Tories slate branch over poll selection 'shambles'

CANDIDATES BID TO FORCE U-TURN

- RACHEL ALEXANDER Local Democracy Reporter

A WEST Midlands Conservative branch has come under fire over its candidate selection process for the May 2026 local elections.

Nine sitting councillors in Walsall were blocked from being candidates by the Aldridge Brownhills Conservative Association.

Cllr Vera Waters, ward member for Rushall-Shelfield, said there was no 'logical explanation' for the deselections, and Cllr Keith Sears said the association was 'handing the 2026 elections to Reform on a plate!

Also deselected were Cllrs Gaz Ali (Birchills Leamore), Sarah Cooper (Streetly), Nick Gandham (Paddock), Amo Hussain (Birchills Leamore), Amanda Parkes (Aldridge North and Walsall Wood), Waheed Rasab (Paddock) and Suky Samra (Streetly).

Councillors lodged appeals against the controversial decision before the deadline of August 1, but none of them had heard anything back.