Revealed: plot to strong-arm MPS into voting for tiers policy

Matt Hancock threatened to block pet projects in the seats of Tories who rebelled against Government over local lockdowns

Having endured the pain of a second national lockdown, the idea of going straight into a tiered system of regional Covid lockdowns in December 2020 was not universally popular with Tory MPS.

Many of them were doubting the wisdom of lockdowns and asking legitimate questions about whether they were doing more harm than good.

But Matt Hancock, and the Government as a whole, had made up their minds that tiers were the way forward, and with Parliament about to vote on the issue, dissenting voices were not welcome.

Whatsapp messages between Mr Hancock and one of his aides, Allan Nixon, show how ministers and government whips discussed strong-arming one MP into voting for the tiers policy by threatening to withdraw funding for a project in their constituency.

In other cases, MPS’ votes were secured via letters that helped them show their constituents that they were talking tough.

The whips’ office even drew up a spreadsheet with a traffic light system to help them decide which MPS might be open to persuasion, using number 3, in red, for hardliners, number 2, in amber, for waverers.

Trouble had been brewing since July 2020, when several MPS complained about the economic effects of local lockdowns, which were imposed first in Leicestershire, on the same day that restrictions were being eased in the rest of England.

Allan Nixon

Tba Graham Brady is fuming. “Govt is ruining livelihoods” etc etc. (He’s emailed about something separate the other day so I’ll be exceptionally nice and helpful to him on that) [30/07/2020, 20:54:38]

Allan Nixon

This MP call is awful by the way. Philip Davies, James Daly, Jason Mccartney all going off their head about getting about being caught up in this, saying their area is fine and it’s something miles away [30/07/2020, 21:35:42]

Matt Hancock

Is it still going on? [30/07/2020, 21:36:00]

Allan Nixon

Yes [30/07/2020, 21:36:04]

Matt Hancock

**** ing hell [30/07/2020, 21:36:10]

By November the whole country had been placed back into lockdown in a month-long “circuit breaker” that lasted until early December.

The Government intended to replace the lockdown with a tiered system of restrictions, with tougher restrictions in the worst-hit areas, but Mr Daly and other MPS were making it clear they were unhappy with the policy and were inclined to vote against it or abstain when it was put to Parliament.

It was at this point that Mr Nixon and Mr Hancock discussed the idea of blocking pet projects in some MPS’ constituencies if they carried out their threats to rebel.

They discussed James Daly, the MP for Bury North, who in January 2020 had posted a picture on his website of himself with Mr Hancock, with the caption: “Great to speak with the Health Secretary Matt Hancock about how we improve health outcomes for all Bury North residents.

“We have sites in Bury where we could create a Public Health Hub, with joined up public services in one location benefiting the most vulnerable in our community.”

Allan Nixon

I think we need to dangle our top asks over some of these 2019 intake MPS who are going off the boil this coming week. Thoughts on me suggesting to Chief’s spads that they give us a list of the 2019 intakes thinking of rebelling. Eg James wants his Learning Disability Hub in Bury - whips call him up and say Health team want to work with him to deliver this but that’ll be off the table if he rebels [22/11/2020, 10:37:47]

Allan Nixon

These guys’ re-election hinges on us in a lot of instances, and we know what they want. We should seriously consider using it IMO [22/11/2020, 10:39:55]

Matt Hancock

yes 100%

[22/11/2020, 11:11:58]

Six days later, Mr Nixon sent Mr Hancock a spreadsheet from the whips’ office, led at the time by Mark Spencer, the chief whip, with the names of 95 Tory MPS who had reservations about the tiers policy, of whom 57 were rated “red”, meaning they were hardliners.

Allan Nixon

Latest list from whips here. Please don’t share on

[28/11/2020, 11:35:34]

Allan Nixon

Worth considering calling Huw given his comments in here. I spoke to him about the DPH thing, and while it _does_ seem like Contain team (the South East lot in particular) screwed up with DPH handling here, a call from you would prob help him wind his neck in. He’s a good guy at heart, but is just being a total nob here

[28/11/2020, 11:40:41]

In the spreadsheet, Huw Merriman, the Bexhill and Battle MP (now rail minister) is quoted as saying he is “pretty frustrated about the levels of incompetence from DOH”.

