Croydon South Conservatives have released the shortlist of four candidates who have reached the final round in the race to succeed Richard Ottaway:
- Suella Fernandes. A barrister, Fernandes stood against Keith Vaz in Leicester East in 2005. She is a co-founder, former chair and now trustee of the Africa Justice Foundation, which seeks to help African nations develop more robust and stable justice systems as a foundation for economic growth and social improvement.
- Lucy Frazer. Also a barrister, Frazer specialises in commercial law. She is an activist in Hampstead and Kilburn Conservatives, an ultra-marginal seat in which campaigning is all, where she is Deputy Chairman of the Association.
- Chris Philp. An entrepreneur and campaigner, Philp was pipped to the post in Hampstead and Kilburn in 2010 by only 42 votes after securing a 9.8 per cent swing. He has remained active in both business and politics since the election, acting as the Conservative No2AV Co-Ordinator in London, and most recently cropped up as the author of theTaxPayers’ Alliance report “Work for the Dole”, recommending welfare reforms which the Government swiftly adopted.
- Charlotte Vere. Currently Executive Director of the Girls’ Schools Association, Vere was the Conservative candidate in Brighton Pavilion, where she increased the Tory vote but saw Caroline Lucas turn the constituency Green. She was Finance Director of the victorious No2AV campaign in the 2011 referendum, and has campaigned for Conservative policies to be better targeted at women voters.