Conservative to oppose official candidate in Bromsgrove

Apr 22 2010 by Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Mail

A LIFE-long Conservative who launched a new political party in the wake of former Bromsgrove MP Julie Kirkbride’s expenses scandal has been blocked from using the famous Tory flaming torch emblem.

But a court ruled that entrepreneur Adrian Kriss could stand as the candidate of “Bromsgrove Independent Conservative Party” – in opposition to the official Tory candidate.

Mr Kriss is standing for election in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Previously a staunch Tory, he was angry when it emerged Ms Kirkbride, the constituency’s former Conservative MP, and husband Andrew MacKay, also a former Tory MP, had claimed second-home expenses at different addresses. Ms Kirkbride stood down and banker Sajid Javid was chosen to replace her as the Conservative candidate.

Mr Javid, who was born in Lancashire and grew up in Bristol, has a home in Bromsgrove, but his family home is in Fulham, London. He has pledged to move his family “lock, stock and barrel” to Worcestershire if he wins.

However, Mr Kriss is arguing that Bromsgrove needs a local candidate. His party was registered with the Electoral Commission last week along with the torch emblem – a symbol used by the official Conservative Party for some 25 years, before Mr Cameron replaced it with a drawing of a tree.

The official Conservative Party discovered what was happening late last week and rushed to their lawyers to prevent that happening.

A court ruled that Mr Kriss could not use the logo.

Mr Kriss said: “In some ways Mr Javid is a very impressive candidate but he isn’t local. The law should be changed to prevent candidates standing for election to Parliament unless they have lived in a constituency for two years.”