In a column headed “issue”, Mr Merriman’s issue is listed as “disagrees with tier”. He is given an “amber” rating.

Mr Merriman and Mr Daly were both among those who voted against the Government when the policy was put to Parliament on December 1.

The “issues” column in the spreadsheet describes other MPS’ gripes as parliamentary scrutiny, economic harm, hospitality, cost benefit analysis and “un-conservative”.

Some MPS said they would vote for the policy under certain conditions, such as greater support for pubs, while others wanted a cost benefit analysis of the tiers system or a formal review of the policy every two weeks.

There is a “comments” section for each MP in the whips’ spreadsheet. Alongside Shipley MP Philip Davies is the comment: “Thinks the Covid approach is utterly ruinous and is destroying the economy and losing the party vast swathes of support in Northern areas such as his. ‘When has crashing the economy ever been the right solution to any problem?’”

When the vote went ahead on December 1, Mr Davies voted against the Government.

Others who later voted against the Government included Richard Drax, who is quoted in the spreadsheet describing the policy as “total madness”; Sir Charles Walker (“peaceful protests about the lockdown have been oppressively policed”) and John Redwood (“the more I’ve seen the data it shows West Berks and Wokingham should be tier one not two”).

When the vote went ahead on December 1, a total of 55 Tory MPS voted against the Government, with a further 16 abstaining, suggesting the whipping operation managed to limit the damage, though it was still the biggest rebellion of Boris Johnson’s premiership at that point.

The Whatsapp messages reveal what was going on behind the scenes in the whipping operation in the build-up to the vote, with Mr Hancock personally phoning some MPS in the hope they could be persuaded to vote with the Government and finding out what it would take.

Matt Hancock

Can you resend me the list j need to call? [29/11/2020, 11:34:10]

Allan Nixon

Yes no problem [29/11/2020, 11:36:12]

Allan Nixon

1. Tobias Ellwood

2. John Penrose

3. Liam Fox

4. DD

5. Huw Merriman [29/11/2020, 11:38:05]

Allan Nixon

(I added Huw) [29/11/2020, 11:38:10]

In other cases, Mr Hancock arranged for an exchange of letters with MPS, mentioning their constituencies or regions. It meant that the MPS could, if they chose, publish the letters and show voters that they had been standing up for their constituencies.

Allan Nixon

Just to check you want your Leics letter to be drafted similarly to the Warwickshire letter (ie “we’ll look at each on its own merits” etc, and not promising further) [29/11/2020, 12:21:09]

Matt Hancock

Yep

[29/11/2020, 12:21:29]

Later the same day there was a further conversation about the letters.

Matt Hancock

Let’s get going on the letters - chief [whip] and I are in agreement so let’s go. We should never have allowed JBC [Joint Biosecurity Centre] to do this stupid “sub-regional” nonsense. [29/11/2020, 16:04:22]

Early on the morning of the vote, Mr Hancock was still calling MPS to ask for their support for the tiers policy.

Allan Nixon

Morning! I’ve held a couple of 15 min slots in your diary today to make MP calls (esp if whips get in touch last min to ask you to call someone). Till that happens, 3 calls whips keen for you to do today please:

1. Tracey Crouch

2. Greg Knight

3. Mary Robinson [01/12/2020, 07:21:31]

Matt Hancock

Ok

[01/12/2020, 07:37:17]

At 8.42am Mr Nixon sent Mr Hancock a list of 33 Conservative MPS, saying they were the “undecideds as of this am”.

It did not include the name of Mr Daly, whom Mr Hancock wrongly thought had been persuaded to support the Government.

Matt Hancock

James Daly is with us [01/12/2020, 08:53:25]

Allan Nixon

If extra hospitality support is forthcoming [01/12/2020, 08:57:31]

Matt Hancock

Andrew Mitchell will abstain [01/12/2020, 09:24:23]

Allan Nixon

Thanks

[01/12/2020, 09:31:04]

Over the course of that afternoon, there was further horse-trading over the wording of letters that would be sent to individual MPS or groups of MPS in the same region to show that due consideration had been given to their concerns.

