Cameron faces Tory backbench test

David Cameron faces a serious test of Conservative backbench opinion of the coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats
12 April 2012

David Cameron faces a serious test of Conservative backbench opinion of the coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats when his MPs choose a new "shop steward".

The vote for the chairmanship of the influential 1922 Committee is expected to be close.

And the Prime Minister's retreat on surprise moves that could have given ministers and whips a vote may favour a candidate seen as a potential focal point for dissent.

Graham Brady, who quit Mr Cameron's front bench in opposition over grammar school policy, will take on Richard Ottaway - seen as the leaderships' favoured choice - in the vote.

Mr Cameron suffered an 118-strong rebellion last week when he sprung a vote on the party's MPs to give the "payroll vote" of ministers and whips full membership of the '22.

The move - which was passed with the approval of 168 MPs in a snap ballot - caused fury over what critics saw as an attempt to stifle internal criticism of the coalition deal.

A compromise was quickly drawn up under which ministers and whips will remain members of the `22, but will not vote on the chairmanship and are barred from standing for its offices.

Mr Brady, who has been the MP for Altrincham and Sale West since 1997, and Mr Ottaway, who has represented Croydon South since 1992, are the only two contenders for the key position.

But in a sign of the extremely large number of new MPs elected on May 6, almost half of the 25 candidates for 12 places on the 1922 executive are from the 2010 intake.

The new chairman is expected to be named at a meeting of the committee at 5.30pm on Monday, with elections for other positions being held afterwards and the results revealed on Tuesday.

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