THE Conservative Party has announced the name of the man who will fight Prime Minister Tony Blair for his Sedgefield seat at the next General Election.

He is Danny Kruger, a 30-year-old party policy advisor who has worked in the fields of the NHS, schools, crime and asylum.

Mr Kruger said he was proud and honoured to have the opportunity to overturn Mr Blair's 17,713 majority at the election expected to be held next May.

Mr Kruger joined the Tories ten years ago when a student at Edinburgh University. He also works as a volunteer debt advisor and at a school for disadvantaged children in the London.

He said: "Other MPs can blame the Government for problems in their constituency. Tony Blair has no one to blame but himself."

He said Mr Blair had failed to fulfil his promises to cut crime, improve school standards and keep taxes down.

He said: "The people of Sedgefield have a unique opportunity to send a signal to Mr Blair. Seven years failing to deliver on his promises is long enough. It's time for him to go."

At the 2001 General Election, Tory candidate Douglas Carswell polled 8,397 votes - 14 more than the party's 1997 candidate.