Boris Johnson right to force out Tory rebels, says Dudley MP
A Black Country MP has backed plans to deselect fellow Tories who try to block a no-deal Brexit.
Mike Wood said it was difficult to see how Conservative MPs could continue to represent the party if they were intent on stopping the Government "from continuing to govern".
He was speaking ahead of today's crucial Commons vote on Brexit, where a number of Tory MPs are expected to side with Jeremy Corbyn in a bid to prevent no-deal.
Boris Johnson has put rebels within his party on notice that they face losing the whip and being barred from standing for the Tories in the next general election if they vote against the Government.
Brexiteer Mr Wood, the MP for Dudley South, said: "All MPs have to look at what is right for the country and their constituency, but it is difficult to see how you can continue to be an MP for the governing party at the same time as voting to stop the Government from continuing to govern.
"Once you say the Government should not be able to set out the parliamentary timetable, you are showing so little confidence in the party that you are no longer working as part of the party.
"In those circumstances it is quite reasonable that when it comes to looking at candidates for an election, associations are asked to pick someone who will support a government to fulfil the programme that was promised.
"In our case – and in the Labour Party's case – that was to deliver Brexit. All the voters I have been speaking to expect us to get on with it."
Mr Wood warned rebels that they will increase the likelihood of no-deal by opposing the Government.
"The one thing that they will achieve is to weaken Britain's position going into the negotiations with the European Council and make it even more difficult to secure a deal that stands a chance of getting through the House of Commons," he said.
"They will make it more likely that we will end up with a choice of leaving without an agreement, or with Brexit being cancelled altogether."
