Boris Johnson is attempting to keep his MPs in line by warning any that defy the whip on Brexit they will lose their status as a Tory MP.
A senior source from the Tory whips office said that any MP who defies the the party “will have the whip withdrawn and will not stand as (a) Conservative candidate in an election”.
Former chancellor Philip Hammond called the move “staggeringly hypocritical” with at least nine MPs attending Cabinet who have voted against the whip this year.
The former rebels are:
Boris Johnson – The prime minister voted against Theresa May at the first two readings of the Withdrawal Agreement. He voted in favour of it at the third reading.
Dominic Raab – The foreign secretary voted against the Withdrawal Agreement on its first and second readings.
Priti Patel – The home secretary voted against the Withdrawal Agreement at all three opportunities.
Grant Shapps – The transport secretary voted against May’s Brexit deal on the first two occasions.
Theresa Villiers – The environment secretary voted to reject May’s Brexit deal on all three readings.
Esther McVey – The housing minister resigned as May’s work and pensions secretary in November 2018. Since then, she has voted against the Withdrawal Agreement on two occasions.
Amber Rudd – The work and pensions secretary abstained on a government motion ruling out a no-deal Brexit in all circumstances on March 13. There was a three-line Conservative whip to oppose the motion.
Jacob Rees-Mogg – The former chairman of the hard-Brexit supporting European Research Group (ERG) is now Leader of the House of Commons, and opposed May’s Withdrawal Agreement twice.
Jo Johnson – The prime minister’s brother now attendscabinet as a business minister, he endorses the People’s Vote campaign, and voted against the Withdrawal Agreement three times.
Additional reporting by the PA news agency.
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