CONSERVATIVES in the Basildon and Billericay constituency are reportedly up in arms after their party announced they were 'parachuting in' a top Tory to fight the election on Thursday, 4 July.

The seat, vacated by veteran MP John Baron, is regarded as one of the safest in an admittedly declining Conservative list.

And in a bid to secure his position, Conservative party chairman Richard Holden has been selected at the last minute as the constituency's, despite local party anger.

The BBC has reported the decision to place Mr Holden as the party's ballot box choice has caused an adverse local reaction. And the local Conservative leader, Cllr Andrew Baggot, has been quoted as saying it is a "slap in the face to local councillors, volunteers and the membership".

The party chairman has represented North West Durham, nearly 300 miles further north, since 2019. But his seat is being abolished as part of a scheduled review of UK seat boundaries for this year's election, meaning he had to find another one.

Mr Holden went to the constituency on Wednesday evening where he addressed a small number of senior association members.

According to the BBC source, the whole local executive had been "pretty cheesed off" with the central party's handling of the matter but Mr Holden did in the end "align" with local members' views and values.

Richard Moore, chairman of the local association, told the BBC they had expected to get a choice of three hopefuls from the national party ahead of a meeting later to choose the candidate.

But he said the central party's candidate committee had rung him earlier to say "you're just getting the one".

He added that local members were "extremely put out" that the party had waited until two days before close of nominations to put forward a candidate.

"This could have all been done in March or April," he said, adding that the central party had "sat on this for seven months".

"My constituency people haven't met Richard Holden. We don't know him. We don't know what he's done," he added.

"Yes he's chairman of the party, but so what? What has he done for Basildon and Billericay? Nothing."

Cllr Baggot also reportedly criticised the process, calling it a "slap in the face to local councillors, volunteers and the membership".

He said association members were "exploring" options to fight the decision.