Could a “Sugar-beet babe” be representing part of Ipswich in the House of Commons after the next election?

SUFFOLK: Could a “Sugar-beet babe” be representing part of Ipswich in the House of Commons after the next election?

That's the prospect today as speculation mounted that Tory chiefs in London were desperate to see a woman picked for the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich seat.

Suffolk has never had a woman MP - and officials at Tory HQ are determined to change that.

However the hopes of the male candidates in the Central Suffolk seat were boosted yesterday when West Suffolk MP Richard Spring confirmed he would not be seeking re-election.

If a man is chosen at the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich hustings on Friday, there is the chance that a woman could be picked on the other side of the county.

A senior Conservative admitted that many of the party members in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich who were angry over the lack of a “local” candidate were guilty of ignoring the needs of the urban voters in the constituency.

Although the seat looks large on a map, about 60 per cent of its voters are in north Ipswich, Kesgrave and Rushmere.

It had been suggested that Mid Suffolk council leader and Twaite farmer Tim Passmore should have been included on the list of potential candidates - but The Evening Star understands that Conservative officials were concerned about having a candidate so deeply identified with country issues.

“We know the constituency here has focussed on rural issues in the past - and we have to ensure we have a relevant message for all voters in the seat,” said the senior Tory.