Eddy Shah seeks Tory stronghold

EDDY SHAH, founder of Today, Britain's first all-colour national newspaper, is hoping to stand as a Conservative in the next general election.

Mr Shah, 55, who won Tory approval for his 1980s battle against the unions, is expected to seek selection in either Harwich or Castle Point, better known as Canvey Island. Both constituencies are former Tory strongholds, which were won by Labour in the last election.

He became a member of the Conservative Party after its 1997 general election defeat. If elected, he would join Archie Norman, the chairman of Asda, as one of the few high-profile business success stories in the Commons.

Today was beset with production problems, but still achieved sales of 500,000. Rupert Murdoch bought it in 1987, but closed it in 1995.

Mr Shah launched another short-lived national newspaper, the Daily Post, in 1988, before concentrating on writing novels and developing leisure facilities.

"I don't think you should do just one thing in life," he said recently.