Jonathan Hulley has been selected as the Conservative candidate in Twickenham, following Emma Ware standing down due to ill-health. Hulley is a councillor in Runnymede in Surrey, and a solicitor. A local source told ConservativeHome that he was selected for being an “all-round impressive candidate” with “political acumen” and a “clear grasp of local issues”. He was up against Aarti Joshi, who was recently in the final three for Battersea.
Since 1997, Twickenham has been as notorious for being the preserve of the Liberal Democrats as it has been for its Hallowed Turf. Tania Mathias did win it back for the Conservatives in 2015 from Vince Cable during our rout of our former coalition partners. Still, the ex-Business Secretary won it back in 2017 and it has been held by Munira Wilson since 2019. Nevertheless, local Conservatives tell me all is not lost for a “local champion with positive solutions”, since ULEZ expansion and crime are large issues locally.
The hope amongst local members is that Hulley can be that champion. As ever, ConservativeHome wishes him all the best – and you can let me know about candidates’ news and selections gossip in your area by emailing me at william@conservativehome.com.