Sally-Ann Hart, the Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye who won the seat in 2019, has said she is surprised not to be selected as the Conservative candidate in the next general election.
In a secret ballot last Friday, the selection council of the local Conservative Association voted against her automatic re-selection as MP.
It is normally routine for the selection council to re-select an incumbent MP to fight the next election, barring major disagreements, material boundary changes or scandal. What is unusual about this situation is that Ms Hart appears as surprised as anyone about the result
“I was completely blindsided by the outcome of Friday’s selection council", the MP told Rye News.
“I have not been advised of any reasons for this result if indeed there are any. I have always busted a gut for the people and businesses of Hastings and Rye and will continue to do so until the next election.”
What is surprising is that nobody approached the MP with any concerns at any time before the vote. It is believed about half the committee voted against her selection.
Cllr John Rankin, Hastings borough councillor and chairman of Hastings and Rye Conservative Association has been approached by Rye News and at the time of going to press, has failed to respond to questions or to make any statement to the press regarding the ballot and decision to de-select Ms Hart as the local MP.
Rumours as long ago as November told of the association chairman discussing the de-selection of Ms Hart, while a source close to the association suggested this week, that members were unhappy with Ms Hart spending too much time away from constituents and her lack of in-depth focus on local issues.
Other comments suggest the committee were disgruntled with her support for Rishi Sunak instead of Liz Truss in the latest leadership contest.
At the time of going to press, however, Rye News hears the latest whispers from the corridors of power are the deselection has been ruled invalid and there will be a ballot of all members. While Ms Hart has the right to go to the wider membership in Hastings and Rye and ask them to overrule the committee decision, it seems others are already insisting this has to be the case.
When suggested she was now a shoo-in as the next MP for Hastings and Rye, Helena Dollimore, the Labour parliamentary candidate was quick to affirm: “I am sure people across Hastings and Rye are tired of hearing about Conservative infighting locally and nationally - it’s just one scandal after another. If only they spent less time squabbling and more time fixing the problems they've caused. Whoever the Conservative candidate is come the next election, the people of Hastings and Rye will hold the Conservatives to account based on the record of failure over the last 13 years."
Ms Hart has stated she has no plans to stand down as an MP before the next general election.
Ms Hart's latest column for Rye News is available here.
