Tory rebels find their hot seats have gone cold

AfTer the backlash in parliament over the expulsion of 21 Tory Mps who voted against a no Deal Brexit, there are signs of a compromise from Boris Johnson.

Letters are being sent by Tory HQ encouraging the rebels to use the appeals procedure. But while the PM may be forgiving, the local associations the Mps represent appear less so.

in Tunbridge Wells, where 45 per cent voted Leave and former Business Secretary greg Clark was one of the most high-profile Mps to lose the whip, Joe Simmons, the Conservative constituency chairman, said: ‘it’s hard to see the scenario where they can bring greg back into the fold.

‘He was a good local Mp, but as a former Cabinet minister he should have played the game according to the rules.’

in Stourbridge (64 per cent Leave vote), the terse one-line

statement on the association website about Margot James, the former Culture minister, speaks volumes.

it reads: ‘As there is no sitting Mp in the Stourbridge Constituency representing the Conservative party, the Association will be taking immediate steps in accordance with the Constitution of the Conservative party to select a prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for Stourbridge to stand at the next election.’

in Beaconsfield, where nearly half of the constituency voted Leave and there have been two no-confidence votes against rebel leader and former Attorney general Dominic grieve, the association chairman Jackson ng said: ‘it’s with regret that i announce our Mp has had the whip withdrawn by the Conservative party due to his failure to support the PM. We are saddened as we have previously urged him to desist.’

Boris may have another fight on his hands if he tries to bring any of these Mps back.