Dawkins for MP

By Paul Bradley South City News Friday May 11th

VOTERS in Selly Oak have chosen a new candidate to represent the Conservative Party at the next general election.

Bournville councillor Nigel Dawkins, who fought Tesco to stop them selling alcohol at their new express store, was picked by dozens of constituents at a public meeting at the Elim Pentecostal Church, Exeter Road, in Selly Oak, last Saturday.

More than 200 people turned out to listen to the views of four Tories wishing to put themselves forward when the next general election is called.

In an American style "open primary", Coun Dawkins won in the first round of voting, beating Jo Barker, Thelma Mayuk and Kulveer Ranger by an over­whelming majority.

Coun Dawkins said: 'I believe that most of the people in the audience understood that with my seven years as a local councillor in Bournville I was able to demonstrate a track record in serving the residents in this constitu­ency to the best of my ability.

"I was chosen at a public meeting where the people had a direct say without necessarily having to be a Conservative Party member.

"This is a style of voting that we have never used before and no other political party has tried either so we were very happy to be giving the public: a chance to decide who they wanted as their candidate.

"The only thing we asked of people in the meeting was that they were on the electoral register.

"This is a target seat for the Conserva­tives at the next general election and it was one the four of us desperately wanted to be the candidate for."

All four speakers had the chance to tell the audience why they should be chosen as the next Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate to fight the Selly Oak constituency.

At the end of the speeches the public were invited to take part in a secret ballot where Coun Dawkins recorded a victory.

He will now stand as the Conservative prospective Parliamentary Candidate.