Guildford Conservatives Set To Confirm Anne Milton’s Candidature

Published on: 28 Apr, 2017
Updated on: 30 Apr, 2017

Guildford Conservatives are set to rubber stamp the re-selection of Anne Milton as their candidate for the general election in June at a short notice Special General Meeting of the Guildford Conservative Association (GCA), to be held in Merrow this evening (April 28 2017).

There is only one item on the agenda: “Application from Anne Milton to be adopted as the Conservative Candidate for Guildford Constituency. Our Member of Parliament will address the meeting.”

It is understood that Milton will not face a challenger and that the meeting is largely a “box ticking” exercise to comply with party procedures.

The letter sent to Guildford Conservatives by the chairman of the constituency association

In the letter GCA chairman, Bob Hughes writes “I am sorry for the short notice of this meeting but I am sure you will appreciate the need for us to be in a position to begin our campaign…”

But some party members are said to be annoyed that they have been given only 24 hours notice of the meeting whilst it is rumoured that members of the Executive of the Guildford Conservative Association (GCA) knew it was planned a week ago.

One member said: “What is going on?”

Another commented: “I shan’t be going. It’ll be slam dunk for Anne Milton anyway.”

There has been no expectation of any challenge to Milton who many regard as a hard working constituency MP, in addition to her role as the government’s deputy chief whip. She has though faced some disapproval for sitting on the fence during the run up to the EU referendum. She made it public that she had voted Remain once the polls had closed.

Anne Milton is seen by many as a good constituency MP

Additionally, her unclear positioning on the Local Plan for Guildford and green belt development, as well as her apparent objection to Dunsfold Airfield development have drawn criticism from different quarters.

Her position as Guildford’s MP though appears unassailable. In the last general election she attracted 57% of the vote with a swing to the Conservatives of 18% and bookies are stating odds of 1/200 for her victory (i.e. a stake of £200 would win only £1).

Questions had been raised as to whether Ms Milton, 61, would stand again in 2020 but she was quick to confirm that she would be putting her name forward for re-selection within hours of the general election announcement by Theresa May.

The letter to party members from Bob Hughes, seen as an ally of Milton who she is glad to have in place, also mentions that an emergency meeting of the association Executive council will be held consecutively but no clue is given on its agenda.

Responses to Guildford Conservatives Set To Confirm Anne Milton’s Candidature

Jules Cranwell Reply

April 28, 2017 at 7:21 pm

Maybe now she needs our votes, she will tell us where she stands on the green belt, as she has been largely silent on this. The GBC Tories have made a complete u-turn on their manifesto pledge to protect the green belt, and there are proposals in the Local Plan to concrete over large swathes of it.

Unless she makes a firm and honest commitment on this, I and many other former Tories will be voting elsewhere.
Bernard Parke Reply

April 29, 2017 at 9:40 am

Surely not more bickering within the ranks of the local Tory Party when we are going into two very important elections.

We are lucky to have Anne Milton as our MP.
Lisa Wright Reply

April 30, 2017 at 4:11 pm

I concur with Jules Cranwell. Unless the green belt sites are removed from the next draft of the Guildford Local Plan, I too, will be voting elsewhere this time.
- Jim Allen Reply
  
  May 1, 2017 at 2:15 pm
  
  I vote for the person not the colour. You can’t blame Anne Milton for the actions of Paul Spooner – different level of politics.
Harry Eve Reply

May 1, 2017 at 11:59 am

There is still a chance for all Conservative councillors to acknowledge that the draft Local Plan is being forced through, for whatever reason, with unsound evidence and a refusal to apply constraints.

The time has come to scrap the Green Belt & Countryside “Study”, carry out a proper transport assessment that does not hide existing traffic levels, and recognise the real infrastructure constraints, of which congested roads are just one example.

Having read Anne Milton’s comments from the last consultation I feel that she is trying to appease objectors while actually sitting on the fence on this matter. Cllr Spooner appeared to be saying, in a recent council meeting, that the calculation of the Guildford OAN (the so-called “objectively assessed need”) was likely to go up rather than down following the government’s latest proposals – and he claims to have regular contact with government ministers. We need to hear Anne Milton’s views on that.

The going’s on in Guildford suggest that we cannot trust the Conservatives with planning.
Colin Cross Reply

May 5, 2017 at 12:06 am

Harry Eve has nailed it, this is a premeditated attack on the seemingly defenceless, rural north eastern wards of the borough so that other wards do not suffer.

It’s neither, fair, democratic, proportional, sustainable. It is impossible, at any level, to justify nor can it be argued that the required infrastructure is either available or achievable.

Putting urban based expansion into rural green belt Surrey won’t wash, just watch.

Colin Cross is the Lib Dem borough councillor for Lovelace