Allan Nixon

Hayes and Gareth Davies are asking for more. Want a hit tip to their specific constituencies in the line “including areas within Lincolnshire”.

[01/12/2020, 13:06:33]

Allan Nixon

It’s too much. I want to tell them, you’ve got your concession, that’s it, take it. [01/12/2020, 13:06:37]

Matt Hancock

They can have it. I’ve flipped the PM and he’s gone full in for the “localised as possible based on the human geographies” [01/12/2020, 13:10:00]

Allan Nixon

Ok [01/12/2020, 13:10:08]

Allan Nixon

They will accept the below.

“Dear Sir John,

Thank you for meeting with me today with Sir Edward Leigh MP and Gareth Davies MP to discuss the decision to place Lincolnshire in Local Covid Alert Level Very High (Tier 3). I understand the force of your arguments *on the particulars of South Lincolnshire and South Holland* and I know you made them in the best interests of your constituents.

As I made clear in our meeting, we will formally review the data and tier allocations for all area across England on 16 December and every two weeks thereafter, and I can assure you that we will again assess each area individually, including areas within Lincolnshire *such as South Lincolnshire*, on its own merits.

It is important to note that we know from lived experience over recent months that where narrow carve-outs take place in the face of higher rates in neighbouring areas, time and again these carved-out areas simply catches up, and often overtakes their neighbouring areas.

I hope this provides you with the assurances you seek.

I know your constituents and people right across Lincolnshire are working hard to help get this virus under control. With these collective efforts, I very much hope that we can do so.

Yours ever

Matt”

[01/12/2020, 13:12:42]

Allan Nixon

Happy? [01/12/2020, 13:12:44]

Matt Hancock

Take out the final “such as S Lincs” [01/12/2020, 13:13:15]

Allan Nixon

That’s the bit they say they have to have [01/12/2020, 13:13:30]

Twenty minutes later, Mr Hancock sent Mr Nixon a picture of a question that Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark appeared to be preparing to ask in that evening’s debate preceding the vote, which said “Kent is the biggest county in Britain, with vast differences in the level of Covid. In Tunbridge Wells it’s one of the lowest in the UK.

“Will the Prime Minister commit – at the first review date of 16th December – to reduce the tier for a particular Borough if the five criteria are clearly met for that Borough, specifically?”

The words “commit” and “to reduce the tier” were underlined in pen, with a handwritten note at the bottom saying “Needs to be specifically this.”

Matt Hancock

We have to choose whether to (a) say the PM made his position clear on a localised approach or (b) give the full concession to Lincs and Kent. WDYT? [01/12/2020, 13:35:05]

Allan Nixon

Theyve won. They’ve got their concession. Anything beyond that is just irrelevant in my view

[01/12/2020, 13:37:16]

Allan Nixon

On the other hand I’m getting bombarded by John Hayes as we speak, saying if he doesn’t get this South Lincs point he’s going to ring PM and Michael Gove and if he doesn’t get it he’ll vote against us [01/12/2020, 13:38:39]

Allan Nixon

It’s pathetic frankly, but there we are. What’s the call? (Should I speak to Chief ’s spads?) [01/12/2020, 13:39:27]

Matt Hancock

Yes - ask the Chief & No10. Say do they want us to land these votes or not [01/12/2020, 13:44:40]

Allan Nixon

Ok

[01/12/2020, 13:48:17]

As the afternoon wore on, more MPS asked for letters, and others asked for more changes to the letters that had been promised. Mr Hancock and Mr Nixon discussed whether MPS being sent letters would persuade other MPS to climb down from rebelling.

Allan Nixon

How many does Greg bring with him? [01/12/2020, 14:16:09]

Allan Nixon

Henry asking [01/12/2020, 14:16:11]

Matt Hancock

Damian Green, Tracey Crouch [01/12/2020, 14:16:34]

Allan Nixon

(And assume you’re comfortable with Greg’s ask? - is his other ask) [01/12/2020, 14:16:38]

Matt Hancock

Probably

‘When has crashing the economy ever been the right solution to any problem?’

