Charlotte Cadden chosen as Tory by-election candidate

Retired police detective Charlotte Cadden has been chosen as the Conservative Party candidate for the forthcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.

Cadden, who was a police officer for 30 years, in both Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police, said she wanted "a proper inquiry on grooming gangs" that had operated in the region and "to get rid of carbon tax".

The by-election on 26 February in the Greater Manchester constituency follows the resignation of former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne on health grounds.

In the 2024 General Election, the Conservatives came fifth in the constituency, polling 2,888 votes.

Cadden said: "I know we're starting off from a very small base of Conservative voters from the last election but we've got our own policies – we need to get mobiles phones out of schools, we need to get rid of the carbon tax."

Cadden set up and chaired the police sex equality and equity network, to challenge workplace discrimination based on sex.

She is also a trustee of Sex Matters, a charity which advocates for gender critical perspectives and for single sex spaces, and has been involved in local Conservative politics in Bolton.

She said "local schools, the NHS and policing" were among her key issues.

"We've seen social justice theories infiltrate our public services and women and girls are no longer safe in some of those services," she said.

Kevin Hollinrake, chairman of the Conservative Party, said: "Charlotte has been a fierce campaigner on grooming gangs and single-sex spaces and her campaign will give her the opportunity to stand up for vulnerable girls, plain and simple."

She would "push for the truth, and make sure lessons are learned", he said, adding "That's the sort of straight-talking leadership we need".

In 2024, Gwynne won the seat for Labour with more than half of the vote - 18,555. Reform UK came second on 5,142 votes, narrowly beating the Greens with 4,810.

A full list of candidates for Gorton and Denton can be found here and will be updated as others are declared.

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