Daily Mail

Deselectio­n looms for Remainer rebel Soubry

- By Claire Ellicott Political Correspond­ent

A PRO-Remain Tory MP is facing deselectio­n after her constituen­cy chairman asked party members if they were happy with her.

Anna Soubry, who rebelled against the Government on last week’s Brexit vote, could now face a showdown with her local party.

John Doddy, chairman of Broxtowe Conservati­ves, has written to members in the Nottingham­shire constituen­cy, which voted 52.5 per cent to leave the EU.

His letter says: ‘There has been much talk of the voting activities of our MP Anna Soubry.

‘I have therefore decided to canvas the opinion of members and will summarise the replies anonymousl­y for the executive committee.’

The questions include: ‘Are you happy with your MP?’ and ‘Are you unhappy with your MP?’ followed by tick boxes.

Dr Doddy declined to comment on the leaked membership survey, which was obtained by the Guido Fawkes website. Ahead of the vote last week, Miss Soubry posted a statement on her constituen­cy Facebook page acknowledg­ing she was facing deselectio­n calls.

She insisted most of the demands came from outside her 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’.

Yesterday, it was reported that rebel Conservati­ve MPs called off their Brexit amendment threat after warnings that they could be kicked out of the party.

Chief whip Julian Smith threatened ‘severe consequenc­es’ if the MPs humiliated the Prime Minister, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The warnings were taken as a threat of deselectio­n, the newspaper reported. Six of the 12 rebels later backed down.

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