Barrister is Tory choice for Mid Dorset

2:00pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News

CANDIDATE: Michael Tomlinson CANDIDATE: Michael Tomlinson

BARRISTER Michael Tomlinson has been selected as the Conservative Party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Mid Dorset and North Poole.

Mr Tomlinson, who has lived in the constituency for the past decade, will fight for office in the next general election in 2015.

Mid Dorset and North Poole’s current Lib Dem MP Annette Brooke recently announced she would not be standing for re-election in two years time.

Mr Tomlinson, the Tory constituency campaign manager in 2010, has run a Christian youth camp with his wife for 17 years.

The father-of-three has also been part of the Conservative’s Project Umubano. Under this scheme party members have travelled to troubled Rwanda and war-torn Sierra Leone to share skills in a bid to help both countries heal their wounds.

Mr Tomlinson travelled to Rwanda in 2009, then Sierra Leone in 2011, where he advised senior members of the judiciary.

He is also a member of Poole Hockey Club and Hamworthy Recreation Cricket Club.

Comments(15)

onetimeapathetic says...
2:51pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Yet another example of the tories representing us with 'ordinary' people. Is he a land owner as well?

Report this post »

upyourpipe says...
2:58pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Just another toff who has never had to live in the real world.

Report this post »

Old Contemptible says...
3:17pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Lawyers are the one's who draft small print, beware of them!

Report this post »

richardwbooth says...
4:30pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I'm not sure why people are attacking Mr Tomlinson: he is a family man, a hard-working professional, and someone deeply invested in charity and the local area. In sum, therefore, someone who very much knows what an ordinary voter in the real world wants! He's lived in the area for a decade and even this Echo profile paints him in a positive light - having met him in person a few times, he is exceedingly amenable and kind.

Report this post »

no vested interest says...
5:02pm Tue 19 Mar 13

richardwbooth wrote:
I'm not sure why people are attacking Mr Tomlinson: he is a family man, a hard-working professional, and someone deeply invested in charity and the local area. In sum, therefore, someone who very much knows what an ordinary voter in the real world wants! He's lived in the area for a decade and even this Echo profile paints him in a positive light - having met him in person a few times, he is exceedingly amenable and kind.
Ooh are you in the same golf club too, I really object to the word 'ordinary', sorry mate but Barristers ain't ordinary.
They are typically conservative though and therefore completely out of touch with 'ordinary' people but good at any sleight of hand to win a case or election.
I know you have to be rich to live in the country and certain parts of the gerrymander called North Poole.
Of course this candidate is no exception but it would be novel to get an ordinary person to stand,are there any ordinary Tories....

Report this post »

upyourpipe says...
5:07pm Tue 19 Mar 13

no vested interest wrote:
richardwbooth wrote:
I'm not sure why people are attacking Mr Tomlinson: he is a family man, a hard-working professional, and someone deeply invested in charity and the local area. In sum, therefore, someone who very much knows what an ordinary voter in the real world wants! He's lived in the area for a decade and even this Echo profile paints him in a positive light - having met him in person a few times, he is exceedingly amenable and kind.
Ooh are you in the same golf club too, I really object to the word 'ordinary', sorry mate but Barristers ain't ordinary.
They are typically conservative though and therefore completely out of touch with 'ordinary' people but good at any sleight of hand to win a case or election.
I know you have to be rich to live in the country and certain parts of the gerrymander called North Poole.
Of course this candidate is no exception but it would be novel to get an ordinary person to stand,are there any ordinary Tories....
Ordinary Tories,? answers on a postcard.

Report this post »

The Liberal says...
5:14pm Tue 19 Mar 13

He's probably a very nice chap, but I ain't voting for him.

Report this post »

s-pb2 says...
11:34pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Im certainly no tory but some of the comments above are just being vindictive for the sake of it. Just because hes a lawyer and tory some people here wish to treat him as the spawn of satan. Yet they completely ignore the fact that he has run youth groups, and a member of local sports clubs.

And upyourpipe you sound a complete idiot to suggest he ought to live in 'the real world' when it states he has worked in Sierra Leone and Rwanda and help rebuild those countries.

Report this post »

Sir Alan says...
5:27am Wed 20 Mar 13

what does he know of the real world, he has a job he dont need another one, seems the only people the tories go for is people with money, anyway he is going to be a bit lonley on the opposition benches even if he does get in.

