Tory staffer turned Chairman Richard Holden has the dreaded by-election morning round this morning. The Tory candidate selection in Wellingborough – Peter Bone’s partner Helen Harrison – is sticking as an issue in the media post mortem. Asked about it up front on GB News he said:
“We’re a democratic organisation and the local people, the local members, there made that selection… it’s their choice at the end of the day, in the final analysis, who is our candidate. The results were disappointing…”
Under Conservative by-election procedures a shortlist of three candidates is forwarded by CCHQ to the local association for a vote. High command’s decision to allow the partner of the scandal-hit MP to be included meant the Bone household could exert a significant influence over the outcome of the member’s ballot. It was very likely she would be selected if included in the CCHQ list…
Wellingborough Tory sources say Labour highlighted the issue relentlessly on the doorstep. One to Bone up on for next time…
Sunak is battening down the hatches down for a gruelling day as the by-election for Peter Bone’s Wellingborough seat and Chris Skidmore’s Kingswood seat are confirmed for 15th February. Not the first time they’ve doubled up recently…
Majorities of 18,540 and 11,220 respectively are at threat and could disappear within hours of each other. A Valentine’s Day hangover on the way for Sunak?
Another by-election on the way in the new year as Wellingborough constituents vote to recall. The seat’s 2019 majority was 18,540. 13.2% voted for him to be recalled and attempt to be re-elected…
Read Bone’s statement below:
The mood amongst Tory MPs is funereal, and now Peter Bone’s suspension will inevitably trigger yet another by-election, it’s probably only going to get worse. It doesn’t help when the PM himself is publicly resigned to failure already…
Chief Whip Simon Hart has removed the Tory whip from Peter Bone. His spokesperson confirmed this afternoon:
“Following a report by the Independent Expert Panel, the Chief Whip has removed the conservative whip from Peter Bone MP.”
The IEP recommended a six-week suspension for Bone yesterday over bullying and sexual misconduct. Today’s news was inevitable…
Conservative MP for Wellingborough Peter Bone has been suspended from the Commons for six weeks for committing “many varied acts of bullying and one act of sexual misconduct” against a member of his staff in 2012 and 2013. The Independent Expert Panel stated:
“This is a serious case of misconduct. […] The bullying involved violence, shouting and swearing, mocking, belittling and humiliating behaviour, and ostracism. […]
This wilful pattern of bullying also included an unwanted incident of sexual misconduct, when the complainant was trapped in a room with the respondent in a hotel in Madrid, […]. This was a deliberate and conscious abuse of power using a sexual mechanism: indecent exposure.”
Bone claimed the findings were “without foundation“. Six weeks is well clear of the ten days necessary to trigger a recall petition and an inevitable by-election – although the standards committee also has to recommend the suspension first. Still, mark your calendars…
Read his full statement below:
