Conservatives nominate two different candidates for same council vacancy

Rum news from the Tettenhall Regis ward in Wolverhampton. There is one councillor up for election this May, and yet two Conservative candidates:

Things then get odder still because the local Tory leader has told the press,

Only one candidate has been through the proper application process and that is Udey Singh.

We were absolutely amazed when we saw that another nomination had gone in. I was unaware that Mark Evans was planning to put in an application.

That’s a very odd explanation because someone can only appear on the ballot paper with a party name next to them if they submit a legal form, signed by an official of their party, authorising the use of the party’s name. Only a limited number of officials in each party have the power to do this.

So how did Mark Evans end up in the list of candidates as a Conservative?

All of that is then made even odder by the final statement the local newspaper has reported:

In a statement released by Wolverhampton Conservatives, Mr Evans, who has held the seat since 2012, said: “I fully support Udey Singh and will be campaigning with him at the election.

“I know if elected he will work hard for all residents in Tettenhall Regis.”

UPDATE: