From the Oldham Evening Chronicle:
A selection meeting sparked a huge fall-out amid allegations of threats and candidate rigging.
Oldham East and Saddleworth Conservatives chairman Barbara Jackson will stand down in protest, while former Councillor Chris Shyne called it a farce after only five candidates stood for five seats.
But North-West leaders insisted they are “a lone voice” and that the party is fully behind the selections.
Barrister Kashif Ali was chosen to fight Labour’s Phil Woolas for the Oldham East and Saddleworth seat with Kamran Ghafoor taking on Labour’s Michael Meacher for the Oldham West and Royton seat.
Traditionalists have been angered by Mr Cameron’s plans to take control of shortlists to impose women and ethnic minority candidates to boost their numbers in Parliament.
Mrs Jackson, an active member for 30 years, claimed two candidates were removed from the selection list at the last minute and others weren’t allowed to stand.
She claimed Mr Ali had threatened management that he would recruit family as members to take over the association if he was not selected.
You can read the full report here.
