The Tory grassroots are revolting – and they clearly aren’t happy either. This weekend has seen two selection battles engulf different Conservatives associations. Local Tories are currently picking their prospective parliamentary candidates, ahead of the expected general election next year. For incumbent MPs, reselection is normally a formality: the sitting member is proposed and re-adopted by the party activists who live in their constituency.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to have been the case for several sitting Conservatives. First, there was an unfortunate bun-fight for the new Penrith and Solway constituency. This seat is the product of boundary changes and pitted Dr Neil Hudson, the incumbent MP for Penrith and the Border, against Mark Jenkinson, who sits for neighbouring Workington. The new constituency is roughly two-thirds Workington and a third Penrith: unsurprisingly, Jenkinson triumphed. Hudson now faces an unseemly scramble to try to find a new seat if he wishes to continue in the Commons.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in