The story of Richard Holden's exit from region he claimed to be 'bloody loyal' to

There was always a risk around Richard Holden's appointment as Conservative party chairman, given he didn't have a seat to stand in at the general election.

By the time he got that cabinet role last November, it had already been confirmed that the North West Durham constituency he'd represented since 2019 was being abolished under the independent national boundary review, which has made MPs' seats more equal in terms of population size.

That constituency has been portioned off into four neighbouring seats - Blaydon and Consett, Bishop Auckland, City of Durham and North Durham - but Mr Holden did not put himself forward to be the Conservative candidate in any of them.

I asked him about that in February, and his reasoning was: "I don't want to represent just a part of North West Durham."

When I suggested he was looking for a safer seat elsewhere in the country, rather than being loyal to the region, he responded: "I am bloody loyal to the North East."

Then last week, with the general election having been called early and the deadline for selecting candidates approaching, it emerged that Mr Holden was the only name on the list for local party members to choose from in Basildon and Billericay.

That's around 250 miles south of his old constituency, and is seen as a safe seat for the Conservatives, as they won by more than 20,000 votes there in 2019.

The old MP had also long confirmed he was standing down at this election.

The impression that Mr Holden had been parachuted in has drawn real anger from local Conservatives and (unnamed) Tory MP candidates elsewhere, but he was confirmed as the party's candidate in Essex.

Questioned by Channel 4 News over his previous assertion of loyalty to the North East, he said: "I stopped being the MP for North West Durham... when parliament was dissolved."

Then on Sunday, Mr Holden was made available for a 'pool' interview (a normal practice whereby one broadcaster does an interview and others can also use it).

He was repeatedly asked about his selection controversy and how he had insisted he was "bloody loyal to the North East", and repeatedly answered by attacking Labour over a shadow minister's comments on school class sizes.

Mr Holden argued he had "already answered" questions over his selection in the Channel 4 News interview, while an aide of his, standing just off-camera (as is normal), said broadcasters had agreed the interview would be about class sizes.

Sky News' Jon Craig, conducting the interview, insisted he could ask about whatever he (and other broadcasters who had put forward questions) wanted.

It was a very unusual on-camera row, and a difficult situation for the Conservatives.

As party chairman, Richard Holden is meant to be a key campaigner and media 'attack dog'.

But now, in the thick of the election campaign, he's unlikely to be offered up for many more interviews in the coming days and weeks.

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