Sir David Amess replacement must be from area, insist Southend Tories

Southend West Conservative Association constituency office says it wants a local candidate to replace Sir David Amess

Conservatives have said the replacement for Sir David Amess as MP must be from Southend and that they would not "take any candidate shoved on to us".

Tories in the borough have stated they want someone familiar with local issues to represent the late MP's Southend West constituency.

They fear a politician from outside the area will be chosen by Conservative HQ to stand in a by-election.

The Conservative Party said it did not comment on selection processes.

The Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green parties have stated they will not be contesting the seat out of respect to Sir David, who was fatally stabbed in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday.

The British Freedom Party said its leader, Jayda Fransen, would stand in the by-election.

Sir David Amess' seat has become vacant after he was fatally stabbed on Friday

John Lamb, chairman of the Southend West Conservative Association, said: "There will be people starting to apply but there are ways that we will have to say it will not be a choice for Parliament.

"It is us locally who will select a candidate when it is time. It will be the candidate that we want to represent the borough.

"Having had David for more than 20 years, a hard-working constituency MP, we are not going to take any candidate they want to shove on to us."

Nigel Holdcroft, president of Southend West Conservatives, is also hoping the candidate will be from the borough.

He said: "Normally there would be short-listed candidates which would be reduced by the executive down to two then all members of the constituency party would vote to make a decision."

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Mr Holdcroft said he was not "entirely sure" if the Conservative Party would be involved in the decision.

"It's difficult. I don't know if any locally based people who would be interested will come forward over the next week or so," he said.

"We had someone who lived in the community. Any candidate would have to commit to living here.

"The Conservative Party might want to offer a safe seat to a more well established candidate but that is not something the local party would support."