Conservative Candidature Chronology

24/5/09 David Cameron on the Blue Blog
“If you are interested in becoming a Conservative candidate and believe you would make a good Member of Parliament, please write to Gareth Fox at Conservative Campaign Headquarters .. setting out why you would like to be a candidate, and enclose a copy of your CV. Please set out any work you have done in your local community and achievements in your work or your personal life which you think would make you an effective MP.”

25/5/09 David Cameron in The Daily Telegraph
“I'm going to reopen the candidates list and invite new people to come forward. They don't necessarily need to have been involved in the Conservative Party in the past – more important than that is a belief in public service, and a desire to clean up our political system. Of course, I want them to be conservatives too. The values we share – a belief in the family, thrift, enterprise and a strong society – are needed now more than ever.”

15/6/09 Ian Taylor announces that he is standing down.

7/7/09 email to Gareth Fox: Is there a closing date for submissions?
Response from GF: Not at the present time but please submit as soon as possible.

17/7/09 Constituency social: “Many of you have ambitions on my seat” - Ian Taylor

3/8/09 Initial application to Conservative HQ with summary CV.

7/8/09 Receipt of application form and form for referees.

24/8/09 Electronic and postal submission of application.
Postal input from 3 referees: RD, MR, IS.

25/8/09 email from Candidateenquiries@conservatives.com
Thank you very much for your application to join the Conservative Party’s Candidates List.
We have received a great many applications and are currently assessing them to decide who should proceed to one of our Parliamentary Assessment Boards (PABs). PABs are a formal assessment process which takes most of a day, where we look for the qualities we believe are necessary in a successful candidate and MP. Passing a PAB is how potential candidates join the List.
We have received so many applications, that it will not be possible to invite all applicants to a PAB, but I can assure you that every application is being looked at in detail by at least two senior members of our Candidates Team. It may be a few weeks before we can get back to you to tell you whether or not you will be invited to a PAB and we would appreciate your patience.
Also because of the large number of applications, it will not be possible for us to enter into individual correspondence with you about your application, but you will hear from us, probably by the end of September.

9/9/09 email to gareth.fox@conservatives.com
I have received an acknowledgment of my application & await further developments.
You should have separately received my 3 referees statements; please confirm as they have heard nothing more.

14/9/09 Postal submission of 4th referee statement - JG

16/9/09 email from Candidateenquiries@conservatives.com
Thank you for your email to Gareth Fox of 9 September. We are still reviewing the applications.
We will contact you should you be progressed to the next stage.
You will, however, be advised either way.
We can confirm that we have received all 3 references.