Victoria Prentis will draw on years of experience when she tries to win voters over – she was on the campaign trail even as a toddler.

The woman the Tories hope will replace long-serving Banbury MP Sir Tony Baldry is the daughter of Tim Boswell, a junior minister at Department of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture between 1992 and 1997.

He was MP for Daventry, Northamptonshire from 1987 to 2010, when he took a seat in the House of Lords and the Aynho-raised candidate said: “I was out with a ribbon and leaflets when I was just a toddler. There are some charming photographs.”

Mrs Prentis turned to politics after being a Government barrister for the last 17 years, focusing on security and the military.

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She said: “I have had a politically restrictive job as a civil servant, so until now my work in Banbury has been mainly behind the scenes fundraising locally for the party.”

Oxford Mail:

Sir Tony hands over the Tory hopes

Mrs Prentis – mother to Tilly, 13, and Cressida, 11 – was chosen by members of North Oxfordshire Conservative Association from a shortlist of four women.

Party chiefs made a point of saying that an all-women shortlist had not been imposed on the process.

She said: “It’s always going to be a privilege to be a representative wherever you come from, but to do it for your home town is really very moving. Living here with my family makes it so much easier to represent the area. I don’t need to learn local issues I was just brought up being aware of them.”

A key issue was planning, she said. “We have really reaped the benefits of the Government’s work on jobs. We have a very low unemployment rate. It’s managing growth and planning for success. I’m very keen on putting the plan in planning. It’s important we step back a bit and look at infrastructure.

“We’re going to need a new school in both Banbury and Bicester.”

Oxford Mail:

Victoria Prentis with husband Sebastian

If elected she pledged “constant vigilance” over services at the Horton General Hospital – where she was born – and caring for the elderly.

She said: “We have an ageing population, particularly in Banbury, and we need to make sure our dementia and care is up to scratch.

“Even people who haven’t got dementia and are well, they need to be integrated into the rest of society and get out and about.”

Mrs Prentis, married to barrister Sebastian, is best known for her opposition of HS2, the high-speed railway which could cut through north Oxfordshire.

She is the director of anti-HS2 group Transport Sense, based in Banbury.

She said: “I’ve been concerned about it from the beginning about the affect it will have on Banbury. I will carry on campaigning about it.

“I can’t see how it will be helpful for Banbury. It’s the impact traffic will have on all of the areas it would pass through.”

Speaking about the country’s relationship with the European Union, she said: “Like nearly all Conservatives, I am very keen to have an easy trading relationship with our neighbours, but I’d hate the idea of a superstate.

“I have a lot of faith in David Cameron and we will give voters the choice in a referendum.”

  • Other declared candidates so far are Labour: Sean Woodcock; UKIP: Dickie Bird; National Health Action: Roseanne Edwards; Green: Ian Middleton.

Lib Dem have not announced anyone for Banbury.


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