previous elections.

Meanwhile, there have been complaints about the “deferred candidate list.” Some believe that “real ideological conservatives,” such as Lord Frost, are unable to apply for seats. This means they are unable to apply for seats themselves. The inability of “real ideological conservatives” like Lord Frost to apply for seats is a belief held by some. This prevents individuals from applying for seats on their own. James Forsyth, Downing Street’s political secretary, is a member of a small group making decisions. Chief Whip Simon Hart is also part of the group. Liam Booth-Smith, the chief of staff, is another member.

shortlist for an unspecified matter

They are said to be deciding who will be on the shortlist for an unspecified matter.

Tory former MEP David Campbell Bannerman accused party bosses of operating in a chumocracy. He is also on the deferred list.

Mr. Campbell Bannerman is the chairman of the Conservative Democratic Organization (CDO). He is working to reform party structures. Mr. Campbell Bannerman is the chairman of the Conservative Democratic Organization (CDO). He aims to give members more say in party matters.

“I am afraid this is not new.” “But it is clear that a small clique is operating a chumocracy.” “They are parachuting people they like into winnable seats.”They make it up as they go along.

The prime minister has a preference for special advisers and those close to him. He seems less inclined towards ideological conservatives who have put in the work.

and he was also cautioned by party members about the potential consequences of his hasty decisions. He also pondered their advice, recognizing the long-term implications.

What is going on is disrespectful.

Installing allies of Dominic Cummings. Mr. Gove’s inclusion is also believed to be part of the plan.

She posted on X, “They are just candidates being selected for seats.”But what is happening now is a mad rush. Over the next few days, the chosen few from number 10 are being moved to safe seats.

“They are on a Michael Gove-adoring WhatsApp thread, “The Order of the Phoenix.’ No, I don’t know either. They call Dominic Cummings ‘The Dark Lord.’ No journalist feels it’s worth reporting this. They are trying desperately to install a new order for Gove/Cummings acolytes into the House of Commons.

There is nothing new, though, about special advisers and party operatives being fast-tracked to winnable seats. Sir John Redwood was a policy adviser to Margaret Thatcher. Michael Portillo was a spad. David Cameron and George Osborne were spads as well.

The row reflects anger similar to that in the Labour Party. Keir Starmer’s allies are being accused of a purge of the left. They are trying to parachute in their own allies.

While Diane Abbott has been allowed to run in the Labour Party election, Faiza Shaheen has been dropped. One of Sir Keir’s former advisers, Uma Kumaran, is reportedly being considered for the Stratford and Bowe constituencies. Another candidate, Chris Ward, is being lined up for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven. The defending MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, was dropped today due to a historic allegation.

Ex-advisers have found new roles in Swansea West and Cardiff West.

Torsten Bell has been appointed to Swansea West. Alex Barros-Curtis, who led efforts to remove antisemitism from the party, has been assigned to Cardiff West.

This is not new for Labor. In the past, Yvette Cooper, who previously served as a Special Advisor, gained a safe seat in Parliament. The same is true for her husband, Ed Balls. Ed Miliband and David Miliband, among others, also gained safe seats in Parliament.

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