Party Chairwoman gives Tottenham green light to choose candidate 21/09/03

Theresa May MP, Chairwoman of the national Conservative Party, has written to Tottenham Conservatives to give them the green light to select a Parliamentary candidate to challenge David Lammy.

In a letter to Lydia Rivlin, Chairwoman of Tottenham Conservatives, Theresa May said she was "delighted" to inform the Association that it could select a candidate from October of this year.

Lydia Rivlin said: "January's Tottenham Hale by-election proved that Tottenham is not a no go area for the Conservatives. Tottenham is often thought of as a Labour stronghold. Their heartland. But there's little heart in the way Labour neglects and forgets the area from Seven Sisters to White Hart Lane. Tottenham Conservatives will be selecting a candidate sometime next year and we can't rule out the possibly of Labour losing. David Lammy is typical of a Labour 'Fatcat' - owning a house in Haringey and one in trendy Clapham... yet Labour opposed/opposes'Right to Buy' which has enabled millions to become property owners."

ENDS.

For more information, contact Lydia Rivlin on 020 8374 8738

Notes to Editors:

The Conservatives are the only challengers in the Tottenham constituency; the LibDems have admitted that they don't even have a branch here.

There was a 14% swing from Labour to the Conservatives in January's by-election in Tottenham Hale. The Lib Dems were a distant third.

The Conservatives were 2nd in the 2001 General Election and the local elections in May 2002.

Fifty people applied to Tottenham Conservatives to stand in the 2001 election.

The General Election is likely to be in 2005/6