How the grassroots turned on MPs who defied their voters
THE collapse of the Tory Brexit rebellion followed intense pressure from grassroots Conservatives anxious not to see the UK’s exit from the EU derailed. The Daily Mail reported yesterday that diehard Remainers were facing calls from leading Tories in their own constituencies to back down. Barry Harding, a councillor in Dominic Grieve’s Beaconsfield constituency, said he was concerned the rebel amendment would undermine the Brexit talks. Speaking ahead of the vote, he said: ‘The government cannot go into the negotiations with its hands tied and that would be my fear with this kind of amendment.’ Last night, Mr Harding welcomed Mr Grieve’s climb down, saying: ‘He’s bottled it. You should never pick a fight you can’t win. I would hope that after
‘Never pick a fight you can’t win’
today he will start supporting the government. He has wasted time, and caused so much trouble for the Prime Minister on Brexit.’
Former education secretary Nicky Morgan also backed away from rebellion following warnings that she could face deselection.
Speaking ahead of the vote, Ron Jukes, a Tory councillor in the Loughborough constituency, said: ‘I think she’s being honest about what she personally feels but I don’t think it reflects the votes of her constituents.’ George Freeman, another potential rebel who backed down, also faced warnings from local Tories.
Speaking ahead of the vote, Adrian Stasiak, a councillor in his mid-Norfolk constituency, said local Tories ‘would all be very disappointed if he votes against the Government.’ Last night, Mr Stasiak said: ‘George did exactly the right thing. He was right to make his feelings known but it is good that he backed the government.
‘The country has had a vote and we’ve decided and the people have spoken.’ But other rebels now face fresh censure after pressing ahead with their threat to vote against the government.
Richard Haddock, a councillor in the Totnes constituency of rebel MP Sarah Wollaston, last night said she would be summoned to explain her actions to local Tories.
Mr Haddock said: ‘I’m surprised she has done this and I will be asking the constituency chairman to call a meeting of the association so she can explain herself.’ Leading rebel Anna Soubry has also admitted her behaviour was angering senior Tories in her Broxtowe constituency.
In a rambling statement on her constituency Facebook page, Miss Soubry acknowledged she was facing deselection calls. She insisted most of the calls came from outside her Broxstowe constituency, but acknowledged that many senior figures in her own association ‘ would prefer an MP that didn’t trouble the whips and kept their head down on this most divisive of subjects’.
Despite this, Miss Soubry pressed ahead with her threat to vote against the government.