Tory grassroots campaign to oust ‘wet’ MPS before election
TORY grassroots activists have launched a campaign to oust “wet” MPS and move the party to the Right.
The Conservative Post website is urging supporters to write to their local associations in a bid to get rid of “liberal centrist” MPS.
It has listed 10 MPS it sees as “dripping wets” – those who oppose Thatcherite policies such as reducing the size of the state and cutting taxes.
Victoria Atkins, the Health Secretary, and Alicia Kearns and Caroline Nokes, who chair select committees, are on the list. It also includes Laura Trott, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Tobias Ellwood, the former defence select committee chairman, Alan Mak, the business minister, Bim Afolami, Roger Gale, Simon Hoare and Alberto Costa.
The website has created a template of a letter Tory members can use to demand a vote on reselection in the ten constituencies.
It points out that it only needs 10 per cent of members to write in with a vote of no confidence in their MP for a meeting to be called.
Claire Bullivant, the founder and editor of Conservative Post, said: “It’s time to get our Conservative Party back on track with proper Conservative MPS who have conservative values. For too long, it appears a few shadowy people in CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) and the Conservative Party’s candidates’ department have been weeding out actual centre-right conservatives and pushing liberal centrists.
“I personally know of some brilliant Conservatives who have put themselves forward as candidates, only to be rejected in favour of dripping wets.”
The phrase originated near the start of Margaret Thatcher’s premiership, where those who opposed her monetarist policies and crackdown on union power were denigrated as “wets”.
Ms Bullivant added: “Poll after poll shows Britain is crying out for conservatism. 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.
“If the MPS aren’t performing, then the members will sack them. It’s time to save our party and our country.”
The website said the 10 MPS listed were those that “members have told us” they wanted to see deselected first, adding: “If you are a member of one of these associations, please send in your letter now.”