A few weeks ago we announced that our MP (Sally-Ann Hart, MP for Hastings and Rye) had failed to be re-adopted by her local party as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for next year’s general election.
Existing Conservative MPs are required to put themselves up for re-adoption if they are intending to stand at the next election. Usually this is something of a formality but on this occasion the selection council, led by chairman John Rankin had a tied vote which, under the rules meant that Mrs Hart was not re-adopted
Whilst the local Conservative party are remaining tight-lipped about exactly what went on, Rye News understands that this outcome caused significant dissent within the ranks, such that two weeks later Mr Rankin resigned, to be replaced by new chairman Rob Lee. Whether he jumped or, perhaps as a result of the subsequent revolt, was pushed is not clear, nor has it been stated whether any other council members followed their chairman’s example to fall on their swords.
Encouraged by the outcry from party members, Mrs Hart appealed to the local membership, as she was entitled to do, and having received a resounding vote in her favour, was subsequently formally reselected.
Speaking later, she said: “I am delighted and relieved to have received such resounding support from the wider local party membership. I look forward to going into the next election with a great unified local team supporting me.”
This would seem to be the better move by Hastings and Rye Conservatives. Events in the corridors of power at Westminster over the last few years will not make it easy for many Tory MPs at the next election, and to parachute a new candidate into our constituency at this stage would seem unlikely to help, particularly with the Labour Party already attempting to make their mark with their own new candidate Helena Dollimore.
Rye is by no means a safe seat for the Tories. Sally-Ann Hart’s predecessor and former home secretary, Amber Rudd, won her last election in 2017 by just 346 votes and while Mrs Hart increased this to 4,043 in 2019, this is far from a secure majority. At the last election the Greens stood their candidate down in favour of the Liberal Democrats, but they may decide not to do so next time. If one adds into the mix not only the sometimes-wacky independents but also the probability of a Reform Party (re-incarnation of the Brexit Party) candidate who could take votes from an element of the electorate dissatisfied with both the main parties, we could be looking at a fierce fight in 2025 with no certain outcome for any of the candidates.
