Rene Kinzett, who stood in Swansea West for the LibDems at the 2005 General Election, has joined the Conservatives. He's the third LibDem General Election Candidate to do so in the last few months. His defection is the second coup for Welsh Conservatives following Alison Halford's switch from Labour a couple of months ago. Kinzett was on the approved list of Lib Dem candidates for the South Wales West region at the 2007 National Assembly elections and currently represents the Mayals ward on Swansea County Council. Welcome aboard! Rene Kinzett told Conservatives.com: "It is only David Cameron's modern compassionate Conservative Party that offers a realistic and progressive alternative to this tired, worn down Labour Government. I know that I will be campaigning hard for a Party which is serious about changing itself, so it can change Britain for good."We seem to be doing a lot better in Wales at the moment and I reckon we could at least double our number of parliamentary seats next time round. Cheryl Gillan seems to have become quite popular in a very short space of time and the Party organisation is on the right track. Matthew Lane, the Director of the Party in Wales, used to be my Area Campaign Director in Norfolk and we were all very sorry to see him go. Looks like he and Cheryl and the three new MPs are making a real impact. If we can increase the number of Welsh Assembly Members next May then we'll have the perfect springboard to win more seats at the next General Election.
11 comments:
Do you think we can send the Welsh Tories to Scotland to give some advice?!
Well we can be sure any success will not be down to Nick Bourne … Anyone heard from the self proclaimed leader of the Tories in Wales in the last year or so?
and maybe you'll double your Scottish MPs too at the next GE...
Wow, the UK would really be turning blue then.
This is fantastic news.
I've known Rene since we were involved in Welsh student politics together in the mid 1990s. he is a fantastic candidate and will be a great asset to the party.
You're right that we're doing well in Wales at the moment. The two agents, Matt Lane and Vince Morris, are doing a superb job. If anyone has a few hours free then they would be made to feel really welcome if they head to Blaenau Gwent for the by-election or, if they can't get to Ebbw Vale, perhaps a couple of hours telephone canvassing at CCHQ?
Another LD leaving the sinking ship to join the Tories?
Coming home, I'd say.
Iain, you've neglected to mention Nick Bourne, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, who was described by none other than Peter Hain (who admittedly has all the judgement skills of a dead fish) as the only credible alternative to Rhodri Morgan as First Minister.
Bad news I am afraid - we don't need him to dilute our party. If he was really a Conservative, he would have joined the party long ago, not bandwagon jumped when he saw an opportunity of being elected. This man is unlikely to have an principles and should not be someone we should let stand for us - although of course, it will be good PR for liberal Maude and David Cameron.
Having come second in Swansea West in the General Election, Rene failed to get the number two slot on the South Wales West list and failed to be selected to fight Swansea West at the Welsh Assembly level. The only compassion he is looking for is from a group of party members (any party) who will allow him to fight a winnable seat!
Isn't everyone Peter? That's politics.
Thanks for your supportive article, Iain. Thanks also to Mike Wood, who I knew when I was a LibDem Student in Wales some time ago. As for Peter Black (Assembly Member, local councillor, Parliamentary Candidate, etc), as I seem to remember, he was v keen to jump to "winnable" Swansea West before the Labour Party proposed a law change to prevent "double candidacies" for the Assembly. I know I've come home to a Party serious about winning and serious about itself. Pitty the same could be said about the poor old LibDems under Ming...
It's good to see a the Conservatives being brave enough to select an openly gay candidate - Rene Kinzett for the Parliamentary Elections, in their Swansea West seat.
It is not so long ago that Swansea was too intolerant for this, finally Swansea is waking up!
I remember when Rene Kinzett was the Gay Mens Officer at Swansea University, some years ago - he has come a long way since then!
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