The chairman of the Conservative Party is on the hunt for “talented” Tory candidates ahead of the next election, urging MPs to “have a think” about who they can recommend.
In a sign the party may be struggling to find strong candidates to fight all 650 seats, Richard Holden has said Tory HQ is “redoubling efforts” to recruit and select candidates.
“We need to identify more talented and dedicated individuals who want to serve their country and join our team,” he said.
In a letter sent to Tory MPs, Mr Holden said: “Please have a think about someone… that is not already on the approved list and bring them to us. We are looking for every type of candidate.”
The letter was exposed by Michael Crick, a journalist tracking how parties pick their candidates.
The former Newsnight political editor said: “It looks a bit desperate.”
Tory chair Richard Holden
Mr Holden, promoted to be Tory chairman by Rishi Sunak last month, said the party faces a “big job” in the coming months to get on an election footing.
A contest is expected next year, with the Conservatives trailing Labour in the polls by around 20 points.
“We’re looking for every type of candidate,” Mr Holden said. “The local champion, the small business owner, a local activist through to a successful public figure which you may have come across in your position as a Member of Parliament”.
Mr Holden added that “the majority of normal people” would never think about standing for public office “without being asked”.
“So, let’s ensure we’re working together to identify that team and make the ask,” he said.
Mr Holden’s letter comes just months after it was reported that the Conservative Party had fallen well short of a deadline to find 100 candidates for the next election.
Former Tory chairman Greg Hands had been hoping to have 100 prospective MPs in place by the party’s annual conference in Manchester, which took place in October.
But analysis by the Labour Party found that ahead of the gathering they had picked just 65 candidates.
Mr Holden’s latest push for candidates to come forward comes after Rishi Sunak was warned he is heading for a landslide election defeat – even if his Rwanda policy gets off the ground.
Professor Sir John Curtice said Mr Sunak’s bid to use his personal appeal to lift Tory fortunes since succeeding Liz Truss has failed.
Rishi Sunak (James Manning/PA)
In a grim seasonal message, Sir John said the prime minister faces a “very bleak situation”. The Conservatives could lose as many as 220 of their current total of 350 MPs in the election due next year, he claimed, warning they are heading for a “collapse” on a par with Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide.
“Sunak as a personality has failed to bring up his party,” Sir John told The Independent.
Asked about Mr Holden’s letter, a Conservative Party spokesman said: “We can confirm that there will be a general election and the Conservatives will be standing candidates.”
