This Wretched Hive Of Scum And Villainy

[TheTide]

Sunak is under investigation over some potential financial irregularity involving his wife. The fun never stops.

[Torrain]

Could be a tough few weeks for him. There's the local elections, the Raab report is (according to the Times) likely to drop in the next 10 days, and now this mess.

All while the spectre of Boris Johnson's potential suspension looms.

[Sol]

It appears some of the MPs we most looked forward to losing (see Dick Holden') have managed to apply to get on the weird Tory list that lets you claim you're displaced- no doubt a few will be wanting to land somewhere a lot safer than their current marginal seats.

I might be wrong but I can't remember any Labour MPs using the 2010 boundary change to jump ship; there's something rather undignified about a junior minister or random backbencher moving across the country for a safer seat.

A rare nice thing about the American political culture is the amount of stigma attached to this sort of thing; honestly I'd be for imposing a requirement that a representative must live in the district provided there are sufficient exceptions for cases of boundary changes.

[Blair]

It appears some of the MPs we most looked forward to losing (see Dick Holden') have managed to apply to get on the weird Tory list that lets you claim you're displaced- no doubt a few will be wanting to land somewhere a lot safer than their current marginal seats.

I might be wrong but I can't remember any Labour MPs using the 2010 boundary change to jump ship; there's something rather undignified about a junior minister or random backbencher moving across the country for a safer seat.

A rare nice thing about the American political culture is the amount of stigma attached to this sort of thing; honestly I'd be for imposing a requirement that a representative must live in the district provided there are sufficient exceptions for cases of boundary changes.

50 years ago it was still relatively uncommon for MPs to live in their seats; my family members joked in the 60s that their MP was seen about 4 times a year in their middle england seat. But the obsessive nature of campaigning, changing job role and well ‘localism’ means most MPs have a house in their seat- ofc there’s a difference between having a house and living in the seat!

[CumbrianLefty]

It maybe started to change noticeably in the 1980s. My former MP won the seat in 1970, never moved from his native County Durham and this wasn't even considered that important - for a while.

But by the time we got to the 1992 GE, the Tories definitely tried to make it an issue.

[Torrain]

Julian Knight will stand down at the next election, and not seek to return to the Conservative Whip. Staying on as an independent MP until the next election.

Situation is a bit grey - police have suspended investigations into the primary complaint against him, but the party believes there are other complainants, and refused to hand back the whip.

Due to him remaining an independent, he's reliquishing chairmanship of the DCMS committee - so election of a replacement Conservative MP presumably to follow - unless there's some by-law that lets his interim replacement (Damien Green) get the job full-time now.

[CumbrianLefty]

The number of Tory MPs not just defending Raab, but praising him in gushing terms, is revealing.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Bit weird as the report was pretty clear that he's an incompetent oaf.

[Torrain]

Knives being sharpened in Edinburgh - Douglas Ross might be in trouble:
https://twitter.com/conor_matchett/status/1649803518906191881
To overly simplify, his tactical voting push seems to have gone down well with those who are foremost unionists, and badly with those who are foremost conservatives.

[CumbrianLefty]

There aren't *that* many of the latter in Scotland, though.

[MacShimidh]

I’ve been very critical of Douglas Ross on another forum, but it has to be said that in recent months he finally seems to have grown into the role and seems a lot more comfortable in his own skin. Getting rid of him at this point would be a totally bizarre decision, which probably means it’s what the Scottish Tories are going to do.

[CumbrianLefty]

Bit weird as the report was pretty clear that he's an incompetent oaf.

A lot of it was in classic civil service speak though, which apart from anything else means it will be too subtle for the average Tory who is naturally inclined to support Raab and his politics.

[Torrain]

The Guardian: Dominic Raab faces campaign to sack him as MP
Parliament’s standards commissioner is facing demands to open an inquiry into Dominic Raab’s conduct, while a local campaign has been launched calling for the former justice secretary to step down as an MP.

The Observer understands that a complaint is being filed with Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, arguing that the revelations over Raab’s bullying of officials could amount to “serious breaches of the code of conduct for members of parliament”.

