Ex-Conservative Parliamentary Candidate could split Conservative Vote

4.59.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 3rd Jul 2007

The Conservative vote at the Sedgefield by-election could be devastatingly split after the UK Independence Party have announced that their candidate will be Toby Horton. Mr Horton is a former Conservative candidate who stood against Mr Blair in Sedgefield in the 1983 General Election. Mr Horton was also chairman of William Hague's Richmond constituency party for three years.

At the 2004 Hartlepool by-election, UKIP pushed the Conservative party into a humiliating fourth place with under 10% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats nearly snatched the Hartlepool seat from Labour. The Conservative Party have selected Graham Robb as their candidate for the Sedgefield by-election.