The Conservative Party Candidate for the forthcoming Hartlepool by-election is to be Jeremy Middleton, a North-East based company director and management consultant who has worked extensively with public and private organisations in the region.

Mr Middleton is a director of HomeServe plc, an assistance company he co-founded in Newcastle in 1992. This company operates nationally, has a turnover of over £250m and has around 10 million members signed up to its assistance services.

The business works in partnership with Hartlepool Water, Northumbrian Water and Northern Electric and Gas throughout the North East. It employs over 2,000 people and won a place in the Sunday Times - 100 best companies to work for - in 2002 and 2003.

He has also undertaken major marketing consultancy projects for the North East Chamber of Commerce, the CBI, ONE North East and Pubmaster.

Mr Middleton is married with three children and has run for office as the candidate for Newcastle East and Wallsend in 1997 and the European Parliament North East seat in 2004. He is also area Deputy Chairman for the Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Conservatives.