Brentford and Isleworth Constituency

---

The battle for the Westminster seat in 2005 General Election

Result

Election chaos as Irish voters excluded from vote due to 'admin error'

The Candidates

On the Campaign Trail

The sitting MP for this seat is Ann Keen (pictured below) who represents Labour. In the 2001 election her majority fell from 14,424 to 10,318 but the reduction in her share of the vote was not untypical for Labour MPs defending big majorities.

On the Campaign Trail

Local election battle could end in courts
Keen threatens legal action against Northcote and press

Green Not Greed Say Community Group
Engine size should determine parking permit cost

Alexander Northcote visits Fullers Brewery
Conservative candidate for Brentford and Isleworth pledges deregulation to "free up business"

Gordon Brown attends local constituency event
Chancellor praises Ann Keen as a "constant campaigner for social justice" at a talk on world poverty

Liberal Democrats make pledge on tuition fees
Local candidates, Andrew Dakers and Gary Malcolm target the local student vote at launch of major poster campaign

The Candidates

In the 1997 election Ann Keen the sitting MP received 57.4% of the vote whereas this time her share was 52.3% Turnout was 44,514 which represents 53.0% of those eligible to vote, down a massive 16.5% from 1997.

She has worked as a member of Gordon Brown's team at the Treasury during the current parliament, campaigning particularly hard on issues of third world debt and trade justice. She experienced protests from within the local Labour party due to her support of the war in Iraq and was the subject of controversy when it was revealed she was claiming allowances for a second home in Covent Garden even though her constituency is only 9 miles from Westminster.

The Conservatives have selected Alexander Northcote (pictured right) to contest the constituency. Now aged 33, he was born in Brentford. Formerly a broadcast journalist he now works for a communications agency in Central London.

He advises Michael Howard’s team at Conservative Central Office and is also involved in various charities.

Local Liberal Democrats have selected Andrew Dakers as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.

He grew up and still lives in Brentford, but has also lived and worked in developing countries. Andrew holds an MSc in Development Management from The Open University.

He is Vice-chair of Hounslow Borough Liberal Democrats and former Chair of Brentford Community Council. He works in the constituency as a Communications and Business Change Advisor.

The Green Party has selected John Hunt from Isleworth as its candidate. He is a 52 year old nurse who retrained after being a software engineer. John has lived in the constituency since 1987. He has a long history of campaigning on a wide range of Green issues including health policy and human rights issues including gay and lesbian rights. Last year he became a member of the newly created body the Patient and Public Involvement Forum for the West Middlesex Hospital. He campaigned against Heathrow Terminal 5 with special reference to air quality.

Phil Andrews (pictured left) will be the Community Group's parliamentary candidate. He is one of three ICG councillors in Isleworth ward, seats formerly held by Labour. They have never stood in national elections before. Phil, 43, is married to Caroline, is the father of seven-year-old twins Joseph and Rosina, and was born in Isleworth where he has remained throughout his life.

In 1998 he was elected as the London Borough of Hounslow's first-ever independent councillor by a mere two votes and increased his majority in the subsequent election. As a councillor Phil has been at the forefront of several high-profile campaigns, most notably in recent years the sadly unsuccessful attempt to keep John Aird House, a residential care home in Brentford, open for its residents. He is a committee member of the Mogden Residents' Action Group (MRAG) and of Friends of Isleworth Town (a PTA-type body at his children's school), as well as being a deacon at Isleworth Congregational Church.

The National Front are fielding Michael Stoneman as a candidate.

June 17, 2005