Cheltenham MP Conservative candidate 'honoured' at selection
THE barrister chosen as the Conservative MP candidate for Cheltenham has spoken about his links to the town he wants to represent.
Alex Chalk, 36, was selected earlier this week and he has now described it as "an enormous honour".
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Alex Chalk
Mr Chalk lives in London, where he has built his legal career and currently sits as a councillor on Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
He was brought up in Cheltenham with his "family home" in Foxcote.
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And if he is successful in deposing current Cheltenham MP, Liberal Democrat Martin Horwood, he expects to live full time in Gloucestershire.
He said: "My grandmother has lived in my family home since the Second World War and it is just outside Charlton Kings,
"Cheltenham is my home town, through my teenage years to when I went to university.
"I have been living in London to build my career, so I feel like I am coming home.
"I go home whenever I can, certainly during weekends."
Mr Chalk is clear about what he believes are the main issues voters in Cheltenham care about.
Prosperity
"It seems to me that prosperity, ensuring that our businesses are successful, that they are employing as many people as possible," he said.
"So I want to try and promote our local businesses as much as possible.
"I want to do everything I can to do with the environment and protecting our green belt.
"Law and order is also an important issue, making sure the town centre is safe.
"It is really about wanting to be on the side of hard working families."
Cheltenham has been identified by the Conservative Party as a key target seat nationally and Mr Chalk is one of the first candidates to be selected in the south west.
Mr Chalk, who will begin canvassing this weekend, is married and has a 10-month-old daughter.
He was educated at a boarding school away from Cheltenham before going to Oxford University where he studied Modern History.
Mr Chalk works in criminal law, prosecuting and defending.
The next general election is due to be called in 2015.
16 Comments
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by tishwash
Monday, February 04 2013, 6:12PM
“@TIMONLINE2010 why is that ? what is exactly wrong ? It's not forcing the church to do anything, it's just enabling any faiths that wish to undertake same sex marriages can do.”
by Ms_Superstar
Monday, February 04 2013, 11:10AM
“Judas I didn't mean my response as a criticism of your post, just a comment on the way politicians, the press et al bang on about helping families, not individuals. I suppose in a democracy the wishes of the majority come first, so if most voters are in a relationship then families will be more important than single people. Rightly or wrongly, it's all about winning the most votes.”
by TIMONLINE2010
Sunday, February 03 2013, 10:00PM
“Whoever stands for Chelt, I don't think the Tories have a chance if this marriage bill goes through!”
by Judas
Sunday, February 03 2013, 8:58PM
“Ms_Superstar - My apologies, you are right, he needs to be on the side of everyone who he is supposed to represent. :P”
by Ms_Superstar
Sunday, February 03 2013, 6:54PM
“@Shireresident, what have the police got to do with law and order, in reality? I don't really see the connection anymore.
And @Judas, never mind families, hard working or otherwise. What makes them more a valid and deserving cause than hard working single people?”
by Hubert1841
Sunday, February 03 2013, 6:50PM
“I think they'd find it a struggle to find a local Tory, Tishwash.”
by tishwash
Sunday, February 03 2013, 3:28PM
“Why don't they have someone local stand ? It makes more sense?”
by nickthompson
Sunday, February 03 2013, 11:53AM
“Meanwhile Mr Antony Jenkins of Barclays Bank has proved WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER by not accepting his million pound bonus this year,and has graciously decided he will have to scrape by on his basic salary,including incentives of only 8.6 million pounds!!!”
by lordigaga
Sunday, February 03 2013, 11:48AM
“if the libdens get back in chelt, it will be one of the few seats thay will win
RIP libdem”
by Judas
Sunday, February 03 2013, 11:42AM
“TIMONLINE2010 - You hit the nail on the head. His links with Cheltenham are pretty weak but as he puts on his barristers hat, he weakly attempts to justify his connection with Cheltenham.
Alex Chalk states "It is really about wanting to be on the side of hard working families." Does this mean he doesn't want to be on the side of the numerous families who aren't working....you know, the ones that really do need help?
He also states "I go home whenever I can, certainly during weekends." This may be true, but exactly how often is that. A person with a busy schedule may only be capable of doing this once every 6 months. I can only assume that Alex Chalk is telling the truth but not the whole truth as they say in a court of law.
I'm afraid he sounds like another public school robot out of the Tory machine.”