[01/12/2020, 14:16:42]

Matt Hancock

Yes if needed [01/12/2020, 14:16:47]

Matt Hancock

Damian has just now said he’s voting against so I guess that’s gone! [01/12/2020, 14:17:43] At 2.38pm Mr Nixon messaged Mr Hancock to say Sir John Hayes had “moved the goalposts” and wanted his letter to be similar to one sent to John Penrose MP. The new draft added a new final sentence which said: “I very much hope that South Lincolnshire’s case rates continue to improve, and such progress will of course be factored into these decisions in each of the formal reviews.”

Allan Nixon

It’s not the prettiest draft. But he and Gareth will vote for us if we send this letter [01/12/2020, 14:39:43]

Matt Hancock

Cleared [01/12/2020, 14:40:52]

Matt Hancock

And do the Kent one [01/12/2020, 14:40:57] More than an hour later Mr Hancock had an update on Tracey Crouch, one of the MPS who had been on the “undecideds” list earlier in the day.

Matt Hancock

Tracey won’t vote against and considering voting for [01/12/2020, 15:55:06]

Allan Nixon

Really? She said to me point blank that she’ll abstain regardless of the letter [01/12/2020, 15:55:26]

Matt Hancock

The letter doesn’t help but I laid it on thick with love [01/12/2020, 15:55:46] Ms Crouch did vote with the Government later that day. Nearly an hour later, Mr Hancock and Mr Nixon were turning their attention to Tom Tugendhat, the Tonbridge and Malling MP.

Allan Nixon

Did you get Tom Tug? [01/12/2020, 16:46:52]

Matt Hancock

No he’s in committee [01/12/2020, 16:47:21]

Allan Nixon

He wants: 1. For us to send it as a standalone to each of the Kent MPS who want it (FINE) 2. Change “I can assure you” to “I can commit that” (see below)(fine, I think) 3. Remove the sentence “we know from lived experience that narrow carve outs” don’t work (TRICKY, BUT POSSIBLE) 4. Wants to remove the “where we’re satisfied there’s sufficiently low risk of spread in neighbouring areas”. Didn’t want it tweaked, wanted it fully removed. (I explained that that’s just not possible tbh) [01/12/2020, 17:06:54]

Allan Nixon

1 & 2 are fine. 3 is possible. 4 is just ridiculous and removal of that line is a dealbreaker in my view [01/12/2020, 17:09:35]

Matt Hancock

offer 12&3 [01/12/2020, 17:09:51]

Allan Nixon

Agreed. Can I tell him 4 not possible? (And if he pushes back again he needs to speak to you?) [01/12/2020, 17:10:56]

Matt Hancock

yep [01/12/2020, 17:17:01]

Allan Nixon

Sorry one other important one I missed from the list. As you expected he wants removal of “look to”, so it reads “[if satisfies criteria]...we will reduce the level of the borough on that basis.” [01/12/2020, 17:20:54]

Matt Hancock

that’s fine if we keep 4 [01/12/2020, 17:21:38]

Allan Nixon

I think this is ok, but _only_ if we keep the caveat of risk from neighbouring areas [01/12/2020, 17:21:41]

Allan Nixon

Agreed [01/12/2020, 17:21:47] Mr Tugendhat voted against the Government. Mr Nixon later relayed instructions from Downing Street, telling Mr Hancock that “This rebellion is going to be massive anyway so we shouldn’t go too far in undermining our approach.” As Mr Hancock’s contribution in the Commons approached, the two men decided some MPS, including Greg Clark (who voted against the Government), could not be persuaded.

Matt Hancock

Given up! [01/12/2020, 18:39:53]

Allan Nixon

All down to a barnstorming speech now! [01/12/2020, 18:40:24]

The vote was won by 290 votes to 78, with 55 Conservative MPS voting against the Government and 16 abstaining. Only 15 Labour MPS voted against the tiers system, with 184 abstaining. Of the original 95 “red and amber” Tory MPS considered potential rebels, 37 voted with the Government, including 14 who had been given a red rating.

Out of the 55 who voted against the Government, 49 had been on the list (35 red, 14 amber) and eight of the 95 abstained, of whom seven were red and one – Theresa May, the former prime minister – was amber.