Tory stalwart MP Sir Patrick Cormack who was effectively dumped a couple of weeks ago by his local Conservative executive, has won a reprieve.
He's just been on BBC Radio 4's PM programme to explain that an investigation into the vote showed that only members who at the meeting were entitled to vote, but there were more votes counted than people attending the meeting.
Sir Patrick, who would become "Father of the House" as the longest serving backbencher if re-elected at the next General Election, says there were 27 people at the Executive meeting which dumped him, but there were a total of 29 votes.
He lost by one vote. He also complains that some of his own supporters were not notified of the meeting which ousted him.
The vote has now been declared "null and void" by red-faced Tory officials and will have to be re-run.
Sir Patrick describes the situation as "distinctly odd".
Sounds more like a classic Tory stitch-up.
His local members who decided their 69-year-old MP was past his sell-by date, clearly misjudged his tenacity.
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4 comments:
"Sir Patrick, who would become "Father of the House" as the longest serving backbencher if re-elected at the next General Election"
Peter Tapsell should become Father of the House after next GE. Cormack entered the House in 1970 GE (along with Meacher, Strang, Prezza, Skinner, Kaufman, Ken Clarke and Paisley among the current MPs. Paisley service has not been continuous though), whilst Tapsell was MP from 1959 to 1964 and from 1966 to nowdays. His 1959-1964 period as MP is not counted for the Father of the House position because it has been interrupted, but I think his continuous service from 1966 should. So he would qualify before Cormack
andrea
seems fair enough to me, i believe it was the bbc who identified him as father in waiting, but seems like they have it wrong...!
thanks
can't find reference at the beeb just now, but certainly the Daily Mirror tho0ught he'd be Father of House if he survived the next election (and his own conservative association...)
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_headline=old-tory-gets-boot&method=full&objectid=18618775&siteid=89520-name_page.html
ah, yes, I recall that reference in the Mirror. It made me check Cormack and Tapsell's service to see if I recall it wrong
Cormack certainly has Father of the House ambitions though (I suppose Tapsell will retire the election after the next one) and IIRC I read of Speaker ambitions too
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