Tory civil war erupts as Rishi Sunak urged to step in: 'Treated like s***!'
Tim Montgomerie said recent events made him want to "despair", and urged the Prime Minister to intervene personally.
Tim Montgomerie shares his thoughts on the Conservative leadership
The row over the unveiling of party chairman Richard Holden as Tory candidate for Basildon and Billericay has boiled over after a top strategist accused CCHQ of “treating party activists like s***”.
Mr Holden’s confirmation in the safe south Essex seat previously held by John Baron has enraged many, with the group leader of Basildon Council saying he will refuse to campaign for the erstwhile member for North West Durham.
Tim Montgomerie, the founder of the Conservative Home website, did not hold back in a specially recorded video which he uploaded to X.
In it, he said: “I want the Conservative Party to succeed.
“But just sometimes, I despair at how the Conservative Party behaves and today is one such day.
“I have spent most of the day talking to Conservative candidates who have completely been done over by central office, who've done all the right things.
“They've got impeccable Conservative credentials. They work hard for the Conservative party every day of the week. And Tory HQ have treated them like s***.
“And then the party chairman Rick Holden imposes himself in a one person shortlist on the Billericay constituency.
“Billericay didn’t suddenly become available last week. John Barron retired last year.
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“If I'm looking for an explanation of why this election has been held in the way it has, with so little time, the possibility of Tory HQ controlling candidates and selections stands out to me as perhaps the best explanation.
“I don't know why I'm recording this video particularly, but the hurt of people I've been speaking to giving their lives to the party to have been treated badly does make me wonder about the Conservative Party.
“It makes me wonder about the current conservative leadership. If they treat their own like this, how will they treat other people?
“I don't know whether it's too late Rishi Sunak for you to do anything about this. But it's not good.”
Speaking earlier this week, Andrew Baggott, who leads the Conservative group on the council, said: "They have given no choice of candidate to the association, no choice of candidate to the membership.
“They have shown complete disrespect and arrogance to all the party volunteers, all the party members, hardworking Conservatives in this borough. They are shameful."
