On Tuesday night following a vote by his local party executive committee, Crispin Blunt, the Tory MP for the safe seat of Reigate since 1997 was asked to re-apply for selection by a vote of the Conservative Association’s membership. Re-selection for a sitting Tory MP is usually an automatic formality. When a Tory Association chairman tells you to re-apply, he is basically offering the MP a tumbler of whiskey and a loaded revolver…

In 2010 when he announced that he was leaving his wife as he was “coming to terms with his homosexuality” members of the association reportedly sympathised with Blunt’s wife, Victoria, who understandably was devastated by him coming out. The situation is being presented by CCHQ, who are in heightened pre-conference damage control mode, as local homophobic bigots are trying to unseat a liberal, gay MP making a difficult personal adjustment. That is not the complete picture. Blunt had a reputation as a particularly high-handed and arrogant MP even when he was in the closet.

The procedure now is that the issue of his candidacy goes to the membership for a simple yes/no majority vote. CCHQ are spinning that he “has the overwhelming support of the ordinary membership”. We shall find out soon enough…