These are the six people hoping to win the Tory Party nomination to succeed Sir Michael Lord as MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.

SUFFOLK: These are the six people hoping to win the Tory Party nomination to succeed Sir Michael Lord as MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.

They have been chosen from more than 170 applicants who applied when Sir Michael announced he would not be seeking re-election after 27 years as an MP in the county. The six now face an open primary next week at which any person on the electoral roll can apply to attend and vote.

A number of Tory activists, including the Conservative group on Mid Suffolk district council, criticised openly the absence of local people from the short-list. Many had wanted council leader Tim Passmore to have the opportunity of winning the nominations.

The short-listed six are:

Katy Bourne from Sussex, who is an adviser to start-up renewable energy companies;

Tim Clark, a head teacher in Kent;

Joanna Gardner, Mayor of Kensington & Chelsea in 2008-9;

Dan Poulter, a hospital doctor and deputy leader of Reigate & Banstead council in Surrey whose fianc�e was educated in Stowmarket;

Dominic Schofield, who was born in Essex and is a senior consultant to a firm of head hunters;

Claire Strong, who lives in Hertfordhsire and who fought the last two European Parliament elections in the East of England constituency.

All six have pledged they would move to the constituency if they are selected.

Constituents, who do not have to be Tory Party members, have until noon on Monday November 23 to apply for tickets for the primary on November 27 by e-mailing mail@centralsuffolk.co.uk