Morgan blames decision to quit on abuse and strain on family
and instead focus on Labour areas with a high Leave vote.
One source said: “The biggest danger is that we play party politics in order to destroy the Conservative Party and throw away Brexit in the process.”
John Longworth, a Brexit Party MEP and chairman of Leave Means Leave, claimed the party might contest just “20 or 30” seats, but admitted the strategy was “in flux”. Another party insider put the figure at 100.
The party’s prospective candidates were sent an email yesterday telling them: “Message from HQ... important. Please go dark on social media. Do not respond to any questions about where we are standing, what the strategy or plan is from now. Things will be made clear very soon.”
The party is expected to announce its strategy at an event in Westminster tomorrow amid speculation that some candidates could defect to the Tories if they are not allowed to stand.
Last night, Mr Farage said suggestions his party would only field 20 candidates were “utter rot”, adding: “I’ve said nothing about it to anybody and frankly there’s no rush. I’m working it through at the moment and will announce it in good time.”
Mrs Morgan’s announcement took the total of MPS not fighting the general election to 57. She partly blamed the “clear impact on my family and the... abuse for doing the job of a modern MP” for her decision to stand down.
Ms Rudd, who resigned the Tory whip two months ago, claimed Mr Johnson had asked her to stand again as a Conservative. Downing Street disputed her account.
Other Tory Remainers who are quitting in Leave constituencies include Sir David Lidington, former de facto deputy to Theresa May, and Sir Alan Duncan, the former Foreign Office minister.
David Jones, the former Brexit minister and Leave supporter, announced he had reversed his own decision to retire, adding: “It’s very clear that many Remain MPS have bowed to the inevitable. It’s fair to say that some of them are jumping before they’re pushed.”
A total of 33 MPS who were elected as Tories in 2017 are quitting. If all 50 Remain-backing MPS who are leaving were to be replaced with Brexiteers, it would translate to a swing of 100 seats towards Brexit, though MPS who voted Remain would still dominate by 430 to 209, with the remainder undeclared.