Conservatives and Brexit Party put forward last minute election candidates for Bristol West

By Patrick Sullivan, Co-Editor-in-Chief

The Conservative Party and the Brexit Party waited until the penultimate day before unveiling their MP candidates for Bristol West ahead of the upcoming election.

Two new Bristol West candidates, Suria Aujla and Neil Robert Hipkiss, have been announced by the Conservative Party and Brexit Party respectively right at the deadline for candidates to hand in their nomination papers.

Candidates looking to run in next month’s general election had until 1600 on 14 November to announce their campaign, and the Bristol West constituency saw these two new names emerge on 13 November.

The Conservative announcement came the same day Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Bristol to state his support for the party’s Bristol candidates, telling B24/7 ‘this is a crucial area for us and we will be fighting flat out for every seat’.

Suria Aujla is a councillor from Bridgwater, Somerset, whereas Neil Hipkiss has lived in Bristol since aged 25.

They will now campaign alongside current Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire and the Green Party candidate, Carla Denyer, for the seat ahead of the vote on 12 December. The University of Bristol student population will play a crucial role in deciding both Bristol West, where the main campus is, and Bristol North West, where the Stoke Bishop halls are situated.

Last week, Liberal Democrat candidate James Cox stepped aside for Denyer as part of the Remain Alliance agreement between multiple parties.

Students have until 26 November to register to vote here in Bristol or to submit a postal vote back in their home constituency.

Featured image: Twitter / Suria Aujla

Are you happy to see another two names on the Bristol West ballot?