Tory "No Confidence" in Local Conservative Candidates

2.41.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th Jul 2007

The Conservatives, whose MPs were defeated in Cornwall having saddled the county with the highest water bills in the UK, amongst the highest unemployment, lowest wages and unfair Government funding, have now voted no confidence in their parliamentary candidates.

Normally local candidates have the job of representing their local community but a lack of coverage has led exasperated Conservative bosses to ask a Hertfordshire MP to deal with Cornish issues.

The MP, Mark Prisk, was elected by his Hertford and Stortford constituents to speak up for them, but has been asked to take on a part-time role to sort out the failing Conservative party in Cornwall.

Chair of the Cornish Team of Liberal Democrat MPs, Matthew Taylor, said:

"How embarrassing for the local Conservative candidates. The Conservative party was booted out of Cornwall because in government it consistently totally failed the county, from introducing the highest water bills in the country to leaving Cornwall with some of the lowest wages in the UK and a failing economy. Now it seems even their candidates aren't up to the job of representing the party here, but quite frankly an MP representing a constituency 270 miles away - in a party plummeting in the opinion polls - is not going to be able to do anything constructive for Cornwall, let alone save the Conservatives here.

"The Lib Dem team will continue to use our influence with Ministers to turn things round for Cornwall. From winning the campaign for Objective One status, to the Combined Universities for Cornwall and a review of NHS funding formulas, Liberal Democrats have shown the difference it makes since the Conservatives were booted out. The fact is the Cornish economy has started to turn around, and people in Cornwall do not want to go back to the dark days under the Conservatives."