Former Stoke-on-Trent MP accuses Tory party of 'lack of support and a toxic culture'
Jo Gideon said she would not stand for re-election after 'persistent bullying.'
Former Tory MP for Stoke-on-Trent Jo Gideon has said "persistent bullying" from local Conservative Federation officers forced her to decide not to stand for re-election.
Ms Gideon became an MP in 2019, but announced she was standing down in February last year.
In a 25-post thread on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Gideon wrote: "Sadly, my political journey has been overshadowed by a persistent lack of support and a toxic culture from the Party, both at Westminster and locally.
"People often said to me, 'There needs to be more people like you at Westminster - approachable, hardworking constituency MPs with experience of the real world'. While I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, the opposite is happening."
She began her statement by addressing possible speculation that she was "on a chicken run" to find a Conservative safe seat.
"Nothing could have been further from the truth," Ms Gideon wrote.
"In reality, I faced persistent bullying from the local Conservative Federation officers since 2019, which took a toll on my physical and mental health.
"I chose to stand down with dignity rather than face an unjust and well-rumoured deselection process.
"At the time, I did not publicly expose what I was being subjected to out of loyalty to the Party and a belief that the issue would be addressed internally.
"However, despite Central Office and the Whips being made aware, no meaningful action was taken.
"Today, I feel compelled to set the record straight and expose the unethical practices that have become pervasive within the party.
"Politics should be about serving the public, not a ruthless game of who can climb the greasy pole the fastest.
"Professionalism, integrity, and ethics should be at the core of our political system."
The former MP added: "I even resigned from the position of Parliamentary Private Secretary - an honour I was given early in my Parliamentary career - to freely champion awareness of the dangers of button batteries and found the Harper-Lee Foundation."
The Harper-Lee Foundation is based in Stoke-on-Trent and named after two-year-old Harper-Lee Fanthorpe, who died after swallowing a button battery from a remote control, according to the charity's website.
Ms Gideon continued: "In this Machiavellian world where controlling the message is everything, there is an unwillingness to embrace outliers - even loyal ones. Groupthink does not make for good politics.
"No wonder many feel disillusioned and disengaged. The British people deserve better.
"If the Conservative Party finds itself in opposition, I hope they will use the opportunity to take a long, hard look at how they have allowed discrimination, bullying, and unethical practices to fester.
"As Conservatives, we believe in judging individuals based on their merits, skills, and dedication to public service.
"It is antithetical to our values to allow discrimination, whether based on age, gender, health or any other personal characteristic, to influence the treatment and deselection of our MPs."
A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "We thank Jo Gideon for the fantastic work she did as the MP for Stoke Central and wish her well for the future.
"Throughout the four years Jo has been an MP she has brought in millions in investment and been a proud champion of her constituents in Westminster.
"We have a wide range of candidates standing at this election from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life."