Dominic Grieve: Remain-voting MP hit with no-confidence vote by local Conservative Party

‘Where on earth are we heading with situations like this?’ asks one former minister

Tory Brexit rebel Dominic Grieve has suffered a vote of no confidence from his local party.

The former attorney general, who has led efforts to give MPs a greater say on Brexit, lost the confidence motion at his Beaconsfield constituency association’s annual general meeting on Friday.

In a statement, the local chairman Jackson Ng said: “Our members had a robust discussion with our MP, Dominic Grieve QC on Brexit before voting on a motion of confidence in him as our MP, which, I can confirm with a heavy heart that he failed to retain.

“He remains our Conservative MP but I will be speaking as soon as possible to my fellow officers and the executive council.”

Mr Grieve said there was “clear evidence that there was an orchestrated campaign” by Jon Conway, his former Ukip opponent from the 2017 election.

He vowed to “carry on as before”, adding: “I should emphasise that the local association is fully entitled to express its views.

“I’ve always known Brexit is very divisive and I am totally respectful of those who disagree with me over the way I have approached this particular crisis.

“Historically though, the Conservative Party, being a broad church, doesn’t seek to expel members of parliament for variations of view.”

Mr Conway, a former Ukip activist, denied a plot to oust Mr Grieve. He said: “I’m one person out of 183 people who voted no confidence in Dominic last night.”

The result triggered a wave of criticism from senior Conservatives, with former chancellor George Osborne warning such moves could lead to a “huge, historic split” in the party.

Tory chairman Brandon Lewis expressed his support for Mr Grieve and said that the vote, which passed by 182 to 131 – had no formal standing under party rules.

“Part of the strength of our party is that we are a broad church,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“Dominic is somebody who has contributed to parliament, is a clear, strong Conservative, and he is an asset to the party.”

Mr Osborne, who now edits the Evening Standard, said: “The Tory leadership can stop any deselection if it wants – we frequently did.

“CCHQ should suspend the local party. Otherwise we are heading for a huge, historic split in the Tory Party.”

Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, branded the move “deeply disappointing”.

Former minister Alistair Burt said the no-confidence vote in Mr Grieve was an “extraordinary decision”.

He tweeted: “A quality colleague, brave enough to challenge, but fundamentally a Conservative through and through. Where on earth are we heading with situations like this?”

Labour MP Dr Paul Williams described Mr Grieve as “a man of true courage, respected across the Commons, who shows true leadership”, while suggesting Ukip supporters had gained primacy in the Beaconsfield association.

The vote came after thousands of people marched in London to show their sense of “betrayal” at MPs’ failure to remove Britain from the European Union on 29 March, as promised.

Both Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson held rallies outside parliament as Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement floundered, for the third time, just yards away.

As the weekend began, a general election appeared to be on the cards if Ms May could not get her deal over the line with one final push.

Mr Grieve was one of the MPs behind the cross-party move to seize control of Commons business to stage a series of indicative votes on alternatives to Theresa May’s deal.

Eventually all alternative Brexit routes were voted down but fresh debates are expected next week.