Tories to 'rerun' selection for new West Bromwich seat in the new year after 'confusion' at meeting

The current Conservative-held West Bromwich West and West Bromwich East seats are being merged into one West Bromwich seat at the next election.

Current West Bromwich East MP Nicola Richards announced this year she will not be running for the new seat in the next election.

West Bromwich East was formerly represented by the former Labour Party Deputy Leader Tom Watson so its current situation has created national attention.

A Conservative meeting of constituency members on December 20 was unable to pick a candidate due to a lack of numbers.

However, Charlemont and Grove Vale Conservative Councillor Les Trumpeter blamed the confusion on new boundaries and candidates not turning up, and said the local party would "rerun selection" early in the new year.

Councillor Trumpeter told the Express & Star: "We did have a selection meeting on December 20 for the new West Bromwich seat (which includes Charlemont with Grove Vale) but unfortunately one candidate did not attend and one withdrew due to employment leaving him politically restricted.

"We were therefore left with one candidate and due to the confusion surrounding boundary changes some members could not take part in a vote and that left us beneath the membership threshold to ratify the selection. We felt it was wise to rerun selection as soon as possible in the new year, hopefully by the end of January."

However, former Conservative councillor and leader of the Tory group in Sandwell, Ray Nock, said he understands why his former party is struggling to find candidates.

He said: "I’m not surprised by this; I see it all over the Midlands.

"Lots of local people know that after nearly 40 years in the Conservative Party rising to Conservative group leader I walked away - it appears others have too."

He added: "The Conservatives have ignored the people who once voted them in. The failures in our NHS, police, lack of housing, rising crime and disorder all falls on their actions over the last 13 years, no-one else.

"I’m proud to say I’ve now joined and represent Reform, I suggest others do too: party who do listen to what people want."

Labour has chosen its West Bromwich candidate, after Sarah Coombes won the selection earlier this year.