Tory MPs uneasy at constitution changes
Conservative MPs gave a warning to the leadership last night that they would not uncritically back changes to the party’s constitution.
Reports from the private meeting of the 1922 Committee suggest that Michael Howard was given a rough ride by backbenchers who saw the proposed changes as a fait acompli.
The draft constitution is due to be formally unveiled this afternoon and it is believed it will seek to change the way the leader is elected and set out a statement of Conservative principles.
It was passed unanimously by the Conservatives’ governing board earlier in the week and was expected to be endorsed easily by MPs. The plans are due to go out for consultation until the autumn and they will require two thirds agreement from MPs and the convention of party chairmen.
One element of the plans would be to reduce the grassroots involvement in the choice of leader and return greater control to MPs.
Iain Duncan Smith has been the only Tory leader elected by the grassroots and he faced constant mutterings within the party as he acquired less votes from MPs than other candidate Ken Clarke.
But grassroots members are likely to resist losing their input, while some MPs are known to be uneasy about centralising power and taking away all say from ordinary members.
Another flashpoint at the meeting was the treatment of Howard Flight during the general election campaign, who was ruthlessly dropped as party vice-chair and candidate after his views on spending cuts became public.
The new draft party rules are believed to contain 15 reasons why a sitting candidate can be dropped by the party – something some MPs believe would give the leadership too much power.
The Times reports that senior Tory Edward Leigh was cheered by backbenchers when he attacked Mr Flight’s sacking, and The Guardian claims that former ministers Douglas Hogg, Alistair Burt and John Hayes all spoke out against the package.
Some MPs are also known to want a discussion of the change in leadership rules to be separate from changes in the constitution to get the election of a new leader secured more quickly. As it currently stands, Mr Howard is not planning to formally step down until after the autumn party conference.
