A businessman believing in better schooling, thriving high streets and a living wage to incentivise Brent’s jobless back to work has been selected to stand for the Conservative Party in Brent North.

Luke Parker, “a born and bred Londoner” an associate partner with technology giant IBM is currently chairman of the London area South Conservatives will stand as the parliamentary candidate in May’s General Election.

He said: “I’m campaigning on three key things in the area in Brent, one being getting better schools in the area.”

“Championing the high street is a big one for me with tax reforms to help small businesses compete with online stores. There are major taxes incentives to be an internet firm and many punishments to try and open a high street shop.”

Last but not least he said was “making work pay” with benefit reforms and by supporting the living wage having once lived on income support himself. “For an economy like ours in London which is doing very well we need to make sure that some parts of that are going down to people to incentive them to get off benefits.”

Mr Parker faces stiff competition from sitting Labour MP Barry Gardiner who has served Brent North for 18 years. Scott Bartle is standing for the Green Party.

“In Brent North you’ve got a lot of small seat conservatives who voted labour in the last election,” he said. “For me the challenge is going to be explaining what our values are, what those values mean and try to win them back.