(From Left to Right: Angelo Basu - Chair, Rob Harris - Deputy Chair Membership, Stewart Harper - PPC, Andrew Martin - Deputy Chair Political)

On 16th August, members of Leeds North West Conservative Association met at the HEART Centre in Headingley to select our Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Leeds North West at the next General Election. Both applicants gave short introductory speeches and answered a large number of very varied questions from members. At the end of the evening, members voted to select Stewart Harper. Our commiserations to the unsuccessful applicant, Nick Fletcher, who impressed by the effort he had taken to learn about the area and to speak to local residents before the selection meeting.

Stewart gave a very energetic and positive set of answers to the questions he was asked and will be a strong and active local campaigner. He lives in Yeadon and apart from having stood for Otley & Yeadon ward in this year's Leeds City Council elections, he has also been a key part of the Pudsey constituency association. Including a term as Chair, during a period in which Conservative MP Stuart Andrew retained his seat and the Party increased its hold on council wards to 11 out of the 12 councillors (missing out on a clean sweep by only a couple of dozen votes). Many of those councillors were in wards which had not had a Conservative councillor in many years. We hope that he is able to help us in our similar ambitions in Leeds North West.

Stewart will be beginning his campaigning activities later this week, starting by meeting at 1pm on Saturday 31 August at the Lawnswood Arms. We hope to see you there. If you cannot make it, there will be plenty of further sessions each week from now on. Please email [email protected] if you would like more information or to be added to our list of volunteers.