Wellingborough by-election: Conservative Party accused of ‘secret deal’ over candidate selection

At prime minister’s questions today, Labour MP Andrew Gwynne asked Rishi Sunak about whether he had any knowledge of a “secret deal” to ensure Helen Harrison was selected as the Conservative candidate for the upcoming Wellingborough by-election.

Harrison is the partner of former Wellingborough MP Peter Bone, who was found by Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel to have exposed himself to an aide.

Andrew Gwynne said: “The conservative candidate for the Wellingborough by-election yesterday revealed that the Conservative Party had offered her a deal to be the candidate if the previous member, her partner, stood down without a fuss.

He added: “The prime minister said just last week that candidate selection is all done locally within his party. So would he now like to deny that this secret deal was offered?”.

Rishi Sunak responded: “As I said last week, in our party, candidate selection is done locally”.

Wellingborough by-election: Minister insists ‘all to play for’ in Peter Bone’s former seat