A-List (Conservative)

The Conservative A-List or Priority List is a list of parliamentary candidates drawn up by Conservative Central Office at the behest of David Cameron after his election as party leader in December 2005, envisaged as a means of broadening the number of Conservative Members of Parliament from minority groups and women, especially in safe seats.

History

In April 2006, a Conservative Party committee on candidates set out to deliver a promise by David Cameron to transform the Conservative party at Westminster. The committee reduced some five hundred aspiring politicians on the party's list of approved parliamentary candidates to an "A-list" of between 100 and 150 priority candidates.^[1] The result was a list on which more than half of the names were of women. The list included the former Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt, the environmentalist Zac Goldsmith, the author Louise Bagshawe, and Margot James.^[2]

Amid controversy, the "A-list" approach was endorsed by the former Conservative politician Michael Portillo, who noted that "Much of the parliamentary party is reactionary and unattractive to voters".^[3] Conservative activists in seats considered to be winnable were soon being urged by Conservative Central Office to select candidates from the new A-list.^[4]

The 2010 general election saw failures as well as successes for the "A-listers" selected for 'winnable' seats. Success was epitomized by Zac Goldsmith in Richmond Park, but failure by Joanne Cash, Philippa Stroud and Shaun Bailey.^[5]

Listed

Those on the 'A' List include:^[6][7][8]

References