KEN LEE on more problems for Croydon Conservatives over their poor judgement in candidate selections for the local elections

How the Tories finally presented their South Norwood candidates this week, including ‘probably alcoholic’ O’Flynn

Despite their four-month pause before allocating their B List candidates to contest wards in the north of the borough, Croydon’s Conservatives don’t appear to have been very careful about who they have chosen to stand in next May’s local elections.

Because one of the candidates for South Norwood ward named by Croydon Tories describes himself as “Probably an alcoholic”.

Matthew O’Flynn is one of the Croydon Tories’ after-thoughts: candidates for five wards that they didn’t bother selecting in September, when Tim Pollard and his top team were just too busy shuffling their pack to find safer wards for the likes of… Helen Pollard.

As a consequence, they now have a slate made up of former UKippers, numerous candidates who have previously been roundly rejected by the electorate and, in the case of O’Flynn, a real joker.

At least, for the sake of the people of South Norwood ward who have been presented with O’Flynn as the best that the Conservatives have to offer, you have to hope that he is joking. Unlike others, at least O’Flynn made it on to the Tory election leaflet.

O’Flynn’s Twitter profile. Oh, how we laughed

O’Flynn is one of Croydon Tories’ B List candidates – not considered good enough by the Conservatives for the prime blue territories (and years of easy money from council allowances) available to those standing in wards in the south of the borough.

The former John Fisher schoolboy describes himself on social media as “I’m political. Terribly satirical. I wouldn’t follow me either. Generally pessimistic. Into Punk and Rock. Probably an alcoholic. Bookworm.”

It’s the “probably alcoholic” thing which ought to have been a matter of grave concern for O’Flynn’s political backers, but which appears to have passed unnoticed by the Tory High Command (a bit like most of the north of the borough).

If it is true, it is a terrible affliction for one so young – O’Flynn’s a twentysomething – though a very brave thing to admit publicly.

If it is not true, and an attempt at humour by O’Flynn, most people would probably agree that it’s not a particularly good joke, and surely reflects on the Tory candidate’s lack of good judgement.

But hey, this is just a Croydon Tory candidate for an unwinnable ward in the north of the borough. And we all ought to realise now that the north of Croydon is regarded as “a waste of effort” to the Tories.

Gavin Barwell’s gobby fac totem Mario Creatura being unusually truthful over his party’s disregard for the north of Croydon

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