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Tooting
Mark Clarke, Tooting's Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman
Mark Clarke is the Conservative Party spokesperson for Tooting. He grew up in the area and is proud to be standing for Parliament, and fighting for a fairer deal, in the place he calls home.
Mark is the first Conservative ethnic minority candidate to be selected in London and was chosen at an Open Primary, which allows all voters from the constituency to take part in the process. The meeting of 200 residents, half of whom were not Conservative Party members, chose Mark in the first round, giving him more than half of the votes straight away.
If you want to find out more about Mark then please click here.
Tooting Conservative Association - A Background
Tooting Conservative Association is the active and highly visible association of Conservative Party members in Tooting.
The constituency is divided into seven council wards, and together with the neighbouring constituencies of Battersea and Putney, we make up the London Borough of Wandsworth.
Tooting is a vibrant and diverse community, from the hustle and bustle of Tooting High Street to the leafy corners of Wandsworth Common. The local population is one of the youngest in the country, with the area attracting young professionals who use our transport links to the City and the West End where they work.
The area is famed for its green spaces, for the Heaver Estate, the Tooting Bec Lido - which celebrated its 100th birthday last year - and for some of the finest curry houses in London. Tooting is also home to St. George’s Hospital, one of the largest NHS facilities in London and the surrounding areas.
Who is the London Assembly representative for Tooting?
Tooting is represented on the London Assembly by a Conservative, Richard Tracey. Please click here to find details about how to contact Richard. To find out more about Richard Tracey, and read a short biography, please click here.
Who represents Tooting in the EU?
Tooting is represented in Brussels by our three London MEPs, Charles Tannock, Syed Kamall and Marina Yannakoudakis. Please click on their names to find out more about them.
How is Tooting represented in Wandsworth Borough Council?
In the 2006 Wandsworth Council elections, the Conservatives increased the number of councillors in Tooting from 14 to 15 and saw existing councillors returned with increased majorities, reflecting Conservative-controlled Wandsworth delivering the lowest council taxes in the UK and being ranked by the independent Audit Commission as offering the best services. The triumph of the night came in Tooting ward, where Conservative councillors were returned for the first time since 1968.
To find your local Conservative councillors, please click here.
How does Tooting Conservative Association work?
Our Conservative Association has its offices in Summerstown, on the borders of Balham and Tooting, from where we administer the work of our party in the Tooting Constituency. This includes providing a local office for our agent and support staff, servicing the needs of our party members in Tooting and working to secure the election of a Conservative Member of Parliament, Conservative MEPs for the London Area, and Conservative Wandsworth Councillors.
Who's who in the Tooting Conservative Association?
Officers of the local party are:
Chairman: Matthew Maxwell Scott
Deputy Chairmen: Margaret Heriot (Membership and Fundraising) and Ian Hart (Political)
Vice Chairmen: John Wallace and Katy Lindsay
Treasurer: David Walden
With have some 400 members in Tooting and we are growing fast. There are seven local branches:
Bedford Ward - Annaliese Hemsley
Earlsfield Ward – Angela Graham
Furzedown Ward – Claire Clay
Graveney Ward - Andy Peterkin
Nightingale Ward - Katy Lindsay
Tooting Ward – Trevor Slack
Wandsworth Common Ward – Sally Hepton
What events does Tooting Conservative Association run?
As a party, we hold regular events and functions which we encourage local residents to attend. These include political debates and talks by Conservative MPs, MEPs and others; curry nights, quiz nights and other functions.
We hold regular canvass sessions and campaign locally on the issues outlined above and more. We also regularly distribute party literature and news about local events.
Please see our events page for details of what is coming up in Tooting.
How else does Tooting Conservative Association work for local residents?
In the 2005 general election Tooting returned a Labour MP to parliament, but with a halved majority and with the Conservatives enjoying one of the largest swings in London and in the country as a whole. The local association is working hard to overturn the Labour majority and see a Conservative MP for Tooting returned at the next election.
The local association is campaigning on a number of issues close to local residents. On transport, we are working to win improvements to the Northern Line and to Earlsfield mainline station. On health, we are battling to stop Gordon Brown’s cuts at St. George’s and elsewhere. On crime, we are working with local Safer Neighbourhoods Teams, Neighbourhood Watches and Borough police to make the community safer for our residents. On the environment, we are working to build on Wandsworth reputation as the Brighter Borough.
If you would like to have your say on any campaign issue, click here and fill out some of our online surveys.
How can I become more involved in my local Association?
You can find information about joining the Conservatives by clicking here.
