Philip Hammond rushes to get re-selected as MP, fearing expulsion over No Deal rebellion
PHILIP Hammond is trying to rush through the process of being re-selected as a Tory MP before he gets kicked out for rebelling against a No Deal Brexit, The Sun can reveal.
All Tories must get formally re-nominated by their local party association and only the MP themselves can trigger the process.
But the former Chancellor-turned Tory rebel is sending his application in early because he wants to get on the front foot amid attempts by local members to de-select him.
He is expected to write to his Runnymede and Weybridge association chiefs this week to ask to be re-nominated.
If the party association’s executive committee votes against him being their candidate at the next election refuse, then Mr Hammond can opt for a vote of all Tory members in the constituency.
If he loses that, then he is deselected as the Tory party candidate for the next election.
Mr Hammond confirmed to The Sun that he was beginning the re-selection process.
He said: “Yes I will be doing that.”
Other Remainer rebels who face the threat of deselection include Dominic Grieve, Sam Gyimah and Philip Lee - all former ministers.
Mr Hammond has been a vocal critic of Mr Johnson’s Brexit strategy.
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Most recently he branded No10’s plan to deselect any Tory who votes against a No Deal Brexit this week “hypocritical” - pointing out that the current Cabinet includes eight Tories who defied the Government whip in the past year.
And in a further breakdown in relations he last night snubbed the PM’s invitation for one-to-one talks, blasting Mr Johnson for being “discourteous”.
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