Tories select London Assembly candidate

Houghton will aim to unseat incumbent Labour member Valerie Shawcross who has represented the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark on the Assembly since it was established in 2000. Shawcross was recently reselected to fight the next Assembly election on 1 May 2008.

"I am thrilled to be given the chance to work with our teams of local councillors and members in these two boroughs and look forward to busy months ahead," says Shirley Houghton.

"The way London is governed affects all our lives and pockets. The Mayor and his Labour chums in City Hall are not only failing the people of Lambeth and Southwark, they are failing the whole of our great city."

Shirley is a chartered accountant and a councillor for Millwall Ward on the Isle of Dogs.

At the last London Assembly elections in 2004 Conservative candidate in Lambeth and Southwark Bernard Gentry came third with just 15.2 per cent of the vote compared to the 31.7 per cent enjoyed by Shawcross.

Meanwhile Shawcross's 2004 Lib Dem challenger Caroline Pidgeon – who came second with 27 per cent of the vote – has recently been selected as a candidate for the London-wide party list seats and is almost certain to have a seat in City Hall next year.

The Lib Dem selection process for the Lambeth and Southwark Assembly constituency is ongoing.