Former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost in bid to become Tory MP

The former Brexit negotiator has been placed on the party’s candidate list ahead of the next election

Former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost has confirmed his bid to become an MP, with his name placed on a Conservative candidate list ahead of the next election.

Lord Frost, a Brexit minister under Boris Johnson, has floated the idea in the past that he could run to become an MP despite his peerage.

He confirmed on Sunday that Conservative Party officials have accepted his bid to join the party’s candidate list, but said he is not linked to a specific seat.

“I am grateful to the party authorities for accepting my application as a potential Conservative candidate for the House of Commons, the centre of our national political life,” he said in a statement.

“I have not yet applied for any seat and am considering my next steps. Meanwhile I look forward to campaigning for the party and for Conservative principles in the months to come.”

According to a report in The Telegraph, the Conservative peer is in contention for a safe Tory seat and could possibly replace outgoing MP Pauline Latham as the candidate in Mid Derbyshire.

If he gained a seat in the Commons, he would have to give up his position in the Lords.

He was appointed to the Lords in 2020, playing a key role in Mr Johnson’s Cabinet before quitting as Brexit minister in late 2021.

He is among the speakers due to address the National Conservatism Conference later this week, which will see several high-profile ministers and Tory MPs gather in the aftermath of a difficult set of local elections.