As an ex-chairman and president of the Reigate and Banstead Conservative Association, and as a voting member of its executive council, I am writing to express my disgust at the irresponsible and irrational actions of a majority of the members of the council in their rejection of Crispin Blunt as the Conservative candidate for the General Election in 2015.
Their reasons for their doing so are unclear for there was no debate before the vote, and they utterly failed to acknowledge that Crispin has been a hard-working and successful MP for Reigate over the last 16 years.
I believe that an injustice has been done, not only to Crispin, but also to the majority of the 500 or so members of the association whose views were not properly represented.
There is now to be a postal ballot of members, so I have put together a team of volunteers to approach Conservative members and to put forward the case for the re-selection of Crispin. Members will have the opportunity to meet Crispin and discuss the issues, or they can contact him as usual through his office (020 7219 2254) or website: www.blunt4reigate.com .
But this is not just an issue for local Conservatives. Whilst the decision they take will reflect on the Conservative Party it will also reflect on Reigate and Banstead as we are part of the community.
So I hope those who are not Conservative members who have enjoyed Crispin’s help over the last 16 years, or know someone who has, will express their expectations of the Reigate constituency Conservatives when they vote in November by taking the time to "like" the facebook page his supporters have set up (www.facebook.com/Blunt4Reigate2015) or, better still, leave a comment there or through the columns of your paper expressing why they think Crispin deserves the chance to be the Conservative candidate in 2015.
I trust that all this will result in the re-selection of Crispin, so that he has the chance to continue the excellent work that he has done, and is doing, for the constituency.
Major General Michael Steele; Salfords
- Do you agree? Disagree? Leave a comment or send your own letter to: letters@epsomguardian.co.uk.
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