“Tory MPs are dropping like flies,” says senior Conservative figure
The 79 Conservative MPs who are standing down,
and the scandal at Tory Party Head Office preventing good people from standing in their place
Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2024
Brexit Facts4EU publishes the latest details, and questions what on is going on at CCHQ
With another raft of Conservative MPs stating yesterday they will not stand at the general election on 04 July, we look at the latest picture. So far 79 Tory MPs have stated they won’t stand and the numbers kept on growing yesterday, including a Cabinet member (Michael Gove) and other influential figures.
Meanwhile, Conservative Party HQ has refused to announce that senior figures seeking a seat will be removed from the ‘Deferred List’, which effectively means they have been blocked from becoming a candidate.
In all, 22% of elected Conservative MPs are standing down
Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary
The 79 Tory MPs standing down at the forthcoming general election
- Sir Graham Brady : Altrincham and Sale West
- John Baron : Basildon and Billericay
- Bob Stewart : Beckenham
- Huw Merriman : Bexhill and Battle
- Dehenna Davison : Bishop Auckland
- Nick Gibb : Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
- Jamie Wallis : Bridgend
- Andrew Percy : Brigg and Goole
- Sir Robert Neill : Bromley and Chislehurst
- Sajid Javid : Bromsgrove
- Sir Charles Walker : Broxbourne
- Jo Churchill : Bury St Edmunds
- Craig Whittaker : Calder Valley
- George Eustice : Camborne and Redruth
- Tracey Crouch : Chatham and Aylesford
- Nickie Aiken : Cities of London and Westminster
- David Jones : Clwyd West
- Will Quince : Colchester
- Trudy Harrison : Copeland
- Henry Smith : Crawley
- Dr Kieran Mullan : Crewe and Nantwich
- Chris Heaton-Harris : Daventry
- Alister Jack : Dumfries and Galloway
- Lisa Cameron : East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
- Tim Loughton : East Worthing and Shoreham
- Sir Greg Knight : East Yorkshire
- Edward Timpson : Eddisbury
- Dame Eleanor Laing : Epping Forest
- Chris Grayling : Epsom and Ewell
- Dominic Raab : Esher and Walton
- Mike Freer : Finchley and Golders Green
- Brandon Lewis : Great Yarmouth
- Robert Halfon : Harlow
- William Wragg : Hazel Grove
- Mike Penning : Hemel Hempstead
- Dr Matthew Offord : Hendon
- John Howell : Henley
- Chris Clarkson : Heywood and Middleton
- Jonathan Djanogly : Huntingdon
- James Grundy : Leigh
- Philip Dunne : Ludlow
- Theresa May : Maidenhead
- Pauline Latham : Mid Derbyshire
- Sir Paul Beresford : Mole Valley
- Douglas Ross : Moray
- Oliver Heald : North East Hertfordshire
- Sir Michael Ellis : Northampton North
- Chloe Smith : Norwich North
- Stuart Andrew : Pudsey
- Sir Alok Sharma : Reading West
- Sir James Duddridge : Rochford and Southend East
- Mark Pawsey : Rugby
- Sir Robert Goodwill : Scarborough and Whitby
- Gordon Henderson : Sittingbourne and Sheppey
- Richard Bacon : South Norfolk
- Sir Gary Streeter : South West Devon
- Royston Smith : Southampton, Itchen
- Kwasi Kwarteng : Spelthorne
- Stephen McPartland : Stevenage
- Jo Gideon : Stoke-on-Trent Central
- Sir William Cash : Stone
- Nadhim Zahawi : Stratford-on-Avon
- Paul Scully : Sutton and Cheam
- Lucy Allan : Telford
- Andy Carter : Warrington South
- James Heappey : Wells
- Nicola Richards : West Bromwich East
- Stephen Hammond : Wimbledon
- Steve Brine : Winchester
- Adam Afriyie : Windsor
- Robin Walker : Worcester
- Ben Wallace : Wyre and Preston North
- David Duguid : Banff and Buchan
- David Evenett : Bexleyheath and Crayford
- Dame Andrea Leadsom : South Northamptonshire
- Craig Mackinlay : South Thanet
- Michael Gove : Surrey Heath
- Matt Hancock : West Suffock
- Sir John Redwood : Wokingham
[Sources : Public statements | House of Commons Library.]
