Tories race to find 160 candidates

The decision to call a snap election last Wednesday caught many in Tory and Labour high command by surprise. Both parties are now racing to finalise candidate selections for all 630 seats in Britain by the deadline of Friday 7 June, with Labour much further advanced in this process than the Conservatives. Fewer than 35 constituencies currently lack a Labour candidate, and some in Keir Starmer’s team are keen to highlight the contrast in readiness between the two parties. The Tories now have 12 days to fill 160 vacancies – the equivalent of picking one candidate every 100 minutes.

Within CCHQ, however, there is confidence that this target can be met, in spite of the onerous demands of the national campaign. The bulk of the outstanding 160 seats in England and Wales –the Scottish process is separate – are those deemed ‘unwinnable’ in unfavourable territories such as inner London and Bristol.