Rishi Sunak is facing calls to expel a Conservative MP after he suggested voters back Nigel Farage’s Reform party at the next election so Lee Anderson is returned to Westminster.
Nick Fletcher, the MP for Don Valley, said the former Tory deputy chairman, who defected after being suspended earlier this year, was his seat’s “greatest champion”.
He added that he hoped locals “appreciate what he has done for his home town and the country at the next election” adding “we both need to be back in Westminster”.
The Liberal Democrats condemned what they said was further Tory infighting and said Rishi Sunak had to “find his backbone and kick Nick Fletcher out of the Conservative Party”.
His extraordinary comments came after Mr Anderson declared he would not campaign in some Tory constituencies, including Mr Fletcher’s, because of his friendships with the sitting MPs.
A series of shock polls suggest the Tory face a pasting at the election due to be held later this year.
Recent polls have also put Reform just several points behind the Conservatives, amid fears right-wing populist party could make further gains if Mr Farage takes a more prominent role.
While the party is unlikely to win any seats, it could take enough votes in certain areas to hand victory to Labour.
Announcing his non-aggression pact, Mr Anerson said he would not campaign against four Tory MPs because “friendship means more”.
They include Ben Bradley, the MP for Mansfield, Brendan Clarke-Smith, who represents Bassetlaw and Marco Longhi, the Dudley North MP.
In a post he said: “These people are my friends and the ones that reached out to me last month.
“They will always be my friends and because of this I will not campaign against them in their Parliamentary seats.
“Friendship means more to me. Every other seat is fair game.”
In a post on X, Mr Fletcher said: “I so wish (Lee Anderson) had remained with the Conservatives. However having lost the whip it would mean the Conservative Party would choose someone other than Lee to fight the election in Ashfield.
“I can understand in those circumstances why he joined Reform. 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.
“I hope my constituents see that a vote for me in Doncaster is also the right thing to do. I am a lone voice in Parliament shouting up for Doncaster.” He later added: “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.”
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “It seems even Conservative MPs don’t want the Conservatives to win. Voters are sick to the back teeth of this never-ending circus of infighting.
“Rishi Sunak needs to find his backbone and kick Nick Fletcher out of the Conservative Party. Failure to do so would show yet again that he’s too weak to control his party let alone govern the country.”
A Reform UK spokesperson said: “Lee Anderson made it clear from the day he joined Reform UK that he would not personally campaign against a handful of his close friends.
“The party respect this decision and it shows Lee’s loyalty to his friends, which goes beyond politics.
“Reform will be standing in these constituencies and will be fighting the Conservatives across the board in England, Wales and Scotland.
“The Tories have betrayed the country by failing to control our borders and allowing our public services to crumble. We will punish them at the general election.”
