Ex-Tory's election bid for new party

A FORMER Conservative campaign director is to stand in Solihull for a newly formed political party at the General Election.

Solihull and Meriden Residents Association has announced that Neill Watts will be a candidate at the May 6 poll.

He was previously campaign director and agent for Solihull Conservative Association.

It comes after it announced MEP Nikki Sinclaire will contest Meriden and plans to fight 15 out of 17 council seats on Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.

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He said: “With all the political upheaval nationally and locally this year, with MPs’ expenses, general sleaze, and a general lack of trust in the main national parties, I decided to return to the frontline and give you a real choice, with the old principle of doing a role to put something back in to the community, not just to make money.”

In a press release he said: “Over the last few years I have witnessed as have you, Shirley and Solihull being let down by both the local Lib-Dems and Conservatives.

“I believe that it is really time for us to all try something different.

“We need to have trust in our representatives, a vote for me will be a vote for honesty, accountability and hard work.’’

The group has said the threat to Solihull’s maternity services will be a key priority.

Policies include local referenda, freezing councillors’ pays at 2005 levels and introducing
‘council sponsored neighbourhood officers’ to reduce fly tipping and graffiti.

Group chairman Josie Herbert said: “We are delighted to have someone of Neill’s calibre to join us. Neil represents SAMRA's ethos of putting local people first.”

Mr Watts was made redundant from the Conservative branch on the employment of a full-time ‘professional’ agent in 2006, its 2005 accounts record.

He resigned from the party six weeks before that year’s local elections to stand as an independent in Shirley East, the party's next set of accounts said.

Miss Sinclaire is standing for Meriden for SAMRA after being de-selected by the UK Independence Party for the seat following a row with its leadership.

He polled third out of four with 877 votes as the Lib Dems took the seat.

The full list of candidates was announced yesterday.

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