FIVE thousand Tory Party members have now written to the parties chairman demanding that Boris Johnson is added to the final ballot of the leadership contest.
Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak will be on the final ballot, but an army of five thousands angry members who are dismayed at the removal of the democratically elected Prime Minister of the UK want their vote recognised.
Former Tory MEP David C Bannerman revealed the news on Twitter, after the campaign gathered momentum.
Bannerman tweeted: “This is the Conservative Party Constitution. Note Article 17 where the Board can do anything that it wants in best interests of the party. Like put Boris on the ballot.”
Yesterday, Telegraph political correspondent Christopher Hope revealed that the members – all of whom have to give their membership numbers when they sign up – are backing a petition organised by Tory donor Lord Cruddas and former Conservative MEP David Campbell-Bannerman.
The signatories are invited to support the following statement: “I demand Boris Johnson is added to the ballot as an option for the members to vote upon in the forthcoming election.”
Lord Cruddas says under the party’s constitution it can add Mr Johnson’s name to the ballot.
Lord Cruddas told Hope: “The membership wants the option of voting for Boris on the final ballot. “
“We think it is only fair because Boris was the members choice back in 2019 and he has been constructively removed by the Parliamentary Party without referral to the membership.”
“By adding Boris to the final ballot to make it a three horse race means that the winner will have the backing of the membership.
“There will be no ambiguity around the result and the final choice of leader will have integrity.”
