MEMBERS of the North Dorset Conservative Association are being urged to deselect its MP.
Simon Hoare (Con, North Dorset) has represented the safe Conservative seat since 2015, and is currently an under secretary of state for local government.
However, despite his long-standing pedigree as a Conservative, he is among 10 MPs targeted in a call to action by the Conservative Post website.
The site, which claims to support “free markets, free speech, free people, low taxes and small government”, has launched a ferocious attack on certain MPs, saying the party has been “weeding out actual centre-right conservatives and pushing liberal centrists”.
Mr Hoare called the article “ludicrous nonsense” and said the Conservative Party was a “broad church, or it is nothing”.
But the piece, which includes a copy-and-paste letter for members to adapt and send to their association chair, said: “For too long there have been concerns the Conservative Party’s candidates department have been weeding out actual centre-right conservatives and pushing liberal centrists.
“Let’s change that. It’s time to start flexing our muscles and steering our party back to proper conservatism. We want MPs who promote proper conservative values: free speech, free markets, free people, low taxes, small government, Brexit and Britain! Poll after poll show the country is also calling out for this.
“It doesn’t matter if your local Parliamentary Candidate has already been selected; a Special General Meeting has the power to change its mind.”
Under Conservatiive Party rules, if 10% of the membership submit a letter of no confidence in the MP, a Special General Meeting can be called – and a candidate potentially deselected.
Caroline Nokes (Con, Romsey and Southampton North) is also named in the Conservative Post list. Picture: UK Parliament
The full list of 10 MPs identified by the Conservative Post is:
Bim Afolami
Alicia Kearns
Tobias Elwood
Alan Mak
Roger Gale
Simon Hoare
Caroline Nokes
Victoria Atkins
Laura Trott
Alberto Costa
In response, Mr Hoare dismissed the appeal “from an organisation no one has ever heard of”.
“I really don’t comment on such ludicrous nonsense from an organisation no one has ever heard of,” he said.
“That said, the Tory Party is a broad church, or it is nothing.
“I have been a member of the Tory Party since 1985 and I believe in commonsense, practical and pragmatic politics, anchored by public service.
“If that makes me a liberal centrist then I’m guilty as charged.”
The Conservative Post piece was posted by editor, Claire Bullivant, who is also CEO of the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), which campaigns “to give members a greater say in the direction of the Conservative Party”.
Lord Peter Cruddas is president of the CDO, while other leaders include ‘political commentator’ Alex Story, a former Olympic rower, and barrister Steven Barrett, a GB News regular, who is the group’s ‘independent legal and constitutional consultant’.
The call comes as Mr Hoare looks to be among few Conservative MPs who can be confident of retaining their seat the next general election.
The polling and forecaster Electoral Calculus gives the Conservatives a 75% chance of winning the seat, compared to 26% in West Dorset (Con, Chris Loder) and 20% in South Dorset (Con, Richard Drax).
The right wing of the Tory party doesn’t seem to realise they’re the ones the public are fed up with and will vote out of office when the general election is finally held.