By Steven Bell
A defeated Conservative candidate who claims she was the victim of a dirty tricks campaign by Bolton’s Labour activists has vowed to come back fighting.
Nearly six months have passed since Deborah Dunleavy was narrowly beaten by Labour’s David Crausby in what was a bitter battle for victory in the Bolton North East seat.
But, despite her defeat, the determined Tory has vowed to run for parliament again in 2015 and is keeping one foot in the political door until then.
Mrs Dunleavy said: “I am doing a few things. I am working as the Conservative’s Social Action Co-ordinator and I hope to be working with the Pensions Minister for a few days too.”
Mrs Dunleavy, who used to work in pensions herself, also praised David Cameron and Nick Clegg’s coalition government.
“I think they have taken very brave decisions between them and, in general, they are doing the right things. However, I don’t agree with scrapping child benefit,” she said. “To me, it doesn’t make sense that a family earning £80,000 get’s child benefit, but one with an income of £40,000 get’s nothing.”
Accepting that Bolton would be hit hard by the government’s spending cuts programme, Mrs Dunleavy said she thought the tough times would be worth it.
“It will take time but it will be change for the good,” she said.
While stating her “absolute” intention to stand as a Conservative candidate at the next election in 2015, Mrs Dunleavy said she didn’t know which seat she would contest until electoral boundary changes have been finalised.
