Calls for 'deselection' of Rutland MP for not being 'Conservative enough'

A Tory grassroots campaign website is calling for the ‘deselection’ of two Leicestershire MPs, including Rutland's Alicia Kearns, who it claims are not being ‘conservative enough’.

The website has listed ‘the first ten MPs members want deselected.’

MP for South Leicestershire Alberto Costa and MP for Rutland and Melton Alicia Kearns are both on the list published by the Conservative Post with the word ‘deselect’ written across them.

The website has suggested its members send a letter of no confidence, and attached a letter template for its members to copy and paste, suggesting that the letter goes to their local association, copying in the Conservative Post so they can keep a tally of how many letters are sent.

In a rally call to its followers, the website said: “Calling Conservative Party Members: Deselect your MP (if they’re not being conservative enough). If you are a Conservative Party member, you have more power than they want you to know about.

“Did you know? If 10% of an Association’s membership send in a letter of no confidence about their MP, we can start deselecting those Conservative MPs who aren’t actually being conservative. So for example, an Association with 150 members would only need 15 letters of no confidence to go in to call for a Special General Meeting.

“For too long there have been concerns the Conservative Party’s candidates department have been weeding out actual centre-right conservatives and pushing liberal centrists. Let’s change that. 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! Poll after poll show the country is also calling out for this. It doesn’t matter if your local Parliamentary Candidate has already been selected; a Special General Meeting has the power to change its mind.”

MPs Alberto Costa and Alicia Kearns have been contacted for comment.

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