First snub for Cameron's 'beautiful' A-list

Conservative activists last night snubbed David Cameron's controversial "A list" by selecting a candidate not on the elite list to defend a safe seat.

Party members in Bromley and Chislehurst chose Bob Neill, leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly, to replace Eric Forth, who died last month.

Mr Cameron's scheme to force party chiefs in winnable areas to pick from an approved panel was not in place for yesterday's vote, but Mr Neill's two leading challengers were both on the A list.

The Conservative leader denied the result was a test of his scheme, and praised Mr Neill as an "outstanding" choice.

But opposition parties seized on Mr Neill's victory as a snub to Mr Cameron's project to make the party more representative by electing more women and ethnic minority MPs.

Hazel Blears, the Labour party chairwoman, said Mr Neill's selection showed the Tories were "incapable of real and lasting change".

"Month after month, David Cameron has pledged that, under his leadership, more women and more people from ethnic minorities would be encouraged to fight parliamentary seats in the Conservative interest," she said.

"But, once again, David Cameron has failed to back up his warm words with action."

Mr Neill, a barrister specialising in large-scale corporate fraud who was elected into the London Assembly in 2000, will defend a majority of 13,342 in a by-election on June 29.

He defeated A listers Syed Kamall, an MEP, and Julia Manning, chairwoman of Conservative Christian Fellowship, in the final round of voting.

Eric Forth's widow Carroll was one of seven candidates eliminated by local party bosses in drawing up a final shortlist of three.

The Telegraph