Sue Gray’s son selected to become Labour candidate in winnable seat | Politics | News | Express.co.uk
Both those on the left of Labour and in the Tory party have reacted with outrage to the news, with accusations of a stitch-up and nepotism.
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Labour is facing criticism and accusations of a stitch-up after Sue Gray’s son narrowly beat off rivals to secure the Labour candidacy in a winnable constituency.
Liam Conlon, a long-time Labour activist, won the selection in Beckenham & Penge by a mere eight votes, defeating the CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians Melanie Ward.
The victory for Mr Conlon comes just a few months after his mother, Sue Gray, was appointed as Sir Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff.
In March, it was reported Mr Conlon had been boasting about his mum’s involvement in the Partygate trial of Boris Johnson.
Not content with his mother playing a role in the downfall of Mr Johnson, Liam Conlon began campaigning for the Labour candidate in the former PM’s Uxbridge seat, hoping to secure his toppling at the general election.
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Liam Conlon with his mother Sue Gray (Image: Liam Conlon X)
A Labour insider told The Sun on Sunday that Mr Conlon was apparently “boasting to activists on the doorstep saying he was her son, that she carried out the Partygate probe, and that he is being groomed for a safe Labour seat”.
At the time, Mr Conlon said the claim was ‘untrue in every regard’.
His denial now contrasts with his victory in Beckenham & Penge, a marginal seat that polls suggest Labour will easily take at the General Election.
This morning, a senior Conservative reacted to Mr Conlon’s selection, accusing Ms Gray of “stitching up a Labour selection like she stitched up Boris”.
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Polls suggest he will easily win the seat next year (Image: Electoral Calculus )
In October, when news first emerged he was standing in Beckenham, Tory MP Paul Bristow told the Sun: “First Sue Gray quits the so-called impartial civil service to run Labour’s head office”.
“Now we hear that her son is trying to get selected to be a Labour MP. I should be surprised, but sadly I’m not.
“This raises questions about whether Sue Gray was ever truly impartial. Could she have been when her open flesh and blood was busy trying to get a seat at the next election.”
This morning Nadine Dorries observed: “The reason why both the Conservative and Labour Party get away with this, is because party members let them”.
A left-wing Twitter user accused Sir Keir’s Labour of being the “nepo party” in response to the news.
Mr Conlon is yet to comment on his victory.
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