Lawyer called in to boot out Remoaner MPs
ONE of Britain’s top barristers, Paul Diamond, will be unveiled as the head of a legal team set up to help Conservative associations de-select Remainer MPs.
The Campaign for Conservative Democracy confirmed it was establishing a legal fund for Tory associations across the UK to support association officers who want to hold their MPs to account.
The move means that Remainer MPs including Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield), Heidi Allen (South Cambridgeshire), Antoinette Sandbach (Eddisbury), Anna Soubry (Broxtowe), Sarah Wollaston (Totnes), Nick Boles (Grantham), Sam Gyimah (East Surrey), Nicky Morgan (Loughborough), Phillip Lee (Bracknell) and Justine Greening (Putney) are under threat from being booted out by their associations.
The issue is due to become more heated after a number of Remainer Tory MPs signalled they would back Labour MP Yvette Cooper’s amendment to try to, in effect, block Brexit and wrest control of parliamentary business from the Government to achieve that. The Sunday Express previously revealed a legal fund was being set up to protect associations threatened with suspension by Conservative Central Office over attempts to deselect MPs or block candidates who are opposed to Brexit.
Portsmouth South association was suspended over a row over whether former Remainer MP Flick Drummond should be allowed to run again, while threats were made to Upminster and Hornchurch, and a senior member of the Dagenham and Rainham association over criticism of Mrs May’s deal.
Mr Diamond said: “The Conservative Party functions on integrity; not by manipulations. It is important that the rights of the membership on the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union are respected.
“MPs remain accountable to their associations and the legal fund will ensure the independence of associations; and that the relationship between the membership and the MP remains unaffected by any gerrymandering.”
One Brexit-supporting Tory donor said: “The Conservative Party has been infiltrated by Lib Dems for too long. It is time for a serious shake-up.”
The Tory Party denied any associations had been threatened with suspension.