MP rubbishes media story on his deselection

Sir Alan Duncan (front) celebrates his victory with fellow Conservatives at the General Election results night for the 2017 Rutland and Melton seat.
656464-16 : ?Lionel Heap EMN-190220-101942001 — Sir Alan Duncan (front) celebrates his victory with fellow Conservatives at the General Election results night for the 2017 Rutland and Melton seat. 656464-16 : ?Lionel Heap EMN-190220-101942001

Sir Alan was said this week to be facing a call for his deselection at the Rutland and Melton Conservative Association AGM on March 15.

A report in the Daily Telegraph said it followed his criticism of fellow Tories who support Brexit and oppose Prime Minister Theresa May’s handling of negotiations for the UK to leave the EU at the end of next month.

But Sir Alan told the Melton Times that he has already been adopted by the local Conservative association as their candidate for the next General Election and that any motion of no confidence tabled at the AGM would have no bearing on that decision.

He said: “The Conservative Association is there to support the Conservative Party and the Conservative government.

“That is exactly what I have been doing as MP and as a government minister and we should be working together to support the Prime Minister at this uniquely important time in our national politics.”

There has, as yet, been no concrete move against him within the local party group.

The local Conservative association said in a statement: “We have not yet received any such motion of no confidence.”

There have been moves in recent weeks to deselect other MPs, such as Grantham and Stamford’s Nick Boles.