Seasoned national and local campaigner Nikki da Costa has been selected to fight North East Herts for the Conservative Party in the general election on July 4th.
Nikki, who lives in Ashwell village with her husband Martin and daughter Freya, will be fighting to win the seat vacated by the previous Conservative MP, Rt Hon Sir Oliver Heald KC.
Sir Oliver was full of praise for Nikki, saying:
“I fully support Nikki and I know that she will be a caring MP. She and her family live in the constituency, and she'll stand up for our villages as well as our towns.
“As a parent and school governor, she understands the needs of young families, and having run her own business, she understands the challenges and needs of our local businesses.
“I will be proud to vote for her on July 4th.”
Nikki is known to be a champion of her local area and as a North Herts District Council candidate she helped secure a change in law to better protect chalk streams from development.
Nikki said:
“North East Herts is my home and I love the can-do spirit of the area – people don’t wait around for others to solve problems, they get stuck in and sort them together.
“But I know they do want Westminster to step up. If I have the privilege of being elected as your MP, I’ll make sure North East Herts’ voice is heard.
“And I promise that if I say I will do something, I’ll keep going until I’ve delivered.”
Nikki also has a successful track-record of delivery in Westminster. Last year she was working pro bono for Kemi Badenoch, helping the Conservative government to fight back against Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish Gender Recognition Bill. Her work gave the government confidence to take on the SNP and ensure the safety of women and girls north of the border.
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, who is also standing for re-election in the neighbouring constituency of North West Essex, said:
“Nikki is a woman who gets things done. She cares deeply about honouring promises to the electorate and ensuring that their voice is heard in Parliament.
“North East Herts can ask for no-one better if you want a tenacious MP with backbone.”
Nikki has also worked in 10 Downing Street and helped deliver critical legislation which has made a difference here in Herts: to improve air and water quality, protect wildlife, and increase recycling and reduce plastic waste; helping farmers challenge prices and raise concerns with supply contracts more easily; and creating a Lifelong Learning Entitlement, so residents have the financial support to retrain throughout their lives to get the jobs they want.
Lynda Needham, Chairman of North Herts Conservatives said after her appointment:
“Nikki is an outstanding candidate, who lives locally and who will fight our cause in Parliament very effectively.”
