A former government minister has lost a vote of no confidence in him by his local Conservative association.
Phillip Lee, MP for Bracknell, said the move had been “inspired” by the single issue of Brexit.
The ex-justice minister, who supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum, said the government’s approach would damage businesses in his constituency.
Dr Lee then became the first government minister to resign over Brexit.
BRACKNELL MP Phillip Lee has been deselected after Tory members voted at a meeting of the Bracknell Conservative Association (BCA) on Saturday, June 1.
This comes after a petition with 53 members’ signatures was received by the BCA entitled
‘the Bracknell Conservative Association has no confidence in Dr Phillip Lee MP as the Conservative member of Parliament for the constituency of Bracknell’.
There has been speculation around Dr Lee’s future for months as many residents have clashed with his views on Brexit.
The MP has issued a statement in responce to the vote of no confidence which took place this morning at 11am.
Dr Phillip Lee MP said: “In the future, I may or may not decide that I can continue serving as a Conservative Member of Parliament and the Bracknell Conservative Association may or may not decide that they wish to readopt me as the Conservative Party’s candidate.
“But one thing is for sure, we will not be forced into making a decision one way or the other by this orchestrated, destructive campaign from outside the Party that has done nothing but spread hatred, intimidation and distrust over a single issue. This is not the Conservative way, it is not the Bracknell way.”
Recently, Dr Lee had slammed members who signed the petition, claiming more than half of them joined the association less than a year ago and called the vote of confidence an “unpleasant sideshow”.
The member of parliament didnt attend the BCA’s meeting as he revealed to the News it was an “attempt to intimidate” him.
Dr Peter Hill, chairman of the Great Holland’s Conservative Party, said: “The mood in the room was overwhelming against Dr Philip Lee.
“Regardless of your views on Brexit he has proven himself to be a weak constituency MP. His failure to even attend demonstrates his complete disconnect with the local Party and the mood in the country.
“This vote demonstrates that Conservative Party Members now want to see a new Conservative Party Candidate in Bracknell at the next General Election.”
He said he would not be “forced into taking a decision” on his future by an “orchestrated, destructive campaign from outside the party”.
‘Hatred and intimidation’
Those behind the campaign had “done nothing but spread hatred, intimidation and distrust over a single issue”, Dr Lee explained.
Who is Phillip Lee?
The once justice minister Phillip Lee resigned over the UK government’s handling of Brexit, it dealt a significant blow to Theresa May before key Commons votes on the EU withdrawal bill.
The minister for victims, youth and family justice, who supported remain at the referendum, said he was “incredibly sad” to stand down, but that he believed the government’s Brexit policy was detrimental to the lives of his constituents.
He also served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State responsible for Youth Justice, Victims, Female Offenders & Offender Health at the Ministry of Justice.
During his time as a Justice Minister, Phillip Lee revealed that he was interested in increasing the use of chemical castration on sex offenders and paedophiles and was keen to find an ‘evidence-based approach’ to returning prisoners to normal life.
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