Local Conservatives 'delighted' as safe Tory seat of Windsor picks black PPC 03/10/03

Conservatives have selected a black candidate for the Parliamentary constituency of Windsor. The selection of Adam Afriyie to fight Windsor in the election expected in 2005 comes hot on the heels of the choice of Sandip Verma as Parliamentary Spokesman for Enoch Powell's former seat of Wolverhampton South West.

Commentators have remarked it will boost Conservatives' claims to be offering a slate of candidates which is more representative of the make-up of modern Britain.

Caesar Lalobo, Deputy Chairman of Tottenham Conservatives, said:

"We are delighted that Adam Afriyie has been selected to fight the Windsor seat at the next election. He is an excellent candidate and will make a first-class MP. His selection, coming so soon after Sandip Verma in Wolverhampton South West, is a clear sign of the way in which the Conservative Party is changing to be more representative of Britain today."

Justin Hinchcliffe, also a Deputy Chairman of the local Conservatives, added:

"I think it is absolutely wonderful that the Conservative Party has so changed that Windsor could have a prospective Parliamentary candidate of African descent. It says a lot about how the party has changed over the past few years. We are an inclusive party and the party for all the people. Conservatives are the party of Benjamin Disraeli, the first Prime Minister of Jewish descent, and Margaret Thatcher, the first woman Prime Minister.This shows we have always been the most progressive and inclusive party. I am confident that the first black Prime Minister will be a Conservative."

ENDS.

Notes to Editors:

Windsor's sitting Conservative MP, Michael Trend, is standing down at the next general election. At the last General Election in June 2001, the Conservatives had a 8,889 majority over the Liberal Democrats.

Adam Afriyie will be the Conservatives' first MP from an African descent. The first British Asian MP was a Conservative.