Tory candidate in hopeless seat gathered endorsements from MPs

Martin Shipton

Political sources are baffled at how a would-be Senedd Member bagged a series of endorsements from English Conservative MPs when standing in a council by-election where he polled just 4.1% of the vote.

James Hamblin was the Tory candidate in Cardiff’s Grangetown ward in the August 14 by-election that resulted in the Green Party taking a seat from Labour.

Mr Hamblin came seventh out of eight candidates with 139 votes and because he got less than 5% of the total votes cast would have lost his £500 deposit if he had been standing for the Senedd or the House of Commons.

Yet five Tory MPs from England as well as a Tory peer who had been a deputy to Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London sent Mr Hamblin formal endorsements.

‘Local champion’

Greg Srafford, the MP for Farnham and Bordon in Surrey, wrote: “I’m backing James Hamblin, a local champion who understands the value of Conservative-led community action.”

Joy Morrissey, the MP for Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, stated: “I’m backing James Hamblin. Grangetown deserves James’s energetic leadership.”

David Simmonds, the MP for Ruislip. Northwood and Pinner in north-west London, wrote: “I’m backing James Hamblin. I’m delighted to support his campaign and urge you to back him today.”

Greg Smith, the MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, said: “I’m backing James H/amblin. James is a proven campaigner working hard for local jobs.”

Charlie Dewhirst, the MP for Bridlington and The Wolds in North Yorkshire, stated: “I’m backing James Hamblin. James is a dedicated Conservative ready to get things done.”

Lord Roger Evans of Guisborough in North Yorkshire – not to be confused with Roger Evans, who served as Labour MP for Monmouth from 1992 to 1997- issued a message stating: “I’m backing James Hamblin. His energy, commitment and ability to get things done makes him exactly the sort of person Grangetown needs.”

Investigation

One former Tory MP who did not endorse Mr Hamblin was David Warburton, for whom he worked as chief of staff in the Commons. Mr Warburton resigned his Somerton and Frome seat after he was placed under investigation by Parliament’s harassment watchdog following complaints from two women about inappropriate behaviour. In addition, an image emerged showing the MP sitting next to an upturned baking tray with four lines of powder on it – alleged by the Sunday Times to be cocaine. Mr Warburton admitted taking cocaine to the Mail on Sunday at the time, after drinking “incredibly potent” Japanese whisky. The subsequent by-election was won by the Liberal Democrats.

A right-wing Welsh political source told Nation.Cymru: “Whatever is the point of gathering these endorsement from English MPs that no one in Wales has ever heard of? He was never going to come close to winning Grangetown on Thursday, but the fact that he got such a derisory vote makes him and them look stupid.

“Having lost badly in Grangetown, it seems he’s now trying to get selected as a Senedd candidate in Carmarthenshire, a place where he seems to have no connections.”

In July 2025 we reported how members of the Conservative Party in Cardiff were concerned that Mr Hamblin may be trying to circumvent election rules in a bid to stand for the Senedd.

In July 2024 he was the party’s candidate in Cardiff West. He came third with 6,835 votes (15.6%), the worst showing by a Conservative candidate since the seat was established in 1950.

Email

Nation.Cymru received an email that said: “I am getting in touch anonymously as a concerned member of the Conservative Party in Cardiff West.

“I have heard on the grapevine that James Hamblin – the candidate for the constituency at the general election – is seeking selection as a candidate for the Senedd election here.

“As you’ll know, from 2026 onwards, MSs need to have been resident in Wales for over a year before being elected, but Hamblin both lives and works in London. I’m not sure he has ever lived or worked in Wales, so I don’t even know why he wants to stand for the Senedd.

“I’ve also heard a rumour that he intends to get around this rule by renting out some really cheap property in the constituency so he can claim to have a residence, but he will still not ‘live’ here as required by law.

“I’m concerned that members could be presented with a candidate for selection, who I am sure is qualified in other regards to stand – as his selection for the general election attests – but actually leaves the party open to a huge and significant legal challenge.”

London

Apart from his time last year as the Tory candidate in Cardiff West, Mr Hamblin’s work and volunteering experiences seem to have been almost without exception in London.

For one year and eight months he was a junior officer in the Royal Navy Reserve. He has worked as a security guard and subsequently for Barclays Bank and the Bank of America in London. He has also worked as a lobbyist.

Mr Hamblin was criticised for posting supportive messages about Mr Warburton a month after he was suspended.

In July this year we emailed Mr Hamblin inviting him to make contact so we could ask him some questions. He didn’t respond, so we sent him the following questions:

Where are you working at present?

Where are you living?

Do you have an address in Cardiff?

How long have you had it?

What is your connection with Cardiff or Wales more generally? We’re aware that you stood in Cardiff West at the last election. Did you have a connection before that?

How do you respond to the suggestion that you are intending to abuse the rule that obliges Senedd candidates to live in Wales?

What are the important issues for you in the Senedd election, and what qualities do you have that would make you an asset to the Conservative group, to the Senedd and to Wales?

Nation.Cymru received no response from Mr Hamblin in July, and we have received no response to a further email asking him to make contact to discuss his endorsements.