Neill picked to fight by-election

London Assembly Tory leader Bob Neill has been picked to fight the Bromley and Chislehurst by-election.
Mr Neill beat off a challenge from two candidates from Tory leader David Cameron's controversial "A-list" - Julia Manning and MEP Syed Kamall.

Mr Cameron said Mr Neill would be "an outstanding champion" for a constituency he knew "extremely well".

The by-election, which will be held on 29 June, was called after the death of MP Eric Forth from cancer last month.

Mr Forth's widow Carroll was one of seven candidates eliminated at the first stage of the selection contest.


Traditionalist Mr Forth had a majority of 13,000 at the last general election.

Mr Neill defeated Ms Manning and Mr Kamall on the final vote on a shortlist of three.

He was a councillor in the east London borough of Havering for 16 years before being elected to the London Assembly in 2000.

Mr Neill, a barrister specialising in large-scale corporate fraud, was re-elected for a second term as the GLA member for Bexley and Bromley in June 2004.

'Know turf'

Mr Neill told BBC's News 24 he believes his local credentials played a part in his selection.

"I suspect people may have thought that it was appropriate to have me because I have been the London Assembly member for Bromley for the last six years and actually represented the people of Bromley and Chislehurst for six years - and so I know the turf."

Mr Cameron congratulated Mr Neill on his selection.

"He will be an outstanding candidate and an outstanding champion for Bromley and Chislehurst, a constituency he already knows extremely well as its representative on the GLA," he said.

"I look forward very much to campaigning with him in the by-election."

Labour has selected 27-year-old economist Rachel Reeves to fight the seat.

The locally-educated Oxford graduate was runner up to Mr Forth in the 2005 general election.

She said: "I'm passionate about my local area and it is a real honour to be selected again."

BBC NEWS