[EastAnglianLefty]

There aren't *that* many of the latter in Scotland, though.

But quite a lot in the Scottish Tories.

[Torrain]

Two bits of MP investigation news:

• A second investigation has been opened into Scott Benton, investigating “actions causing significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its Members generally”. I believe this is the same charge that was upheld against Margaret Ferrier and Owen Paterson, leading to a recommended 30 day suspension in both cases.
• Also, the investigation into Sunak has expanded. Apparently, he's also being investigated under clauses that forbid discussing detail of ongoing investigations by the standards commissioner.

[CumbrianLefty]

Benton does seem to be in some bother, that would be an interesting by-election.

[Torrain]

Andrew Bridgen has been expelled from the Conservative Party, for his tweet equivocating vaccines and the Holocaust. 

He has the option to appeal, but word on the street is that he’s still leaning towards defecting to Laurence Fox’s far-right Reclaim Party.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Andrew Bridgen has been expelled from the Conservative Party, for his tweet equivocating vaccines and the Holocaust. 

He has the option to appeal, but word on the street is that he’s still leaning towards defecting to Laurence Fox’s far-right Reclaim Party.

Of all the hills he could die on...

[Torrain]

Also, while I remember - two more retirements:

Jonathan Djanogly - member for Huntingdon, John Major's old seat, and about as true-blue as you can get. He's been involved in a couple of controversies, and faced deselection after he ended up being sued by former members of his household staff.

Chris Pincher - has announced he won't run again for Tamworth. This was kind of a foregone conclusion, but wasn't official until today.

[CumbrianLefty]

Expulsion from the actual Tory party isn't that common, and certainly a rarity for actual MPs.

[Conservatopia]

Also, while I remember - two more retirements:

Jonathan Djanogly - member for Huntingdon, John Major's old seat, and about as true-blue as you can get. He's been involved in a couple of controversies, and faced deselection after he ended up being sued by former members of his household staff.

Chris Pincher - has announced he won't run again for Tamworth. This was kind of a foregone conclusion, but wasn't official until today.

Clearing out the rubbish. Just 300 or so to go.
The former's resignation will prevent many skeletons showing themselves too. Both real rotters.

[Blair]

Was convinced the first had gone in 2019!

On the plus side Eddie Hughes is likely to get Tamworth which stops a 27 year from CCHQ or the Times comment page from getting it.

[Torrain]

Also, while I remember - two more retirements:

Jonathan Djanogly - member for Huntingdon, John Major's old seat, and about as true-blue as you can get. He's been involved in a couple of controversies, and faced deselection after he ended up being sued by former members of his household staff.

Chris Pincher - has announced he won't run again for Tamworth. This was kind of a foregone conclusion, but wasn't official until today.

Clearing out the rubbish. Just 300 or so to go.
The former's resignation will prevent many skeletons showing themselves too. Both real rotters.

Aye - Djanogly seems to have stumbled from one scandal to another in recent years, and after his (very) brief tenure as a Cameron-era junior minister, doesn't seem to have contributed much if at all. Definitely for the best to try some fresh blood, rather than letting him keep the seat warm for another couple of decades.

[Torrain]

The BBC reports that 4 women have raised complaints to the parliamentary standards body about Julian Knight. And a further 5 women have reported him to the police with sexual misconduct complaints.

There’s been a sense there was more to come here (see him not getting the whip back, after the first police investigation was dropped, then announcing his retirement). But this sounds pretty extensive.

In the event it becomes relevant, his seat of Solihull has a monumental 21,000 vote majority, but was a Tory-Lib Dem ultra-marginal between 2005-15.

[Oryxslayer]

.

In the event it becomes relevant, his seat of Solihull has a monumental 21,000 vote majority, but was a Tory-Lib Dem ultra-marginal between 2005-15.

One of the few areas where it's the Greens who are actually growing at the expense the Tories, and is a target for gains locally. Lots of debate in that regard whether the amorphous Green local brand can transfer over to national which has a left-of-labour identity presently.