Chloe Smith MP – photo © The Eye Snapper 

 

Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North has responded to the news of a General Election to be held on 8th June to confirm that she wants to stand for election in Norwich North once again. Other parties have yet to select or confirm their candidates for this constituency.

Chloe Smith said: “This election can provide the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond.  Subject to my party’s formal internal procedures, I will be standing again to be elected as Norwich North’s MP so I can continue to serve my constituents and get results for Norwich.”

Although the Conservatives have a strong poll lead currently, Norwich voted to remain in the EU in last June’s Referendum vote so Chloe Smith may face determined opposition in the Norwich wards of her constituency if Brexit becomes central to the campaign. Voters will get their chance to vote on June 8th if Parliament tomorrow agrees to allow the early election, a vote that requires 2/3 of MPs to support an exception to the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

Theresa May has previously been adamant that she would not seek an early General Election and it is not yet fully clear why she has carried out such a dramatic U-turn. There remain questions about the alleged fraudulent use of funds by her Party in the last General Election, with 29 Tory MPs under investigation currently while she has a Commons majority of only 12. There is also widespread confusion as to exactly what ‘Brexit’ means for the future of Britain detached from the economic and political mass of the European Union.