Mary Macleod Is Conservative Candidate For Brentford & Isleworth

Decisive victory for former MP over James Cracknell at Selection Meeting

The Conservative candidate for the forthcoming General Election for the Brentford & Isleworth constituency is former MP Mary Macleod.

In a decisive victory over her main rival, James Cracknell, Ms Macleod won more than half the votes in the first ballot and was declared winner shortly before 10pm after the final ballot was counted and the result announced to a packed attendance.

Mary told Chiswickw4.com shortly after the announcement that she was "absolutely thrilled" and determined to win the seat back for the Conservatives. She believes the main focus of the campaign will be on Brexit and its impact on the UK but also pledged to campaign on local issues such as the airport, the NHS, and support for small businesses. She said she voted Remain in the referendum.

Several hundred local members of the Conservative Party attended the meeting at St Paul's Church, Grove Park to listen to the three nominees, Mary and Olympic rowing gold medallist James Cracknell, (both of whom live in Chiswick) as well as Christopher Salmon, a former British Army officer who was added to the list on Tuesday.

Mary Macleod

The three nominees were decided jointly by Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) and the local party chairman. A long list went to CCHQ at the weekend and a short list of three candidates was then agreed. The seat is held by a slim majority of just 465 votes, by Labour's Ruth Cadbury. Brentford & Isleworth is the ninth most marginal seat in the UK and there is national as well as local interest in the constituency.

James Cracknell

The Chairman of the Hounslow, Brentford & Isleworth Conservative Association Julian Tanner said: “Our candidate will be looking to overturn the ultra slim majority of 465 votes and make this constituency Conservative again.

“B&I is a key marginal which we know we can win convincingly” he explained. “With the proposed boundary changes likely to take effect in 2018, this seat will be a Conservative one for many years to come.”

Mary said afterwards: “I am honoured to be selected as your candidate, and look forward to serving you and all the hardworking people of this wonderful constituency again”

She said she hoped winning the seat would deliver a mandate for a Conservative government to lead the country in its Brexit negotiations over the next 2 years.

Christopher Salmon

Christopher Salmon, a former British Army officer, who has seen service in Iraq and who now lives in south London, was added to the ticket by central office - though an unknown to local members, one party source said that many people felt he had put in a good performance during the debate.

A ballot was held of all fully paid up members of the Association of more than three months standing after the prospective candidates had had a chance to speak to the audience and answer questions on a variety of topics. There was jubilance in the Macleod camp after the result was announced and several of her supporters took to Twitter to express delight at the result.

Ruth Cadbury has pledged to defend the seat for Labour.

Ruth Cadbury

The Liberal Democrats have announced that their candidate for the seat is Joe Bourke, who also ran in the 2015 election and who has firmly stated that there will not be any 'progressive alliance' with other parties in a bid to prevent the Conservatives from winning the seat and benefit Labour.

The Green Party has yet to announce its candidate. Daniel Goldsmith, who ran last time, has not yet declared whether he will be standing - the Green Party candidate in Ealing and Acton has decided not to stand as part of a bid to allow the current MP Rupa Huq win more votes.

April 27, 2017