History of the Conservative Party Constitution - Episode 9

 Should the vote on the re-selection of a sitting MP be by secret ballot?

    The Conservative Party Constitution was implemented in 1998, but the arguments as to what should or should not be included in the Constitution continued and are still continuing! A major issue was whether the Executive Council of a Constituency Association should vote on the re-selection of their existing MP by show of hands or by secret ballot. This became an issue in March 1999 when the Henley Constituency Association had to decide on whether Michael Heseltine should be re-selected.

    In 1997 I moved a motion at the meeting of the National Union Executive Committee that "On the re-selection of an MP by the Executive Council of a Constituency Association the vote should be by secret ballot". The motion was carried overwhelmingly. At which point Archie Hamilton who was then the Chairman of the 1922 Committee objected. He said that part of the deal whereby the members of the Party had a vote in the Leadership election, as a quid pro quo the vote on the re-selection of a sitting MP should be taken by a show of hands. (It would be interesting to know who participated in this deal!) The result was that in the new Constitution the decision was taken by a show of hands.

    In 1999 Bryony Bethell who was Chairman of the Buckingham Constituency Association moved a motion at the National Convention that the decision should be taken by secret ballot. The motion was passed and the MPs accepted it. The then MP for Buckingham John Bercow was so annoyed by her action that he ensured that she did not continue as Chairman of the Constituency Association.

This result was a win for the grass roots of the Party, but a loss for Briony Bethell!