Last night Grantham Conservative Association’s Executive Council voted unanimously to start the process of selecting their candidate for the next General Election. Usually this process is a formality undertaken just before an election with the executive simply waving the incumbent candidate through. If the executive do not vote to approve the incumbent, it goes to a ballot of the full local membership…

This morning the Association Chairman sent a letter to the local party membership attempting to downplay the executive’s moves last night, claiming that the media had carried “exaggerated reports of deselection moves on the part of the Association.” The local party chairman insisted that the party executive are “merely trying to ascertain what Nick’s intentions are for the future.” Last year Boles revealed he intended to resign the Conservative whip if the Government were to pursue No Deal…

The Conservative Party Constitution is ambiguous on the time an incumbent MP can take to respond to their local party’s request to apply to be re-selected for the next election. If Boles holds off submitting a formal reselection request then the executive can’t hold the reselection vote, and it’s not clear if they can actually force him to do so. Reportedly 300 local members have sent the local party letters regarding Boles’ position on Brexit. Failing to clarify if he wishes to continue as a Conservative will only fan the flames…