As has been clear for a while now, any sitting Conservative MP who announces their intention to stand down on or after January 1st 2010 will leave their association only able to choose from a centrally-imposed shortlist of three or four when it comes to selecting a new candidate.
That was why, two and a half weeks ago, I emailed this letter to the 166 Tory MPs who have not announced that they are standing down, reminding them of this fact and seeking confirmation of their intentions.
My first question was as follows: "Have you been re-adopted to stand at the general election and is it your intention to be a candidate at the general election?"
I also asked: "Do you undertake to make a final decision about whether to seek re-election before Christmas, i.e. not to announce your retirement - save an unforeseen health problem - at such a time that would restrict the rights of your members in choosing a successor?"
Of those who responded to my email, very few answered the second question, on the grounds that it was hypothetical because they intend standing. But those who did answer "Yes" to that question are marked with an asterisk in the lists below.
Below are the responses I have received so far. I will update the lists as and when further MPs get back to me - and to encourage them to do so, tomorrow I will be emailing those who have yet to respond.
Those whose intentions are known:
MPs who replied to the ConHome email stating that they have been re-adopted and intend standing again
- Richard Bacon
- Tony Baldry
- Gregory Barker
- John Baron
- Henry Bellingham
- Richard Benyon
- Peter Bone
- Peter Bottomley
- Graham Brady
- Julian Brazier
- James Brokenshire
- Simon Burns
- David Burrowes
- Alistair Burt
- Douglas Carswell
- Bill Cash
- Christopher Chope
- David Davies
- Jonathan Djanogly
- James Duddridge
- Alan Duncan
- Nigel Evans
- David Evennett
- Michael Fabricant
- Michael Fallon
- Mark Field*
- Liam Fox
- Roger Gale
- Edward Garnier
- Cheryl Gillan
- James Gray*
- Damian Green
- John Gummer
- Stephen Hammond
- Greg Hands*
- Mark Harper
- Sir Alan Haselhurst
- Oliver Heald
- Nick Herbert
- Adam Holloway*
- Gerald Howarth
- John Howell
- Stewart Jackson*
- Bernard Jenkin
- David Jones
- Daniel Kawczynski
- Mark Lancaster
- Oliver Letwin
- Julian Lewis
- Ian Liddell-Grainger
- Peter Lilley
- Tim Loughton
- Anne Main
- Maria Miller
- Anne Milton*
- Andrew Murrison
- Bob Neill
- James Paice
- Mike Penning
- John Penrose
- Mark Pritchard
- John Redwood
- Laurence Robertson
- Andrew Rosindell
- Lee Scott
- Andrew Selous
- Mark Simmonds
- Keith Simpson
- Chloe Smith
- Nicholas Soames
- Hugo Swire
- Robert Syms
- Edward Timpson
- Andrew Turner
- Andrew Tyrie
- Charles Walker
- Robert Walter
- Angela Watkinson
- John Whittingdale
MPs who did not reply to the ConHome email but who have stated to me verbally that they have been readopted and intend standing again
- Stephen Crabb
- David Davis
- Nadine Dorries
- John Hayes
- David Lidington
- Andrew Mitchell
- Brooks Newmark
- Bill Wiggin
- Rob Wilson
Members of the Shadow Cabinet who did not respond to the ConHome email, but, whom I am assuming will be standing again by virtue of their position
- David Cameron
- Greg Clark
- Kenneth Clarke
- Mark Francois
- Michael Gove
- Chris Grayling
- Dominic Grieve
- William Hague
- Philip Hammond
- Jeremy Hunt
- Andrew Lansley
- Francis Maude
- Theresa May
- Patrick McLoughlin
- David Mundell
- George Osborne
- Owen Paterson
- Eric Pickles
- Grant Shapps
- Caroline Spelman
- Theresa Villiers
- David Willetts
- Sir George Young
MPs who did not respond to the ConHome email, but who are known to have been re-adopted after deselection attempts
- Eleanor Laing
- Anne McIntosh
- Richard Ottaway
MPs who responded to the Con Home email indicating they have not yet been re-adopted, but are hoping to be re-adopted
- Philip Davies*
MPs who did not respond to the Con Home email and who have not yet been re-adopted, but who are known to be seeking re-adoption
- Sir Peter Tapsell
MPs who previously announced they were standing down, but have since announced that they want to seek re-selection after all
- Julie Kirkbride
Those whose intentions are unknown:
MPs who repsonded to the ConHome email indicating a refusal to take part in "surveys"
- Philip Dunne
MPs who repsonded to the ConHome email stating it was "none of your business"
- Gary Streeter
MPs who have not responded to the ConHome email
NB: Many of the below will have been re-adopted and if you are a constituent and know this for a fact, email me and I will note it below - but it is my hope that they will respond personally to my email stating their intention to stand again if that is the case.
- Adam Afriyie - standing again according to ConHome reader
- Peter Ainsworth
- David Amess
- James Arbuthnot
- Sir Paul Beresford
- Brian Binley
- Crispin Blunt
- James Clappison
- Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
- Geoffrey Cox
- Stephen Dorrell
- Iain Duncan Smith
- Tobias Ellwood - standing again according to ConHome reader
- David Gauke
- Nick Gibb
- Robert Goodwill
- Justine Greening
- David Heathcoat-Amory
- Charles Hendry
- Mark Hoban
- Philip Hollobone
- Nick Hurd - adopted for Ruislip Northwood and Pinner according to ConHome reader
- Greg Knight
- Edward Leigh
- Peter Luff
- John Maples
- Patrick Mercer
- Stephen O'Brien
- Mark Prisk
- John Randall
- Sir Malcolm Rifkind - standing again according to ConHome readers
- Andrew Robathan
- Hugh Robertson
- David Ruffley
- Richard Shepherd
- Sir John Stanley - standing again according to ConHome reader
- Graham Stuart
- Desmond Swayne
- David Tredinnick
- Ed Vaizey
- Shailesh Vara
- Ben Wallace
- Nigel Waterson
- Jeremy Wright
- Tim Yeo
