IN A letter to the Prime Minister, Richard Walker, CEO of Iceland, bemoans his failure to be accepted as Conservative candidate for the seat of Chester South and Eddisbury. I have also suffered rejection in my bid to become a candidate, and I too have written to Rishi Sunak to plead my case, as follows:
Dear Prime Minister,
Please forgive me for approaching you directly on a personal matter. However, you will appreciate that I do so only having exhausted other avenues.
As you will already be aware, it is my most fervent wish that I succeed in becoming an approved Conservative Party Candidate, and I have – over the last two years – given my all to earning that privilege.
I have done everything the party’s candidates requested of me and more: becoming a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader; supporting the imposition of Net Zero and Agenda 2030; encouraging the Chancellor to raise taxes even higher; supporting closer alignment with the European Union; buying an electric vehicle and a heat pump; allowing several young men from East Africa to live in my attic; receiving seven or more of the safe and effective vaccines; wearing a face mask at all times, even in the shower; considering transitioning to a werewolf or whatever creature the party suggests; and donating half of my earnings to the HS2 project.
Unfortunately and inexplicably, I am subject to a deferment notice imposed by the Committee on Candidates. Any potential candidate in my position would seek to establish why such a deferment has remained in place, not least so that they could take constructive action to assuage any lingering concerns that the party might harbour.
I have done just that – transparently and tactfully – since my return to the UK at the weekend from a successful £10million charity fundraising ascent of Everest on my unicycle.
However, I have been entirely unable to establish by asking the relevant party representatives how I have failed to meet the standards required of an approved Conservative Party Parliamentary Candidate or why I am still subject to a deferment.
The only guess presented to me regards my previous advocacy for Brexit, reduced taxation, lower immigration, support for the family and reservations about the Covid-19 vaccines. I have for some time realised that these views are anathema to today’s party and I renounce them with all my heart and soul.
I live in the ‘red wall’ area and often visit supermarkets there where I interact with ‘ordinary’ people.
I would be glad to meet with you in person – or to speak on the telephone – should you wish to discuss this further, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
John Ellwood