Report this post »

Potts1002 says...
9:32am Wed 20 Mar 13

Yet again everybody assumes. Having known Michael for 10 years and seeing him as a great leader on the Hockey pitch it is an excellent opportunity for the people Mid Dorset and Poole North to have somebody that understands and wants to improve how we live and our we spend our recreation time. Michael as always been supportive and understanding, plus a great mentor to the younger players. Before I get yet another Toff, I have lived in Canford Heath most of my life and attended the local schools so I don’t think I can be classed as a Toff. Its about time we had a younger politician rather than an ageing one that does not understand the needs of our younger generation. Michael will be getting my vote, not for what his party stands for but for what he believes in

Report this post »

Rational_Being says...
9:48am Wed 20 Mar 13

no vested interest wrote:
richardwbooth wrote: I'm not sure why people are attacking Mr Tomlinson: he is a family man, a hard-working professional, and someone deeply invested in charity and the local area. In sum, therefore, someone who very much knows what an ordinary voter in the real world wants! He's lived in the area for a decade and even this Echo profile paints him in a positive light - having met him in person a few times, he is exceedingly amenable and kind.
Ooh are you in the same golf club too, I really object to the word 'ordinary', sorry mate but Barristers ain't ordinary. They are typically conservative though and therefore completely out of touch with 'ordinary' people but good at any sleight of hand to win a case or election. I know you have to be rich to live in the country and certain parts of the gerrymander called North Poole. Of course this candidate is no exception but it would be novel to get an ordinary person to stand,are there any ordinary Tories....
There is no such thing as 'ordinary'. There is no homogenity in the population. You probably couldn't find someone who fairly represents your street, let alone 70,000 odd constitents.

Say what you like about this man, and many of you no doubt will, but he is successful, obviously works work, is intelligent and gets involved in the community.

MPs of all colour, not just Conservatives, come from professional backgrounds. Annette Brooke was educated at LSE and trained to be a teacher at Cambridge.

Being an MP demands academic rigour and sound judgement. Not everyone has that.

Report this post »

rob6648 says...
9:56am Wed 20 Mar 13

Obviously entering into politics will always open a man up to public grilling, unfounded criticism and local newspaper comment trolls, however some of these comments are just plain prejudice.

Inverted snobbery is just as bad as snobbery. Some of the commenters simply make their points invalid through the lack of perspective and blatant ignorance. OH GOD, he worked hard, earned qualifications and is now in professional employment. Is there a grading system? If he earned £10k less a year would that be acceptable? £20k? If he was a teacher, would that be ok? Or still too offensive? Milkman, postman? Jeez.

I still abhor David Cameron/George Osborne and am pretty disaffected by politicians in general, but I might just vote for a good man wanting to make a difference.

Report this post »

Potts1002 says...
10:21am Wed 20 Mar 13

Yet again everybody assumes. Having known Michael for 10 years and seeing him as a great leader on the hockey pitch it is an excellent opportunity for the people Mid Dorset and Poole North to have somebody that understands and wants to improve how we live and our we spend our recreation time. Michael as always been supportive and understanding, plus a great mentor to the younger players. Before I get yet another Toff, I have lived in Canford Heath most of my life and attended the local schools so I don’t think I can be classed as a Toff. Its about time we had a younger politician rather than an ageing one that does not understand the needs of our younger generation. Michael will be getting my vote, not for what his party stands for but for what he believes in

Report this post »

richardwbooth says...
5:40pm Wed 20 Mar 13

One of the key reasons for the political apathy we face is that people just do not offer the benefit of the doubt to good people who want to do good things in civic service. Granted, a proportion of politicians are entirely self-serving and contribute little to the system, but for goodness sake, can we believe that there are smart, competent people who want to contribute to our community? Inverted snobbery and prejudice is as ugly as this website.

Report this post »

Victor_Meldrew_Lives! says...
8:40am Fri 22 Mar 13

People who mock educated people earning a decent amount of money show their narrow mindedness.
Jealousy/envy is not an admirable trait.
I bet he has never been a burden on the state and has contributed much in tax etc.
Conservatives are not just for toffs. Nor are Labour for the working man. Old hat ideas that have no place in modern society.
In America successful people are admired and rightly so because they have strived to work hard and achieved something. People in this country are too quick to mock/denigrate the better off.
If they all left the country EVERYBODY would be poor.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree