Reinstating the whip ahead of a vital vote is not a good look.
There are 317 Tory MPs eligible to vote in the party’s confidence motion tonight. This includes two MPs who had been suspended. Both have had the Conservative party whip restored this afternoon.
One is Andrew Griffiths, who had to resign as business minister in July after sexual messages he’d sent to two women from his constituency leaked. Disciplinary action against him was dropped, however, as he had been suffering a mental health crisis and was hospitalised for over a month.
Burton MP Andrew Griffiths has had the Conservative party whip restored, his office says. It means he can vote in the leadership ballot – and he says he’ll support Theresa May.
— Chris Doidge (@BBCChrisD) December 12,2018
The other is Charlie Elphicke, suspended by the party last November and interviewed under caution by the police earlier this year in connection with “alleged sexual offences” against two female members of staff when alone with them in 2015-17.
