Elections to the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers have always been a test of the relative strengths of the right and left of the party. But this year, the split is between those who are backing the broadly pro-leadership 301 Group slate and those who view the ’22 as more of an alternative voice.
The contest has become particularly heated after last week’s fiery meeting of the ’22 Committee. Intriguingly, Stewart Jackson, who was barracked when he tried to defend Nadine Dorries for her ‘posh boys’ attack on Cameron and Osborne, is standing for the executive. Given what he wrote on Sunday and that he resigned as a PPS over the EU referendum vote, the support for him will demonstrate how many MPs are dissatisfied with Cameron’s leadership.
Another interesting development on the ’22 front is that Nick DeBois, the Tory MP for Enfield, is running as a ‘non slated candidate’ for secretary.
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