Toby Young Will Not Stand for Tories for Hammersmith

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Free school founder has "too much on my plate at present"

Toby Young has announced he will not become Hammersmith's Conservative candidate in the next General Election as he is too busy.

The writer and founder of West London Free School wrote in the Spectator magazine: " Someone should beat Andy Slaughter. But sadly it won't be me.

" Damn and blast. I was quite keen on becoming the Conservative candidate for Hammersmith, but the timing isn’t going to work.

" My hope was that the local association would delay advertising for a candidate until next year, at which point I would have thrown my hat into the ring. Unfortunately, they’re keen to get someone in place straightaway and I have too much on my plate at present."

Toby, who is the Spectator's Associate Editor, goes on to say that as the chairman of a charitable trust that has set up two free schools and will shortly be opening a third, he already has a full-time voluntary job.

He also launches a personal attack on Hammersmith's current Labour MP Andy Slaughter, saying: " He is ruthless, tireless and implacable. It will be like going up against the cyborg in Terminator 2" and adding: " I quite fancy playing the John Connor role in this drama — he’s the saviour of mankind, in case you’ve forgotten — but I just can’t do it at the moment."

November 29, 2013