'If you’re an eco nut, we’re not going to allow you to stand,' Matt Vickers pledged
Tory Shadow Minister Matt Vickers has delved into Kemi Badenoch’s bid to purge the Conservative Party of those not fully committed to her agenda.
Speaking to GB News, Matt Vickers backed his leader’s move to remove and block from standing so-called “wets”, a Thatcherite term for moderates perceived to be weak on key Tory issues.
Camilla Tominey questioned the Shadow Minister on the plan to “flush out the wets” following the departure of former Theresa May aide Gavin Barwell.
Mr Vickers suggested the aide's exit was primarily about "conduct" but made clear that Mrs Badenoch expected prospective Conservative candidates to support the party's key policies.
"Kemi has said if you are not bought into our agenda on immigration, on leaving the ECHR, on what we're going to do on energy and the climate... we're not going to allow you to stand as a Conservative candidate,” he said.
“If you’re an eco nut, we’re not going to allow you to stand. That's the right thing.”
Pressed on whether other prominent Conservatives, including former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and ex-Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, should also be removed from the party,
Mr Vickers declined to single out individuals and instead insisted the focus should be on ensuring all future candidates backed Badenoch's vision.
“The people that we're going to be putting forward in elections across the country are people who've bought into that agenda that's going to rescue this country.”
“Gavin Barwell was one of these closet Liberal Democrats who was hiding out in the deepest echelons of the Conservative Party,” Camilla cut in.
“There are many more of them to flush out, aren't there, Matt Vickers? How are you going to do that?”
The Shadow Minister reiterated that every Conservative candidate would be expected to support the party's platform.
“Every candidate put forward by the Conservative Party at the next election will be bought into leaving the ECHR, will be bought into those tough solutions we need on immigration, bought into those tough solutions we need on our economy, bought into a realistic, pragmatic approach to the environment and to energy,” he stressed.
On the subject of electioneering, Camilla pressed Mr Vickers on why the Tories are not calling for a new General Election as Andy Burnham sweeps into Downing Street.
“We think there are some huge challenges that this country faces. We're determined to hear what Andy's got to offer on those,” the top Tory said.
Undeterred, the GB News host questioned: “Why don't you want a general election?”
“We're ready for a general election when it comes. We want to see problems like defence solved.
“I have a feeling that the party of opposition hasn't been agitating for a general election now because you're not going to win it.
“We are up for a general election,” Mr Vickers insisted, adding: “We want to see the country's problems solved. But if that general election is coming, we are ready for it. We're ready to get that pitch to the country.”