As one very senior Conservative figure commented to us yesterday : “They’re dropping like flies”. Those who are standing down include household names such as the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, the Rt Hon Sir John Redwood MP, and the Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP.
This should leave the floor wide open to candidates to replace them. The problem is CCHQ and the all-powerful ‘Candidates Committee’ which has to approve all those whom local Conservative Associations are allowed to consider.
Unsurprisingly, potential candidates did not want to go on the record, but Nadine Dorries did
This is what former Cabinet Minister Nadine Dorries told us exclusively this morning
The focus must now be on rebuilding the Conservative Party ready for a fresh start and a new political generation. In order to do that, we require MPs who strongly believe in the core fundamental principles of conservatism to replace those who are standing down.
Sovereignty, freedom, opportunity, low tax, compassion to name but a few.
If we fail to do this and we lose the general election without a core ideology to build upon, the renewed party will remain in opposition for a very long time.
- Former Secretary of State Nadine Dorries, commenting to Facts4EU.Org and CIBUK.Org, 25 May 2024
The oldest political party in the world looks set to be wiped out – will CCHQ follow?
Brexit Facts4EU.Org deals in facts. We are less comfortable dealing in political matters, as we are non-partisan. That said, we have had numerous private conversations with very senior Conservative figures who have increasingly expressed alarming concerns over the running of CCHQ (Conservative Central Headquarters).
Some highly-qualified individuals whose names will be known to the public have told us that they had in effect been barred from putting their names for forward to constituency associations as prospective candidates.
We approached CCHQ for comment
Firstly we must explain what it means to have been ‘deferred’ by Central Office. In all practical terms this means that you are not approved to be selected by a local constituency association as a candidate.
Facts4EU.Org urged CCHQ to change its policy on some key individuals whom many readers might consider to represent their views. It now appears that this may finally be happening. We can’t name names for obvious reasons but there are at least some indications that those who have been blocked from standing by the dictatorial CCHQ may finally be allowed to stand.
We will comment on this in our ‘Observations’ below. Here is what we were told by a very senior CCHQ source yesterday.
“As part of our long established processes, individuals with a deferred pass regularly have their pass type reviewed. Where the Candidates Committee agrees, a deferment can be removed.
“As we work with local Associations to ensure that we nominate a prospective parliamentary candidate in every outstanding constituency by the 7th June, we are working flexibly. Therefore, regarding this Saturday, individuals who have contacted the Candidates department who have a deferred pass have still been encouraged to submit their expression of interest for any of the remaining seats advertised.
“This means should their pass type be revised they will not be disadvantaged.”
Those involved at the centre of this include Dougie Smith who works in No.10, and the head of candidate selection Matt Wright, who works at Matthew Parker Street, London SW1. All powerful, they have stood in the way of potential candidates whom many readers will know, because these candidates’ views did not coincide with those at party headquarters.
Observations
Our interest in this revolves around democracy, not party politics. For years we have campaigned against unelected officials in Brussels dictating policies and rules which affect the lives of hundreds of millions of EU citizens and which continue to affect tens of millions of British citizens.
Naturally it is difficult for individuals in the UK who wish to represent constituents to speak out against the dictatorial behaviour of the unelected officials within the party machines of British political parties. We have a political system which means that unless you are allowed to become a candidate for a major political party you have almost no chance of being elected.
This is a cancer at the heart of democracy and today we are calling this out. This report relates to the Conservative Party but the principles apply equally to the other parties.
We believe in grass-roots democracy, which means allowing local people to decide who they would like to represent them in an election. This should not be decided by faceless bureaucrats in offices in London.
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[ Sources: CCHQ | Private sources | House of Commons Library | And special thanks to 'a Scottish leaver lass' who is part of our team ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 25 May 2024
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