A Tory MP has backed Lee Anderson to win his Ashfield seat at the next general election, prompting calls for him to be stripped of the Conservative whip.
Mr Anderson, a Reform UK MP, announced today that he will not campaign against four Red Wall Tories at the election, including Nick Fletcher, because they are his friends.
Mr Fletcher, the Tory MP for Don Valley, tweeted in response: “Ashfield has its greatest champion and I hope they appreciate what he has done for his home town and his country at the next election.”
Mr Fletcher also said “we both need to be back in Westminster”.
The Liberal Democrats said Rishi Sunak needed to “find his backbone and kick Nick Fletcher out of the Conservative Party”.
Sources told The Telegraph that Mr Fletcher was spoken to by Tory whips about his comments and he subsequently tweeted: “For the avoidance of any doubt of course I want to see a Conservative majority Government returned at the next election with as many Conservative MPs as possible.
“Lee is a personal friend but we can’t risk the damage a Labour Government would do to our country. Just look at what the Labour Council has done to Doncaster.”
A Tory spokesman said: “Nick has made clear he wants to see as many Conservatives as possible elected. A vote for Reform is a vote to let Keir Starmer into No 10.”
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William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
