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Two businesswomen complete ‘diverse’ Tory mayoral longlist

High achievers: property expert Alison Cork, left. Simone Finn, an ex-accountant
High achievers: property expert Alison Cork, left. Simone Finn, an ex-accountant

Two prominent businesswomen have joined the race to be the Conservative candidate for London mayor in 2020.

The party said the 10-strong longlist includes four women and four black or ethnic minority candidates. Eight were educated at state schools.

Alison Cork, 54, is a property expert, TV presenter and entrepreneur who has written regularly for the Evening Standard about interiors.

She co-founded a mail-order firm, has presented shows for Channel 5 and QVC and set up a home interiors company and her own retail website, Alison at Home. Married with two sons, she also founded The National Women’s Enterprise Network.

Baroness Finn, 50, is a former accountant at the Financial Services Authority who became a government special adviser. Lady Finn, whose first name is Simone, was described as the “silk-and-steel adviser” behind the former Coalition government’s trade union reforms. The pair join businesswoman Baroness McGregor-Smith and councillor Joy Morrissey on the list.

London Tory chiefs will pare down the field to a shortlist to attend hustings in August, followed by a vote and the announcement of the candidate before the party conference in October.