Long-term friend and supporter of the Young Britons’ Foundation Conor Burns MP has written an interesting piece over on Conservative Home about his belief in the Conservative Party and his concern about Coalition candidates in the next election:

“An interesting debate may well be about to begin springing from a little-noticed Written Ministerial Statement about electoral administration put out shortly before last year’s summer recess. It was made by the excellent Mark Harper who it has been my privilege to know for some 20 years since meeting him at a Wessex YC Conference in what is now my Bournemouth West constituency. Mark’s full statement can be read here:

Much of the aims he outlines are laudable. However there is one bit that, in the light of developments, catches my attention.  A day earlier, Mark said the following:

“We also propose to address an oversight in existing legislation passed during the previous Government’s time in office which allows a candidate standing for a single party in a UK parliamentary election to use an emblem on their ballot paper, but does not allow jointly nominated candidates to do so. This issue has primarily affected candidates standing on behalf of the Labour party and the Co-operative party. The proposal will ensure that electoral law is consistent on this issue.”

This all seems innocuous enough. Except I’m not certain I can recall too many occasions when a ‘Co-operative Party’ candidate has stood against a Labour Party candidate.  Or in my three general elections as a Conservative Candidate ever hearing of a ‘Co-operative Party Candidate’ bidding to be included in hustings. Yet this part of the Bill (which comes before Parliament today for a 2nd Reading) stands. (The Full House of Commons Library research paper can be seen here with the key part at Section 9.5.)”

The full article can be read here

Conor Burns is MP for Bournemouth West and PPS to Owen Paterson, the Northern Ireland Secretary. He tweets at @Conor_BurnsMP