Guido sources say that at the end of last week the executive of the Hastings & Rye Conservative Association voted not to reselect the incumbent MP since 2019, Sally-Ann Hart, to fight the next general election. Constituency sources are remaining tight-lipped as to the reasons. Sally-Ann confirmed to Guido that “I was not re-adopted by my Association.” She was willing to fight the seat at the next election.

Based on current national polling her Labour opponent Helena Dollimore is forecast by UK Polling Report to easily win the seat by a double digit margin at the next election.

Sally-Ann Hart was the former district councillor for Eastern Rother from 2015 until she was selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in November 2019 and elected as the member of Parliament for Hastings and Rye in December 2019. Guido’s understanding is that the selection of an MP now has to go to the wider constituency membership and she will not be precluded from putting her name forward again. Though it would be difficult without the support of the Association’s officers….